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The newly refurbished Z accelerator conducted two system demonstration shots in September, ending a 14-month shutdown where the old systems were dismantled, the tank structure extensively modified, and new pulsed power subsystems assembled and installed. This was the final phase of the 6-year, $90 million ($63 million capital investment) Z Refurbishment (ZR) project. Experimentalists will realize increased utilization via the capability to conduct more shots, with improved precision and pulse shape variability. Better reproducibility and data quality, as well as increased delivered current, should provide additional performance. (1600) NW, ST&E
A series of ultra-high-velocity flyer plate impact experiments, designed to investigate the melting of diamond under large-amplitude shock-wave compression in support of the nation’s inertial confinement fusion program, were performed on Sandia’s Z machine. Through combined experimental and theoretical analysis, the onset and completion of melt were identified at pressures of 6.9 and 10.6 million atmospheres, respectively. As a bonus, compelling evidence was uncovered within the large solid-liquid coexistence region for the existence of a predicted diamond-liquid-bc8 triple point at 8.5 million atmospheres. (1600) NW, ST&E