X-Ray Continua and Line Spectra from Highly Stripped Atoms in a Magnetically Compressed Plasma

A single-crystal time resolving x-ray emission spectrometer is described for study of x-ray spectra from the Scylla fast magnetic compression experiment. The Scylla sinusoidaily oscillating magnetic field achieves a value of 55 kgauss in 1.25 mu sec, producing a deuterium plasma. The spectra of O/sup VII//sup I/, NaX, Mg/sup XI/, Al/sup XII//sup I/, a nd Si/sup XII//sup I/ impurities are studied from 5 to 15A in D plasmas; in addition, the Nevin, a are studied for plasmas of 90% D and 10% Ne. During the half-cycle of decreasing magnetic field, an x-ray continuum is produced; the properties of this continuum, including the electron temperature, are studied. (auth)