Onset of a charged-particle anisotropy in a z-pinch

The motion of charged particles in the self-consistent fields of an equilibrium Bennett z-pinch has been studied by numerical simulation. If ion-ion collisions alter the ion distribution function in the magnetized isotropic plasma of a z-pinch, this distribution function becomes anisotropic. In particular, anisotropy can arise in such systems upon the relaxation of an isotropic but thermodynamically nonequilibrium distribution to a Maxwellian distribution. An anisotropy also arises from a Maxwellian particle distribution if inelastic collisions occur or if collisions convert the particles having this Maxwellian distribution into particles of a different species. An example is the onset of anisotropy of the charged products of fusion reactions produced isotropically in the plasma of a z-pinch