Mitigation of Instabilities in a Z-Pinch Plasma by a Preembedded Axial Magnetic Field

The effects of an axial magnetic field on the development of instabilities during a z-pinch implosion are studied using 2-D images and interferometry. The measurements clearly show mitigation of magneto Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities with increased magnitude of the preembedded axial magnetic field. Introducing the axial magnetic field also gives rise to new structures, indicating an interaction between the azimuthal and axial fields.