Research Visit to the Z Machine at Sandia National Labs

Jack and Rishabh spent a week in Albuquerque, NM visiting the Z pulsed-power facility at Sandia National Labs. They collected data from the first of the 4 MARZ experimental shots, provided as part of the Z Fundamental Science Program. This was the first experimental implementation of a dual inverse wire array load on the Z machine. The load, driven by the Z machine’s powerful 20 MA current pulse, generated supersonic and super-Alfvenic magnetized plasma flows, which created a radiatively-cooled current sheet at the mid-plane. You can learn more about MARZ on our Research page.