Quantum mechanics

Magnetic field

Implosion

Magnetohydrodynamics

Metallurgy

Materials science

Nuclear physics

Atomic physics

Plasma

Rotation (mathematics)

Physics

Z-pinch

Mathematics

Geometry

Flux (metallurgy)

Pinch

Physical Review Letters

Using detailed spectroscopic measurements, highly resolved in both time and space, a self-generated plasma rotation is demonstrated using a cylindrical implosion with a preembedded axial magnetic field (B_{z0}). The rotation direction is found to depend on the direction of B_{z0} and its velocity is found comparable to the peak implosion velocity, considerably affecting the force and energy balance throughout the implosion. Moreover, the evolution of the rotation is consistent with magnetic flux surface isorotation, a novel observation in a Z pinch, which is a prototypical time dependent system.

Self-Generated Plasma Rotation in a Z-Pinch Implosion with Preembedded Axial Magnetic Field