Problems in fusion research

APR 01, 1963

This survey of the conditions that must be met in controlling the fusion process is based on a paper presented at the Plasma Physics Symposium of the New York State Section of the American Physical Society, which took place at Tarrytown, N.Y., on April 13 and 14, 1962. J. A. Reynolds is a member of the staff of the General Electric Research Laboratory.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3050873

J. A. Reynolds

The aim of fusion research is the economical release of energy by combining light‐element nuclei—the energy source of the stars. Consequently, we require stellar temperatures which are in the region of ten to a hundred million degrees, and, since at these temperatures all matter is ionized, the problems of fusion research are the problems of high‐temperature plasma research. Such high temperatures are required because we need to impart sufficient kinetic energy to the reacting nuclei to overcome the mutual coulomb barrier. We do not have the advantage of that natural fluke, the fission process, which can proceed at room temperature because it makes use of the neutron for barrier penetration.

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J. A. Reynolds, General Electric Research Laboratory.