Isentropic Compression of Argon and Krypton Using an MC1 Flux Compression Generator

LANL and VNIIEF are performing a set of joint experiments to explore the conductivity and possible metalization of argon and krypton compressed to up to five times normal solid density. The experiments use a magnetic field of several megagauss, generated by a Russian MC1 generator, to compress a metallic tube containing solidified argon or krypton. A probe in the center of the tube measures the electrical conductivity to the walls, and a 70-MeV betatron serves as an x-ray source for three radiographic measurements of the compression. Several of these experiments for argon compressed to around 4 to 5 times solid density indicate a conductivity in the range of 10 to 100 {Omega}{sup -1}cm{sup -1}, well below that of a metal. For krypton preliminary results show a conductivity of order 1000 or more, indicating likely metalization of the compressed sample.