Initial investigation of an air plasma Z-pinch

Summary form only given. We report on the initial results of a Z-pinch formed from a pre-existing high temperature, low density channel of air with near atmospheric pressure (e.g. formed from a spark discharge). The evolution of the density, temperature, and geometry of the plasma channel are calculated with the MHD code MACH2. Initial estimates of the ohmic heating, pinch radius, radiative cooling, and equilibrium impedance properties of the plasma are evaluated and compared against the analytic estimates.