A bit technical video of what is behind the latest in fusion at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) National Ignition Facility (NIF)

Must note while the papers where released this August the experiments performed where conducted nearly a year ago.

Please bare through the intro. The interesting details will soon come.

[youtube=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QzJ6vpktfbg]

Just in case there's some link problems with that link on this site.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QzJ6vpktfbg

On the one-year anniversary of achieving a yield of more than 1.3 megajoules at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility, the scientific results of this record experiment have been published in three peer-reviewed papers: one in Physical Review Letters and two in Physical Review E. This stylized image shows a cryogenic target used for these record-setting inertial fusion experiments. Image by James Wickboldt/LLNL.

Above Peer review:

https://www.llnl.gov/news/three-peer-reviewed-papers-highlight-scientific-results-national-ignition-facility-record

Hope you find it as interesting as I did. Though a little bit disappointing.

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Pfuzylogic · M

I managed to finish that video.
I imagine Livermore is the leading organization for the western world.
I did notice the power levels and speed of time used. 500 terra watts over 25 nanoseconds and later projected experiments of petawatts over femtoseconds. Reminds me of my radar days but the pulses were only megawatts over milliseconds.
Again the Chinese looks to have stolen the lead on creating a “sun on earth” but the applications of what Livermore will be capable of will drive many more efforts with their huge facility and high powered lasers.

ElwoodBlues · M

@Pfuzylogic LLNL is definitely leading in inertial confinement. There are at least two other confinement methods being pursued; magnetic confinement in a ring (tokamak) and Z pinch confinement.

Here's a pic inside the "Joint European Torus" tokamak

https://www.science.org/content/article/european-fusion-reactor-sets-record-sustained-energy

Pfuzylogic · M

@ElwoodBlues I read something about the magnetic confinement with the Chinese about 6 months ago. They had no problem catching up with the West and maybe now taking the lead.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Pfuzylogic @ElwoodBlues the applications I doubt anyone knows right now. That tokamak is a good example because of just how the magnet confinement is done. Using a technique most everyone had thought useless. Same applies to what LLN is doing right now. It's actually pure research at this point.

Yeah, don't know what can be done about these Chinese thefts. Sort of the problem with pure research in a free society. Some of this is important for others to know in their own fields and for that very reason because you never know what other techniques can be used for. Again the magnet confinement technique. 🤷🏻‍♂️

plungesponge · 41-45, M

interesting but a little disappointing appears to be a theme with laser energy facilities everywhere lol

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@plungesponge agreed.

plungesponge · 41-45, M

@DeWayfarer Maybe thorium molten salt will be a little more reachable for now

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@plungesponge there's some more encouraging work being done on the tokamak reactors...

[youtube=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GIRdl8r-CdI]

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