Recent experiments in the DIII-D tokamak have shown that spinning plasma can prevent magnetic island formation, which reduces fusion power production. By applying torque to spin the plasma faster while minimizing stray magnetic fields, tokamak fusion performance can be raised.
Researchers have achieved a record pressure of 50 megabars in a diamond experiment at the National Ignition Facility, replicating conditions believed to exist in super-Earths. The use of ramp-compression technique allowed for higher pressures than standard near-instantaneous shock-physics experiments.
Researchers at MIT's Alcator C-Mod experiment have found a novel connection between spontaneous plasma rotation and global energy confinement. At low density, the two phenomena are positively correlated, but at higher densities, they become inversely related, with rotation reversal leading to saturated energy confinement.
Researchers at DIII-D National Fusion Facility have developed a method to control high-energy runaway electrons in tokamaks, which can potentially damage interior surfaces. By applying rapid pre-programmed changes in magnetic control coils, scientists can move the electron beam away from interior surfaces and prevent damage.
Scientists at PPPL have discovered a new process that releases magnetic energy faster than expected by classical theories. The 3-D process involves the formation of high current ropes called flux ropes, which are ejected out of the reconnection region, leading to a sudden decrease in current density.
New research at MIT's Alcator C-Mod tokamak provides insight into the transport of impurities in fusion plasmas, a crucial step towards improving reactor performance. By tracking impurities using high-resolution spectrometry and computer simulations, scientists aim to develop more accurate models for predicting impurity behavior.
A team of scientists found that increasing lithium coating in the wall of an experimental fusion reactor greatly improves plasma confinement. This leads to smaller and cheaper fusion machines. The study also enhances certain plasma properties aiding the reaction.
A new study demonstrates that magnetic forces correctly explain the motion of erupting plasma clouds, resolving a long-standing challenge in understanding coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The research uses data from the STEREO twin-satellite mission to validate a theoretical model of CMEs as giant 'magnetic flux ropes'.
Scientists have successfully created an optical analogue of Hawking radiation using a laser beam and glass target. This experiment confirms the theoretical predictions of Hawking radiation, which is emitted by black holes but difficult to detect.
Scientists model vacuum breakdown to understand its implications for applications, including particle accelerators and fusion reactors. A new model reveals that the breakdown arc is triggered by an electric field tearing apart the metal surface, leading to extremely damaging effects.
Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have made significant progress in reducing thermal plasma-wall interaction challenges for fusion energy devices. A new 'snowflake' divertor concept successfully reduced plasma-material interface heat load and erosion, extending component lifetime.
Shear Alfvén waves are important in plasma stability and heating, while also contributing to aurora formation and solar corona acceleration
Scientists successfully generated plasma current using Coaxial Helicity Injection, producing 1 million amperes of current with 40% less energy. This method eliminates the need for a solenoid in tokamaks, simplifying the device and optimizing its efficiency.
Scientists have observed relativistic transparency in plasma, allowing it to act as a fast optical switch. This phenomenon enables the flow of light through previously opaque material in less than a tenth of a picosecond.
Researchers at MIT have made a major step forward in fusion energy by studying the plasma edge. By reducing the steady-state power conducted to the wall, they have found that redistributing exhaust power through impurity radiation is a viable option for future fusion reactors.
Scientists have captured the first 2-D visualization of Alfvén waves and the energetic particles that ride them to fusion reactor walls. These images show a torus-shaped plasma with spiral waves and particles arriving at the wall in synchronization with the waves.
Researchers at Bell Laboratories have created braided anyons that can withstand disturbances and store quantum information, potentially dispending with error prevention methods. The findings suggest that two-dimensional braids could lead to more robust quantum computing schemes.
Scientists at Rutgers University discovered a material where an electric field controls the overall magnetic properties, leading to ultra-dense data storage. The effect could revolutionize small-scale magnetic bits and potentially lead to more dense storage devices than current terabyte discs.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a method for injecting substances into single cells using sharp fluid jets, which may revolutionize stem cell research and cellular-level studies. The technique allows for the introduction of live cells to nontoxic substances without significantly damaging them.
Experiments at CERN and Karlsruhe have clarified the processes affecting osmium-187 abundance, reducing uncertainties in the rhenium-osmium cosmic clock. This allows for a more accurate estimate of our galaxy's age.
Researchers explore how wrinkles adapt to edges and quantify their formation, providing insights into biological tissue and material properties. They find that surface tension forces films to lie flat near the edge, while gravity prefers shallow ripples in the center.
A recent galactic survey suggests that ultralight neutrinos may be at most half as massive as initially estimated. The MegaZ DR7 map of over 700,000 galaxies indicates a reduced upper limit for neutrino mass.
Researchers at SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source use the facility's bright, brief flash to study how x-rays strip electrons from nitrogen atoms. The results show that nitrogen molecules absorb less x-ray radiation with shorter flashes, enabling snapshots of ultra-fast chemical and molecular processes.
Recent research challenges previous observations of supersolid helium, proposing that the phenomenon may be caused by quantum plasticity. The study's findings have significant implications for our understanding of ultracold solid helium and its potential to exhibit counterintuitive characteristics.
Mobile cells may be more sensitive to chemical signals than thought, following trails with improved accuracy. Researchers found lower-than-expected noise levels in these cells, enabling them to detect and respond to chemical cues more effectively.
