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DTRA’s advancements in nuclear and radiological detection
A new, more complex nuclear age has begun. Echoing the tensions of the Cold War amid rapidly evolving nuclear and radiological threats, preparedness in the modern age is a contest of scientific innovation. The Research and Development Directorate (RD) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is charged with winning this contest.
Masaaki Yamada
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 9 | Number 1 | January 1986 | Pages 38-47
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24699
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A review of experimental spheromak research is presented, together with prospects of near-future experiments and some reactor considerations. In the several experiments based on different schemes, a major effort has recently been made to improve the global magnetohydrodynamic stability and plasma parameters. Electron temperatures sufficiently high to exceed the low-Z radiation barrier have been achieved, and the extensive study of the transport characteristics has begun, aiming to attain more reactor-relevant plasmas with larger current. Finally, an improved conceptual design of a small spheromak reactor is presented, based on a flux injection technique recently developed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.