It is known from experiments that the radiated x-ray energy appears to exceed the calculated implosion kinetic energy and Spitzer resistive heating ͓C. Deeney et al., Phys. Rev. A 44, 6762 ͑1991͔͒ but possible mechanisms of the enhanced x-ray production are still being discussed. Enhanced plasma heating in smalldiameter wire arrays with decreased calculated kinetic energy was investigated, and a review of experiments with cylindrical arrays of 1-16 mm in diameter on the 1 MA Zebra generator is presented in this paper. The implosion and x-ray generation in cylindrical wire arrays with different diameters were compared to find a transition from a regime where thermalization of the kinetic energy is the prevailing heating mechanism to regimes with other dominant mechanisms of plasma heating. Loads of 3-8 mm in diameter generate the highest x-ray power at the Zebra generator. The x-ray power falls in 1-2 mm loads which can be linked to the lower efficiency of plasma heating with the lack of kinetic energy. The electron temperature and density of the pinches also depend on the array diameter. In small-diameter arrays, 1-3 mm in diameter, ablating plasma accumulates in the inner volume much faster than in loads of 12-16 mm in diameter. Correlated bubblelike implosions were observed with multiframe shadowgraphy. Investigation of energy balance provides evidence for mechanisms of nonkinetic plasma heating in Z pinches. Formation and evolution of bright spots in Z pinches were studied with a time-gated pinhole camera. A comparison of x-ray images with shadowgrams shows that implosion bubbles can initiate bright spots in the pinch. Features of the implosions in smalldiameter wire arrays are discussed to identify mechanisms of energy dissipation.

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High-resolution laser probing diagnostics at a wavelength of 266 nm allow observation of the internal structure and instabilities in dense stagnated Z pinches, typically hidden by trailing material. The internal structure of the 1-MA Z pinch includes strong kink and sausage instabilities, loops, flares, and disruptions. Mid- and small-scale density perturbations develop in the precursor and main pinch. The three-dimensional shape and dynamics of the wire-array Z pinch are predetermined by the initial configuration of the wire array. Cylindrical, linear, and star wire-array Z pinches present different sets of instabilities seeded to the pinch at the implosion stage. Prolonged implosion of trailing mass can enhance x-ray production in wire arrays. Fast plasma motion with a velocity >100 km/s was observed in the Z pinch at stagnation with two-frame shadowgraphy. Development of instabilities in wire arrays is in agreement with three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations.

Implosions in starlike triple and quadruple wire arrays were investigated in a 1 MA Zebra generator. Implosion in these loads is directed along the rays of the star and cascades from wire to wire to the center. Shadowgraphy shows improved homogeneity of imploding plasma and mitigation of instabilities. Despite the low azimuthal symmetry, starlike wire arrays produce a stable x-ray pulse with the highest peak power of >0.4 TW and the shortest duration of 8-12 ns among different types of tested loads. This can be linked to stabilization of instabilities due to the multiple nesting.

The dynamics of implosions in "star"-like wire arrays were investigated in the 1-MA Zebra generator. The hydrodynamic mode of implosion was confirmed by several plasma diagnostics, including laser probing, an optical streak camera, and a time-gated charge-coupled-device camera. Implosion begins on the edge wires and cascades from wire to wire accelerating toward the center.