On the heating of ions in noncylindrical $Z$-pinches

The method proposed here for analyzing processes in a hot plasma of noncylindrical $Z$-pinches is based on separation of the group of high-energy ions into a special fraction. Such ions constitute an insignificant fraction ($\sim$10%) of the total volume of the $Z$-pinch plasma, but these ions contribute the most to the formation of conditions in which the pinch becomes a source of nuclear fusion products and X-ray radiation. The method allows a quite correct approach to obtaining quantitative estimates of the plasma parameters, the nuclear fusion energy yield, and the features of neutron fluxes in experiments with $Z$-pinches.