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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.
Atsushi Imasaki, Fumitalce Murakami, Kunihiko Hattori, Tsuyoshi Yagai, Masashi Ashino, Akira Ando, Hiroyuki Tobari, Mikirou Yoshinuma, Masaaki Inutake
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 39 | Number 1 | January 2001 | Pages 324-327
Poster Presentations | doi.org/10.13182/FST01-A11963471
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Macroscopic behavior of a high-beta and supersonic plasma flow is investigated in the HITOP device. It is found that a cylindrical plasma begins to rotate eccentrically around the center axis in a divergent magnetic mirror. The eccentric radius increases with the increase in the mirror ratio and the beta value of the plasma. The rotating frequency changes with the radial electric field in the plasma, which is controlled by end-plate biasing technique. The rotation direction and its velocity are consistent with E × B drift motion. This behavior seems to be a flute/ballooning mode driven by static and dynamic pressure gradient in a bad curvature region of the divergent field line.