Bringing the power of the sun to Earth requires sound theory, good engineering, and a little finesse. The process entails trapping charged, ultra-hot gas known as plasma so its particles can fuse and release enormous amounts ...
General Physics
Sep 23, 2020
7
1821
Blobs can wreak havoc in plasma required for fusion reactions. This bubble-like turbulence swells up at the edge of fusion plasmas and drains heat from the edge, limiting the efficiency of fusion reactions in doughnut-shaped ...
Plasma Physics
May 27, 2020
0
153
A team of physicists from several institutions across the U.S. working with a colleague from China, at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, in San Diego, California, has devised a way to overcome two key hurdles standing ...
The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday announced that a national lab in California made a "major scientific breakthrough"—namely, that it produced a nuclear fusion reaction that resulted in a net energy gain, a condition ...
Plasma Physics
Dec 14, 2022
2
125
Scientists at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Oxford University and the University of Michigan have joined efforts to develop new materials for thermonuclear fusion reactors. Their research focuses on characterization of ...
Condensed Matter
Jan 9, 2012
38
0
What makes our sun shine has been a mystery for most of human history. Given our sun is a star and stars are suns, explaining the source of the sun's energy would help us understand why stars shine.
General Physics
Aug 28, 2014
3
0
Astronomers have proposed a new theory to explain the origin of phosphorus, one of the elements important for life on Earth. The theory suggests a type of stellar explosion known as "ONe novae" as a major source of phosphorus.
Astronomy
May 10, 2024
0
1365
All efforts to replicate in tokamak fusion facilities the fusion energy that powers the sun and stars must cope with a constant problem—transient heat bursts that can halt fusion reactions and damage the doughnut-shaped ...
Plasma Physics
Jun 17, 2020
5
77
Investigation of a possibly critical issue with twisty magnetic stellarators, promising candidates to serve as models for a U.S. fusion pilot plant, has clarified the potential impact of a largely overlooked concern.
Plasma Physics
Jul 12, 2022
0
507
A key issue for scientists seeking to bring the fusion that powers the sun and stars to Earth is forecasting the performance of the volatile plasma that fuels fusion reactions. Making such predictions calls for considerable ...
Plasma Physics
Apr 16, 2020
1
855
