Origin of the magnetic confinement force in the homogeneous Z pinch

A reexamination is made of the basic assumptions about magnetic force and magnetic pressure in a pinch. The confinement of a plasma by its own internal magnetic field is analyzed in a cylindrical geometry. It is shown that there are subtle but serious ambiguities in the usual theory, which can be cleared up by elementary arguments. The results which follow lead to an improved understanding of the mechanism responsible for the Z pinch.<
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