Solid liner inner surface phenomena during compression of a field reversed configuration plasma for a Magnetized Target Fusion proof of principle demonstration

A proposed Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) proof of principle demonstration involves compression of a field-reversed-configuration (FRC) plasma by a cylindrical, or quasi-spherical, solid liner. Peak internal poloidal magnetic fields are anticipated to be in the range of 1--10 MG at radial compression factors of approximately 10. Several phenomena occurring at the solid liner inner surface affect the performance of this plasma heating and compressions scheme. They include nonlinear magnetic field diffusion, phase changes and ablation due to surface and volumetric heating, and magnetohydrodynamic instability growth. Magnetic field diffusion limits the magnetic field amplification and reduces the magnetic flux buffer region between core plasma and liner. Melting and vaporization due to Joule heating alone have been shown to be likely to occur. Evaporated liner material traveling ahead of the liner solid surface can potentially interact deleteriously with the core plasma before peak compression. The authors present results of studies of the various phenomena using analytic models and 1- and 2-dimensional MHD simulations