Scientists achieved a breakthrough in twisty stellarator design, enabling more precise magnetic field shaping and confining fusion fuel. The new software, SIMSOPT, allows for rapid simulation and optimization of stellarator configurations.
Researchers found that adding boron to plasma improves heat confinement and reduces turbulence, a promising concept for fusion power. The study reveals a novel regime for confining heat in stellarators, which could advance the design as a blueprint for future fusion power plants.
Researchers at PPPL and Princeton University have created a novel, wall-less Hall thruster that increases the lifetime of rockets and produces high power. The device uses segmented electrodes to focus the plasma thrust plume, improving performance and efficiency.
Researchers at PPPL develop an algorithm to solve the complex equation describing free electron motion in tokamaks, enabling accurate simulations and better control of plasma. This breakthrough provides a rigorous mathematical proof and expands the capabilities of the Computational Sciences Department.
Researchers at the DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory discovered a process in plasma swirling around black holes that causes previously unexplained emissions of light and heat. The process, known as magnetic reconnection, also jettisons huge plumes of plasma billions of miles in length.
Physicists at PPPL have discovered a new way to measure and understand high-energy-density plasmas, which are essential for fine-tuning inertial confinement fusion experiments. The study revealed that ion temperatures and electron temperatures were not equivalent, providing new insights into the behavior of these extreme states of matter.
Researchers at PPPL demonstrate production of high-density QED cascades, a process important for black holes, supernovas, and cosmic events. The breakthrough uses current laboratory capabilities, such as lasers and relativistic beams, to access and observe the regime.
Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have identified a chemical pathway to produce boron nitride nanotubes, a material with properties similar to carbon nanotubes but more difficult to produce. The breakthrough could lead to large-scale industrial production of the nanomaterial for various applications.
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute and PPPL confirm a major advance in stellarator performance, achieving temperatures twice as great as the sun's core. The XICS diagnostic instrument revealed a sharp reduction in neoclassical transport, a type of heat loss that has historically been greater in classical stellarators.
Scientists at PPPL have developed a new technique to design powerful magnets for tokamaks using stellarator computer code, enabling more efficient confinement and control of plasma. This innovation can aid the construction of fusion facilities by compensating for imprecision and suppressing plasma instabilities.
Researchers have detected the birth and growth phases of high-energy runaway electrons in tokamaks, which can cause damage to the machines. The new diagnostic tool enables scientists to understand the energy content of the plasma and potentially prevent the electrons' damage.
The US Department of Energy has awarded $2.1 million to PPPL for three public-private fusion energy partnerships. These collaborations will bring together PPPL researchers with Microsoft, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, and TAE Technologies to develop innovative solutions using AI, computer codes, and novel superconductors.
Scientists have discovered a novel way to classify magnetized plasmas, which could lead to advances in harvesting fusion energy on Earth. The discovery reveals that a magnetized plasma has 10 unique phases, with transitions between them supporting localized wave excitations.
Researchers at PPPL have designed a novel X-ray crystal spectrometer to measure fine structure in HED plasmas, revealing their state of matter under extreme conditions. The new spectrometer addresses design challenges such as reducing statistical errors and improving energy resolution for NIF-produced HED plasmas.
Researchers at DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory receive $2 million in funding to investigate magnetic reconnection and plasma blobs that can disrupt communications satellites. They aim to recreate conditions in the magnetosphere using a device resembling an enormous silvery barrel tipped on its side.
Scientists at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have developed a new computer model that accurately predicts the behavior of plasma in the sun's solar corona. This breakthrough could lead to better space weather predictions and improve the understanding of magnetic reconnection, which drives the fusion reactions that power the sun.
Researchers have developed a method called 'quasi-symmetry' that can minimize the negative effects of magnetic field errors in fusion reactors, improving stability and energy confinement. This breakthrough could accelerate the development of fusion energy as a safe and limitless source of power.
A new plasma device designed for consumers has been demonstrated to eliminate 99.99 percent of bacteria on surfaces, including textiles and metals, in just 90 seconds. The device uses room-temperature plasmas to produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that destroy bacterial cell walls and kill cells.
A National Academies report calls for a US fusion pilot plant to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon emission electrical system. The pilot plant should be operational by 2035-2040, with innovations in fusion confinement concepts and technology development needed.
The DOE/Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory has predicted a far larger and less damaging heat-load width for the full-power operation of ITER, contradicting previous estimates. The new formula produces a forecast that is over six-times wider than those developed by simple extrapolation.
A novel machine learning algorithm developed by Princeton physicist Hong Qin accurately predicts planetary orbits without using traditional physics laws. The technology has potential applications in predicting plasma behavior in fusion facilities, challenging the fundamental role of theories in science.
A new type of rocket thruster could take humankind to Mars and beyond by exploiting the mechanism behind solar flares. The device accelerates plasma particles using magnetic reconnection, a process found throughout the universe, to generate high velocities.
Researchers at PPPL and Commonwealth Fusion Systems successfully simulated particle confinement in the SPARC tokamak device, crucial for achieving commercial fusion energy. The study predicts well-confined alpha particles will minimize damage to the facility, paving the way for plasma self-heating and improved techniques for control.
The PPPL has been awarded $3 million from ARPA-E and $1 million from the DOE Office of Science to develop permanent magnets for stellarators. This project aims to simplify the complex design of twisty plasma fusion devices, which could become an attractive candidate for a fusion pilot plant.
A new algorithm helps track fast charged particles in plasma, which could influence fusion reactions. The algorithm conserves energy during pitch-angle scattering, a critical process in fusion plasma.
