Z-Pinches

A current passing through a vaporized wire or other cylindrical plasma generates a poloidal magnetic field that interacts with the current, generating a Lorentz force in the direction of the current axis - the result is a self-pinched plasma (e.g. lightning) - and the on-axis compression can generate a shock wave, that efficiently converts the magnetic energy to heat, and then X-rays.

E x B force

wires

B-field

Z-axis; net current; foam