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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.
Nicholas A. Krall
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 22 | Number 1 | August 1992 | Pages 42-49
Technical Paper | D-3He/Fusion Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/FST92-A30052
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Polywell™ spherically convergent ion focus concept for controlled thermonuclear fusion is described. The device magnetically confines electrons by a quasi-spherical-cusp magnetic field, forming a potential well. Ions are electrostatically confined by this well, converging to a dense focus in the center of the spherical potential, where the fusion rate is large because of the high local density of transient energetic ions. Power balance and critical physics issues are outlined, along with current experimental and theoretical work. The potential of the device for D-3He operation is described by the derivation of scaling laws for energy gain.