Researchers propose new method to verify star and planet formation theory by simulating the Princeton Magnetorotational Instability (MRI) Experiment. The study finds that instabilities can be seen before the upper limit of experimental rotation rate is reached, shedding light on the growth of celestial bodies.
Researchers developed a technique to forecast how tokamaks might respond to magnetic errors, which can disrupt fusion reactions. This forecasts could help engineers design fusion facilities that efficiently create a virtually inexhaustible supply of safe and clean fusion energy.
The US Department of Energy awards $21 million to install and operate new scientific instruments on the National Spherical Tokamak Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) at PPPL. The funding aims to probe key physics problems, validate computer models, and chart a path to next-stage fusion energy research.
Scientists at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have found a novel electrical current that could stabilize fusion reactions, contrary to conventional notions. The discovery sheds light on the fundamental interactions of waves in plasma and has implications for creating fusion energy.
Two new collaborations aim to capture and control fusion energy, which powers the sun and stars. The partnerships bring together experts from PPPL and private companies Tokamak Energy and General Fusion to advance efforts in modeling and stability.
A revised code upgrade has improved the calculation of forces acting on magnetically confined plasma in fusion energy experiments. The new software, SPEC, enables researchers to determine the boundary of plasma in stellarators more easily, allowing for a better design and performance.
Scientists at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory discover a network of interacting waves that plays a key role in triggering edge localized modes (ELMs) in fusion facilities. The findings provide new insights into the ELMs process and may help tame potentially damaging processes.
Researchers at DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have developed a model that accurately reproduces the conditions for ELM suppression in the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. The model predicts wider operational flexibility for tokamaks, enabling enhanced fusion reactor operation and expanding the capabilities of fusion devices.
Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have developed a new model for stabilizing magnetic bubbles in plasma, which can expand and disrupt fusion reactions. By modifying the standard technique of radio frequency wave deposition, they predict that pulsing the waves can overcome leakage problems and improve performance.
The LTX-β upgrade successfully demonstrates the ability of liquid lithium to hold onto stray particles, improving plasma temperature profiles and expanding plasma volume for fusion. The device aims to test whether coating all plasma-facing walls with lithium can enhance plasma confinement and increase temperature.
Researchers at PPPL discovered a phenomenon that causes vital heat to be lost from tokamaks, which could hinder the operation of fusion devices. The study reveals new insights into how chirping forms and how it affects plasma movement.
Researchers at DOE/Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have gained new insights into the sawtooth instability, a cooling phenomenon that interferes with fusion reactions. The discovery, rooted in abstract mathematics, suggests an alternative explanation for the phenomenon when the safety factor drops to around 0.7.
Researchers have developed a new code, XGC-S, that can simulate the behavior of plasma in stellarators more accurately than before. This advancement aims to improve the design of fusion devices, which could provide a virtually inexhaustible supply of safe and clean power.
Scientists at DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory develop a control scheme to optimize magnetic field levels, suppressing edge localized modes (ELMs) and maximizing fusion power. The technique uses real-time control to regulate plasma stability, aiming for stable ELM suppression and high fusion performance.
Scientists at the DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have reproduced a process that occurs in space to deepen understanding of what happens when the Earth encounters the solar wind. The research aims to help forecast space weather and protect satellites that enable global communication.
Researchers have discovered a surprising correlation between blobs of turbulence at the edge of fusion plasas and magnetic field fluctuations. This link could help improve the efficiency of fusion reactions, paving the way for clean and virtually limitless energy.
Researchers have made significant progress in understanding plasma behavior at the edge of fusion facilities, which could help achieve fusion power. The Gkeyll code simulates turbulent fluctuations and reduces particle flux near the plasma edge, potentially increasing efficiency.
Researchers have discovered a new effect called 'RF current condensation' that can stabilize magnetic islands in plasma, allowing for improved control of fusion reactors. By heating the islands with radio waves, scientists can drive electric currents that cause them to shrink and disappear, enhancing stability.
Scientists at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have developed a new technique to predict fusion energy performance using advanced mathematical modeling. This approach combines millisecond behavior with longer-term forecasts, enabling accurate predictions of plasma temperature profiles and heat fluxes at significantly reduced computa...
Researchers at DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory proposed a new theory to explain sawtooth instabilities in plasma, which could lead to more efficient fusion reactions. The theory suggests that localized instabilities can flatten pressure and temperature during the sawtooth cycle, explaining rapid heat collapses.
An international team of scientists used AI to predict disruptions in fusion reactions, avoiding energy release and damage to facilities. The algorithm was trained on thousands of experiments and successfully forecasted disruptions in real-time.
Scientists have proposed using permanent magnets to simplify the design and production of stellarators, which are twisty fusion facilities that can produce massive amounts of energy. This innovation could lead to the creation of simpler, non-twisted coils and lower costs for engineering and manufacturing.
Researchers found that hydrogen ice pellets enhance fusion temperatures and plasma pressure compared to gas injection on DIII-D. The findings are encouraging for ITER's pellet-injection fueling method, which aims to replicate the sun's fusion process.
Researchers at W7-X facility demonstrate key step in overcoming plasma leakage problem in stellarators, validating optimized design that reduces neoclassical transport and improves heat control. The breakthrough enables high-performance stellarator designs to produce clean and safe fusion reactors.
PPPL made significant strides in fusion energy development, including the creation of a supersonic plasma jet that could study stellar bodies light years away. The Laboratory also partnered with Princeton University to study low-temperature plasma and developed an award-winning apprenticeship program for early career technicians.