The role of strong coupling in z-pinch-driven approaches to high yield inertial confinement fusion

Peak x-ray powers as high as 280+/-40 TW have been generated from the implo sion of tungsten wire arrays on the Z Accelerator at Sandia National Labora tories. The high x-ray powers radiated by these z-pinches provide an attrac tive new driver option for high yield inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Th e high x-ray powers appear to be a result of using a large number of wires in the array which decreases the perturbation seed to the magnetic Rayleigh -Taylor (MRT) instability and diminishes other 3-D effects. Simulations to confirm this hypothesis require a 3-D MHD code capability, and associated d atabases, to follow the evolution of the wires from cold solid through melt vaporization, ionization, and finally to dense imploded plasma Strong coup ling plays a role in this process, the importance of which depends on the w ire material and the current time history of the pulsed power driver. Stron g coupling regimes are involved in the plasmas in the convolute and transmi ssion line of the powerflow system. Strong coupling can also play a role in the physics of the z-pinch-driven high yield ICF target Finally, strong co upling can occur in certain z-pinch-driven application experiments.