Optical magnetic field diagnostics for the MC1 flux compression generator experiments

Abstract

We describe the optical diagnostics used to measure magnetic fields up to 11 MGauss (1100 T) produced by Russian MC1 magnetic flux compression generators propelled by American high explosives in a joint experiment. The fields were measured by Faraday rotation in glass samples placed between thin polarizers. Light was introduced and collected in multi-mode fiber optics, allowing the laser light source and the recording instrumentation to be housed in a bunker about 20 m from the explosion. Great care was taken to keep the volume of the diagnostics small so that they would survive the generator implosions long enough to complete the measurements.