ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2026
Latest News
Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
E. Montalvo, B. R. Shi1, R. Carrera, G. Y. Fu2, Z. Guo3, R. Haleltine, L. M. Hively4, G. H. Miley5, M. N. Rosenbluth6, K. Tani7, J. W. Van Dam, X. Xiao8
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 19 | Number 3 | May 1991 | Pages 1284-1289
Result of Large Experiment and Plasma Engineering | doi.org/10.13182/FST91-A29518
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Alpha healing, alpha containment, and alpha stabilization effects are studied in the fusion ignition experiment IGNITEX. The IGNITEX device offers the possibility of producing fusion-ignited plasmas with ohmic heating alone. It is shown here that operating regimes with high probability for ignition and simplicity of operation are possible in IGNITEX. Time-dependent simulations showing the ohmic heating and alpha healing coupling through the discharge are presented. The characteristics for alpha transport with magnetic field perturbations are analyzed in detail using Monte-Carlo techniques. The stability of internal MHD modes and the interaction with alpha particles in the inner confinement region of ignited plasmas is studied. Specifically, the stability of resistive internal kinks, ideal internal kinks, and fishbones is presented. It is shown that a quiescent regime of operation is possible during the ignited phase in IGNITEX. Because of its ample ignition margin, its high alpha containment, and the possibility of operation far from marginal stability and the possibility of ignition operation with quiescent regimes in the inner region of the plasma, it is concluded that the IGNITEX device can produce fusion-ignited plasmas in a simple manner.