Theoretical investigation of Z-pinch in a dense gas

The results of investigation by the method of numerical simulation of plasmadynamics of Z-pinch initiated by laser radiation in a dense cold gas (hydrogen) are presented. The analysis of the Z-pinch dynamics has been performed within the framework of a single-liquid model of magnetohydrodynamics. The calculations are performed for the following initial plasma channel parameters: plasma temperature 1 eV; plasma density 5x1019 cm-3; channel radius - 0.05 cm. It is shown that at a plasma density of 5x1019 cm-3, the electronic thermal conduction coefficient - 10 cm2/s, initial current growth rate 5x1012 A/s the plasma temperature after 100 ns is equal to 100 eV. It is shown also that for the specified law of current change there exists a certain optimum gas density n. If n is less than this value, then the temperature growth would rather be limited by high medium thermal conduction equal to 1/n. A gas density increase above the optimum value results also in a plasma final temperature decrease due to a medium thermal capacity increase