Exploding Wires in Axial Magnetic Fields

An experimental investigation of the effect of applied axial magnetic fields on exploding wires has been conducted. The magnetic field effect was studied by monitoring the waveforms of the voltage across and the current through the wire. The explosion can generally be divided into three time periods—the initial pulse, the dwell, and the restrike. Some of the theories proposed to explain the mechanisms of the wire explosion are discussed. Since the wire explosion depends to a great degree on the experimental arrangement, the components of the exploding wire system are described in detail. Several sizes of copper wire were exploded in axial magnetic fields as high as 72 kG. In small, long wires the effect of the magnetic field was t o delay the restrike. In larger , shorter wires the magnetic field tended to increase the length of the initial pulse. The letter effect suggests that higher plasma temperatures nay be reached in exploding wires by applying an axial magnetic field.