Articles tagged with Plasma
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.
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 at Penn State have successfully developed a novel plasma medicine technique that effectively targets and kills bacteria in liquid cultures without developing resistance. The process uses low-temperature plasma generated from atmospheric pressure or liquids, creating reactive particles with antibacterial effects.
Researchers have demonstrated a prototype device that uses microwave air plasmas for jet propulsion, offering a potentially viable alternative to conventional fossil fuel jet engines. The engine can generate thrusting pressures comparable to those of commercial airplane jet engines using only air and electricity.
Physicists at Goethe University Frankfurt simulated merging neutron stars, predicting a clear signature of quark-gluon plasma in gravitational waves. This finding could provide evidence for the existence of the quark-gluon plasma in the present universe.
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.
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 Ruhr-University Bochum developed a process to protect enzymes from plasma treatment, allowing for stable biocatalytic reactions with precise hydrogen peroxide dosing. This method improves the efficiency of traditional enzyme catalysis by reducing energy consumption and waste.
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.
Researchers at Drexel University have found a way to destroy toxic compounds, ominously dubbed 'forever chemicals,' that have contaminated the drinking water of millions across the US. The team uses a blast of charged gas, called cold plasma, to eliminate PFAS from water without heating it up.
Researchers at PPPL develop a safer, more effective way to create a star on Earth by injecting boron powder into plasma. This technique reduces greenhouse gases and long-term radioactive waste, while increasing heat output for electricity generation.
Researchers have created a new device that can rapidly switch functionality to support high-speed wireless communications, enabling multiple conversations over the same network. The device uses microcapillaries filled with plasma, metal or dielectric gas to generate multiple channels operating simultaneously at different frequencies.
Researchers improved a computer program to simulate photon behavior in intergalactic space. They found that particles flying to Earth are deflected by magnetic fields or interact with hydrogen plasma, preventing them from reaching their destination.
Researchers at the University of Rochester have directly demonstrated how laser beams modify plasma conditions, affecting energy transfer in fusion experiments. This breakthrough validates a longstanding theory and improves predictive capability for integrated implosion simulations.
Physicists at PPPL discovered that halo currents offset eddy current forces in tokamaks, leading to unexpected changes in total vertical forces; this finding could enable designers to contain damaging forces for future fusion facilities like ITER.
Physicist Fatima Ebrahimi's high-resolution simulations show that CHI can produce continuous current in larger tokamaks, enabling stable fusion plasmas. The technique creates magnetic bubbles to induce current, which could be used in fusion facilities worldwide
The Helmholtz International Lab for Optimized Advanced Divertors in Stellarators (HILOADS) has been approved to conduct research on stellarator projects. HILOADS brings together institutions from Germany and the US, including the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The project aims to develop o...
Researchers have developed a simulation model that shows the potential for fast magnetic reconnection to occur in partially ionized plasma, a key region in interstellar space. This finding could help understand how reconnection may affect star formation and provide insights into the physics of magnetically reconnecting plasmas.
Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory developed new mathematical tools to forecast when waves will cool plasma and quench fusion reactions. A second beam injected at a different angle can suppress the effect of waves, providing new methods for maintaining plasma confinement.
Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory create simulation framework to fine-tune plasma startup recipes for NSTX-U and MAST-U experiments. The tool enables operators to quickly achieve a balance between electric and magnetic fields, significantly reducing experimentation time.
Scientists at PPPL have developed new findings on the physics governing the balance of pressure in the scrape-off layer, which is essential for predicting plasma pressure in future fusion facilities. The research could lead to accurate forecasts for international ITER and other next-generation tokamaks.
A new mathematical technique developed by Caoxiang Zhu at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory can help simplify the design of stellarators, reducing construction time and costs. The method identifies irregular magnetic fields produced by stellarator coils, allowing for the creation of more stable plasmas.
Researchers discovered a small misalignment of magnetic coils in a tokamak facility that caused errors and deviations from optimal alignment, leading to increased localized heating and reduced plasma rotation. The findings have implications for future fusion devices like ITER, with improved engineering tolerance requirements proposed.
Physicists have confirmed an updated computer code can predict and prevent leaks in fusion plasmas, reducing energy loss and damaging machines. The revised TRANSP code accurately models particle behavior, enabling better understanding and prediction of instability effects.
A nationwide program to unify research on liquid metal components for future tokamaks will be coordinated by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory's Rajesh Maingi. The three-year project aims to develop a strategy for coating the divertor with flowing liquid lithium to protect it from extreme heat.
Physicists have found that by fine-tuning the electromagnet configurations and initial plasma properties, magnetic mirrors can achieve longer confinement times and lower loss rates. This could make them ideal for new particle physics experiments.
Researchers propose a new measurement technique to stabilize plasma in next-generation magnetic fusion devices. By combining Electron Cyclotron Emission data with high-neutron environment imaging, the system provides robust diagnostics for mapping and controlling plasma equilibrium.
Researchers found that injecting tiny beryllium pellets into the plasma could trigger small eruptions called ELMs, stabilizing fusion reactions. This technique could potentially reduce the risk of large ELMs and damage to the ITER facility.
Scientists at Ruhr-University Bochum created underwater plasmas using optical spectroscopy and modelling, producing extreme conditions that briefly surpass the sun's temperature. The resulting plasma breaks down water molecules into their components, releasing oxygen crucial for regenerating catalytic surfaces.
Researchers have found a new obstacle to effective accelerator beam pulses by forming 'electrostatic solitary waves' that reduce neutralization. Widening the filament injecting electrons into the beam can improve neutralization rates.
