Plasma physics

A a view from inside the OMEGA target chamber during a direct-drive inertial fusion experiment at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics. Scientists fired 28 kilojoules of laser energy at small capsules filled with deuterium and tritium fuel, causing the capsules to implode and produce a plasma hot enough to initiate fusion reactions between the fuel nuclei. The temperatures achieved at the heart of these implosions are as high as 100 million degrees Celsius (180 million degrees Fahrenheit). The…

Interior of the Joint European Torus (JET) tokamak experimental fusion machine with a photo of the plasma overlaid. Credit: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, courtesy of EUROfusionThe Joint European Torus (JET), one of the world’s largest and most powerful fusion machines, has proven its capability to consistently produce fusion energy and has also established a new world record for energy output.These notable accomplishments represent a significant milestone in the field of fusion science and engineering.In JET’s…

By U.S. Department of Energy January 22, 2024Schematic of fast ions (black spirals) interacting with plasma waves (color) in a fusion experiment. Credit: Steve Allen (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) and adapted by Mike Van Zeeland (General Atomics)Fast ions and plasma waves in fusion reactors engage in a complex dance of energy transfer, with resonance and collision impacts playing significant roles. This understanding is vital for sustaining optimal plasma temperatures and advancing fusion energy technology.Just…

By U.S. Department of Energy January 20, 2024MIT researchers have advanced fusion experiments by developing a method to accurately predict plasma behavior using camera images and AI. This technique provides insights into plasma dynamics, essential for achieving net fusion energy production. Credit: SciTechDaily.comNeural networks guided by physics are creating new ways to observe the complexities of plasmas.Fusion experiments take place under extreme conditions, with extremely high-temperature matter contained in…

By U.S. Department of Energy January 18, 2024Recent research at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility has led to groundbreaking observations of energetic ions in fusion plasmas, crucial for maintaining the state of burning plasma. This enhanced understanding is pivotal for the development of fusion power plants and has implications for understanding plasma behaviors in space, potentially improving satellite reliability. Credit: SciTechDaily.comNew observations at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility offer vital insights…

By U.S. Department of Energy January 13, 2024Innovations at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility have shown that magnetic perturbations can enhance plasma confinement in tokamaks, increasing fusion efficiency. This breakthrough provides a new approach to managing plasma instabilities like ELMs, crucial for the development of efficient and safe fusion power plants. Credit: SciTechDaily.comPerturbing the edge magnetic field of a tokamak produces a counterintuitive response: particles entering the confined region rather than…

By Peter Reuell and Julianna Mullen, MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center January 8, 2024Universities are key to the development of high-tech industries, especially the emerging fusion energy sector. However, there’s a notable gap in fusion-focused academic resources. Experts recommend a multidisciplinary approach, increased faculty investment, and stronger academia-industry partnerships to propel the fusion industry forward. Credit: SciTechDaily.comFusion’s success as a renewable energy depends on the creation of an…

Osaka University researchers have simulated photon-photon collisions with lasers, potentially paving the way for generating matter from light in labs. This quantum physics advancement holds promise for understanding the universe’s composition and discovering new physics. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.com A team led by researchers at Osaka University and UC, San Diego has used simulations to demonstrate how one can experimentally produce matter solely from light, which in the future might help test long-standing…

Caltech Professor Paul Bellan’s two-decade research on plasma jets reveals unexpected behaviors in ‘cold’ plasmas. Initially theorizing a collision-avoidance mechanism for electron acceleration, Bellan later disproved this through simulations, discovering that some electrons, by rarely losing energy in near-ion passes, continuously accelerate and produce X-rays. This finding, significant for understanding solar flares and fusion experiments, challenges conventional plasma theories. Credit: SciTechDaily.comCaltech’s plasma…

Although the Sun fuels life on our planet, Earth’s host star is not to be messed with. The inflamed ball of hot gas can often times get violent, flinging streams of plasma in our direction in the form of solar wind. By the time this solar wind reaches us, it has already traveled 93 million miles and interacted with Earth’s own magnetic field. What scientists really needed, however, was to get a closer look at what’s drivingsolar wind from the Sun’s burning surface.What Is Carbon Capture? With Gizmodo’s Molly Taft |…