A double Z pinch driving a cylindrical secondary hohlraum from each end has been developed which can indirectly drive intertial confinement fusion capsule implosions with time-averaged radiation fields uniform to 2%-4%. 2D time-dependent view factor and 2D radiation hydrodynamic simulations using the measured primary hohlraum temperatures show that capsule convergence ratios of at least 10 with average distortions from sphericity of /r200 MJ.

The broadband radiation emitted from a Na Z pinch is used to photoionize Ne to the He-like ground state and radiation from the Na \s 2 -\s2p ] P\ transition is used to resonantly photoexcite the Ne \s 2 -\s4p ] P\ transition. Time-resolved and time-integrated spectral measurements of the Ne AVshell emission demonstrate the first population inversion driven by a Z pinch. This is the first experiment in any medium to demonstrate a soft-x-ray inversion pumped solely by resonant photoexcitation.PACS numbers: 42.60. By, 32.30.Rj, 32.70.~n, 52.55.Ez Research conducted during the past ten years has demonstrated that pulsed-power drivers are capable of efficiently creating very energetic radiation sources with a variety of spectral distributions [1]. Many have suggested that these drivers can be used for applications such as creating photopumped x-ray lasers [2], imploding inertial confinement fusion capsules [3], and studying the photoionization kinetics of plasmas in intense radiation fields [4]. A serious potential problem with using pulsed-power drivers is that the powerful electrical pulse (currents of many MA and voltages of many MV) flowing within millimeters of the various "targets" may obscure the effects of the radiation drive and hopelessly complicate the execution of this class of experiment. In this Letter we show that these problems are separable and present the first unambiguous experimental demonstration of population inversion driven by a Z pinch, and the first soft-x-ray inversion pumped solely by resonant photoexcitation in any medium.We are performing photopumping experiments using the sodium-neon resonant photoexcitation x-ray laser scheme. This scheme, which has received extensive theoretical study [5][6][7][8], employs radiation from the \s 2 -\s2p ] P\ transition at 11.0027 A in He-like Na to resonantly photoexcite the Ne \s 2 -\s4p l P\ transition at 11.0003 A in He-like Ne. Electron and ion collisions are predicted to transfer a large fraction of the excited 4p singlet population to the 4d and 4/levels. The line calculated to have the highest gain is the Is 3d ] D 2 -\s4f ] Fi transition at 231 A. This resonance is attractive because of the excellent match between the Na and Ne resonant transitions, the intrinsic strength of the Na pump line, and the relative ease in creating a large population of Ne ions in the He-like ground state.To produce a bright Na pump line one needs a highdensity (>10 19 ionscm" 3 ), high-temperature (> 300 eV) Na plasma in order to both maximize the radiation rates and ensure that a large population of Na ions are in excited He-like states. The Ne lasant plasma, however, needs to be at a lower density (~ 10 18 ions cm -3 ) and temperature (< 100 eV) in order to both maximize the population of Ne ions in the He-like ground state and minimize collisional excitation of the lower lasing level.In our experimental arrangement (see Fig. 1) such divergent conditions have been achieved. We create the Na plasma by imploding an array of sixteen 20-mm-long, top view pinch diagno...

Simulations of a double Z-pinch hohlraum, relevant to the high-yield inertial-confinement-fusion concept, predict that through geometry design the time-integrated P2 Legendre mode drive asymmetry can be systematically controlled from positive to negative coefficient values. Studying capsule elongation, recent experiments on Z confirm such control by varying the secondary hohlraum length. Since the experimental trend and optimum length are correctly modeled, confidence is gained in the simulation tools; the same tools predict capsule drive uniformity sufficient for high-yield fusion ignition.

24Background. Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of a debilitating skin and soft tissue 25 infection known as Buruli ulcer (BU). There is no vaccine against BU. The purpose of this study 26 was to investigate the vaccine potential of two previously described immunogenic M. 27 ulcerans proteins, MUL_3720 and Hsp18, using a mouse tail infection model of BU. 28 Methods. Recombinant versions of the two proteins were each electrostatically coupled with a 29 previously described lipopeptide adjuvant. Seven C57BL/6 and seven BALB/c mice were 30 vaccinated and boosted with each of the formulations. Vaccinated mice were then challenged 31 with M. ulcerans via subcutaneous tail inoculation. Vaccine performance was assessed by time-32 to-ulceration compared to unvaccinated mice. 33 Results. The MUL_3720 and Hsp18 vaccines induced high titres of antigen-specific antibodies 34 that were predominately subtype IgG 1 . However, all mice developed ulcers by day-40 post-M. 35 ulcerans challenge. No significant difference was observed in the time-to-onset of ulceration 36 between the experimental vaccine groups and unvaccinated animals.37