  Simulation studies of a section of a spherically imploding plasma liner,
formed by the merger of six hypersonic plasma jets, have been performed at
conditions relevant to the Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX) [S. C. Hsu et al.,
IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.~{\bf 46}, 1951 (2018)]. The main aim of simulations was
the sensitivity study of the detailed structure of plasma liners and their
global properties to experimental mass variations and timing jitter across the
six plasma jets. Experimentally observable synthetic quantities have been
computed using simulation data and compared with the available experimental
data. Simulations predicted that the primary oblique shock wave structure is
preserved at small experimental variations. At later phases of the liner
implosion, primary shocks and, especially, secondary shocks are more sensitive
to experimental variations. These conclusions follow from the simulation data
as well as comparisons between synthetic and experimental interferometry and
visible images. Small displacements of the shock wave structures may cause
significant changes in the synthetic interferometer data at early time. Our
studies also showed that the global properties of the plasma liners (averaged
Mach number and averaged ram pressure along leading edges of plasma liners) are
not very sensitive to experimental variations. Simulation data of the liner
structure were largely confirmed by the PLX experimental data.