Researchers from Ireland and France used large radio telescopes and ultraviolet cameras to study the Sun's plasma, revealing its unstable nature and potential for harnessing clean energy. The discovery could pave the way for developing safe and efficient nuclear fusion reactors.
Researchers have developed a machine learning model to rapidly predict plasma behavior, allowing for real-time control of fusion reactions on Earth. The new model reduces calculation time from minutes to microseconds, enabling faster decision-making during experiments.
Researchers have upgraded a device to test lithium's ability to maintain heat and protect walls in a tokamak, which could help bring fusion energy to Earth. The machine uses a coating of lithium to cover the interior wall of the small tokamak, aiming to replicate fusion on Earth for virtually inexhaustible power.
Researchers have discovered needle-like structures in positively charged lightning leaders that store negative charges, causing repeated discharges to the ground. This new finding explains why lightning often strikes twice and provides a deeper understanding of lightning development.
Researchers have discovered a hill-like bump of electric charge at the X-point in tokamaks, which prevents plasma particles from traveling straight between upstream and downstream areas. This finding could lead to more accurate predictions about exhaust and make future large-scale facilities less vulnerable to internal damage.
Researchers confirm effectiveness of transient coaxial helical injection (CHI) technique, which could facilitate constant fusion reactions and free up space in compact spherical tokamaks. The technique eliminates the need for a central magnet, simplifying design and potentially improving performance.
In a breakthrough study, scientists have observed ions moving faster than atoms in the gas streams of solar prominences, challenging our understanding of plasma behavior. This phenomenon occurs when ions and neutral atoms flow independently in partially ionized plasmas without impact equilibrium.
Research by the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and international team of scientists shows that twisted magnetic fields have a limited number of possible evolutions, leading to the formation of a torus shape. The helicity of the twist constrains the outward expansion of plasma, resulting in a self-organized structure.
Researchers have combined decades-old theories to provide insight into the driving mechanisms of plasma jets in black holes. The simulations describe how twisting magnetic fields and 'negative-energy' particles produce these powerful displays, allowing black holes to steal energy and propel it far from their event horizons.
Researchers have developed a novel prototype to rapidly control plasma disruptions in fusion facilities. The 'electromagnetic particle injector' (EPI) device uses high-velocity projectiles to release material into the plasma, reducing its impact on the tokamak walls.
Physicists at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have directly observed a possible process that can trigger damaging ELMs in tokamak devices. The findings reveal correlations between fluctuations in plasma density and magnetic field fluctuations, which could lead to a new method for triggering ELMs.
Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have discovered a process that can help control disruptions in fusion plasmas, a key challenge for generating clean energy. The process focuses on stabilizing tearing modes, which create magnetic islands that can trigger disruptive events and halt fusion reactions.
A new publication by Kazan Federal University reviews ionosphere plasma experiments using artificial heating facilities like SURA, EISCAT-Heater, and HAARP. The study reveals insights into plasma fluctuations, turbulence, and electron acceleration, shedding light on the ionosphere's role as a natural plasma laboratory.
Scientists created ultra-hot quark gluon plasma, a liquid-like state of matter thought to have filled the early universe. They discovered three distinct geometric patterns: circles, ellipses, and triangles.
A team of Saudi Arabian scientists has discovered a way to control dormancy in grapes and other fruiting plants by subjecting them to high-tech plasmas. This method may help extend the cultivation of temperate zone crops to milder climates, mitigating problems caused by global warming.
Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a new plasma device that can clean water of difficult-to-remove bacteria and toxins. The device uses pulses of voltage to produce hydroxyl radicals, which cause a cascade of reactions leading to purer water samples.
Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have obtained new results using Xenon-ions in the LHC, recreating the initial conditions of the universe at extremely high temperatures. The experiments reveal that the primordial matter behaves like a liquid, with quarks and gluons being quasi-free, challenging theoretical models.
Researchers have successfully observed and studied the ionization-induced self-channeling of a microwave beam in a neutral gas. This effect enables the microwave to propagate a longer distance, potentially leading to military applications as a directed-energy weapon.
Nat Fisch, a renowned researcher at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, has received the 2018 Distinguished Career Award from Fusion Power Associates. The award recognizes his decades-long contributions to plasma science and fusion power, as well as his role in advancing education and research in the field.
Researchers have successfully controlled plasma instabilities in a way that could lead to the efficient operation of ITER, a key step towards harnessing fusion power. The experiments used high-pressure plasmas and resonant magnetic perturbations to suppress large ELMs and produce benign ones.
A team of scientists at GE and PPPL has developed an advanced plasma switch that can convert high-voltage DC current to AC current efficiently, reducing the cost of long-distance power transmission. The switch uses helium gas inside a tube filled with plasma, which is more efficient than existing semiconductor switches.
US and international physicists made substantial progress toward planning a system for mitigating disruptions on ITER, which can seriously damage the facility. Key methods outlined include shattered pellet injection to control disruptions, as well as simulation tools to predict plasma behavior and predict disruptions in time.
Researchers at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have discovered a mechanism called magnetic flux pumping that stabilizes plasma in tokamaks, preventing sawtooth gyrations and halting fusion reactions. This breakthrough could lead to the development of fusion energy by regulating plasma current and pressure.
Researchers have characterized plasma turbulence at the outer edge of Wendelstein 7-X, a critical step in understanding how to build energy-producing reactors. The study reveals that turbulence propagates in the direction of ion flow and changes character upon changes in magnetic topology.