Reproducible Multimegagauss Fields—History of Ideas and Their Realization

It is already several tens of years to a cascade magnetocumulative (MC-1) generator of reproducible magnetic fields of multimegagauss range-a well-known device in megagauss physics. Due to several reasons, it seems to be necessary to recall the history of creation of this physical device, for which capabilities are still unique. First, this could be interesting; second, there is a desire to remind and appreciate contribution and services of the MC-1 generator designers who have left the business; third, this story could help to understand an operation principle and possibilities of the generator to new generation of the megagauss community, convince it that this source of extreme conditions is exceptionally convenient and useful research tool. These ideas suggesting, developing, and examination were carried out in close collaboration with Pavlovskii and Kolokolchikov.

I. Introduction

It is already more than half a century to the idea of ultrahigh magnetic field’s generation in a cylindrical metal liner using explosive compression of a magnetic flux [1], [2]. In the zeroth-order approximation of the magnetic flux constancy in the liner cavity, the magnetic field on its axis increases according to the law . Therefore, the first thing one wants to do for the highest field generation is to increase the initial magnetic field in the liner .