Isentropic Compression of Argon and Krypton Using AN MC-1 Flux Compression Generator

LANL and VNIIEF are performing a set of joint experiments to explore the conductivity and possible metalization of argon and krypton compressed to up to five times normal solid density. The experiments use a magnetic field of several megagauss, generated by a Russian MC-1 generator [1], to compress a metallic tube containing solidified argon or krypton. A probe in the center of the tube measures the electrical conductivity to the walls, and a 70-MeV betatron serves as an x-ray source for three radiographic measurements of the compression. Several of these experiments for argon compressed to around 4 to 5 times solid density indicate a conductivity in the range of 10 to 100 Ω^-1 cm^-1, well below that of a metal. For krypton preliminary results show a conductivity of order 1000 or more, indicating likely metalization of the compressed sample.