Macroscopic properties of the inverse theta-pinch effect

Macroscopic properties of the inverse theta pinch are investigated. It is found that the second and succeeding explosions of this pinch begin soon after each peak of the oscillatory coil current, whereas the first explosion begins at the first increase in the current. It is also found that the velocity v of this pinch depends on the mass density ρ0 of the gas and on the peak coil current density im approximately as v∝ρ0−1/4 im1/2 for the first explosion, and as v∝ρ0−1/6 im1/3 for the second and succeeding explosions. These new experimental observations are analyzed theoretically.