X-ray structure of a pinched plasma in a vacuum spark

The size and shape of an x-ray source formed by a plasma pinch have been determined using time-integrated pinhole photography. Pinhole diameters as small as 4 μ have been used to image a source whose length is usually about one order of magnitude larger than this pinhole diameter. Such measurements should refine the density determination of the source and are essential to specifying a charged-particle acceleration mechanism in the pinch region. The x-ray images, visible streak photographs, and x-ray-source lifetime measurements suggest that the x-ray source may, as a whole, be moving as it emits.