Researchers have developed a new technique to study the structural properties of tissues by sucking cells into a pipette, providing information on adhesion and elasticity. This approach complements existing methods and allows for measurements on living tissue in its natural environment.
New images reveal electrons flowing primarily along crystal grain boundaries, providing clues to the origin of superconductivity in pnictides. The discovery may help physicists develop better high-temperature superconductors that could save energy and enable innovative applications.
Tetrahedral dice pack 76% of container space, surpassing sphere packing, and single molecules can calculate thousands of times faster than PCs.
Researchers are gaining insight into the workings of magnetic shape-memory materials by studying their molecular level behavior. By examining the effects of excess manganese atoms on a specific alloy, scientists hope to develop materials that exhibit larger changes in shape.
Scientists have successfully synthesized element 117, a superheavy element with 117 protons, by fusing calcium and berkelium. The short-lived atom is unstable but lives longer than many lighter elements, confirming theories of an island of stability on the periodic table.
Physicists at the University of Maryland have developed a novel approach to manipulate quantum bits using an optical frequency comb. The technique allows for the creation of coherent pairs of frequencies, reducing the need for physically adjusting components and increasing the versatility of qubit manipulation.
Researchers discovered a layer where helium condenses into droplets, allowing neon to dissolve and fall towards the planet's interior. This phenomenon explains the observed lack of neon in Jupiter's upper atmosphere.
A team of researchers has discovered that in copper-based superconductors, tiny areas of weak superconductivity can hold up at higher temperatures when surrounded by regions of strong superconductivity. This finding could lead to the creation of new materials with improved superconducting properties.
Scientists at ESCPI conducted an experiment to focus light through opaque materials and detect objects hidden behind them. They used a numerical model called a transmission matrix to tailor a beam of light specifically to pass through the material and focus on the other side.
Researchers have discovered that heat can aid in low-power data storage by harnessing random thermal motions. This breakthrough could lead to magnetic memory that operates at significantly lower power than conventional devices.
Researchers have made significant breakthroughs in developing practical phonon lasers, which could enable new medical imaging devices and precision measurement tools. Two separate teams, one in the US and the UK, have reported advancements in phonon laser development, using different approaches to overcome technical challenges.
The American Physical Society has released a report outlining concrete steps to help the US achieve its goals of downsize the nuclear arsenal, prevent the spread of atomic bombs, and keep the stockpile safe and secure. The report recommends technologies such as nuclear archaeology to validate nations' production of atomic material.
Carbon-22 has a nucleus comprised of 16 neutrons and 6 protons, exhibiting an unexpected stability due to its halo structure. The discovery sets a new milestone in nuclear physics, with implications for the investigation of heavier and more exotic nuclei.
Researchers developed a technique to triple the number of events in reading qubits, strengthening the signal and enabling more efficient quantum data storage. This approach uses the spin of Nitrogen nuclei to add steps to the process, potentially paving the way for practical quantum computers at room temperature.
Researchers have successfully demonstrated quantum entanglement in solid-state devices, a breakthrough that could enable faster and more secure computing. The experiment uses electrons in a superconductor to create entangled pairs, which can be used to enhance computing performance and secure data transmission.
Researchers create a thermometer capable of measuring temperatures as low as tens of trillionths of a degree above absolute zero. By leveraging the magnetization of atoms in a magnetic field, scientists were able to extract temperature information from easily measurable properties.
Researchers have developed a new method to delicately comb out entanglements among qubits while preserving the encoded information. This work provides a primitive model for a quantum World Wide Web, where individual users form ebits with quantum search engines and send queries via quantum teleportation.
Researchers have successfully created a Bose-Einstein condensate of strontium atoms, paving the way for more precise clocks and potential advancements in quantum computing. The achievement is a major breakthrough in ultracold chemistry.
A team of physicists has directly observed a reverse shock wave of light in a specially tailored structure known as a left-handed metamaterial. This is the first unambiguous experimental demonstration of reversed Cerenkov radiation, a phenomenon predicted over forty years ago.
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have achieved world-record energies in laser-accelerated particles, accelerating protons to 254 million miles per hour. The technique has potential applications in cancer treatment and is expected to contribute to future advances in modern cancer radiotherapy.
Researchers shed light on electron beam formation by attributing it to the evolution of the plasma bubble shape and nonlinear laser pulse evolution. The discovery is attributed to fine details in 3D simulations, offering a robust mechanism for self-injection and monoenergetic bunch formation.
A new generation of high-energy lasers has been developed to study fast ignition and high energy density physics. Using the OMEGA EP laser, researchers have demonstrated strong laser-matter coupling with intense 2.1kJ, 15ps laser pulses, enabling significant laser powers to be produced.
Increasing power in RFP fusion device leads to self-organized helical plasma with improved trapping and hotter temperatures. The helical state is spontaneously chosen by the plasma, improving magnetic confinement and renewing fusion prospects.
Researchers observed the onset and stagnation of 3D magnetic reconnection in a lab experiment. The study reveals unexpected features not considered in 2D models, including asymmetric reconnection fields and forces.
Researchers create self-guided stages up to 12 GeV and externally guided stages up to 50 GeV using boosted frame simulations. This new technique enables faster and more accurate modeling of next-generation experiments.