Achieving a long-lived high-beta plasma state by energetic beam injection

H Y Guo; M W Binderbauer; T Tajima; R D Milroy; L C Steinhauer; X Yang; E G Garate; H Gota; S Korepanov; A Necas; T Roche; A Smirnov; E Trask

doi:10.1038/ncomms7897

Achieving a long-lived high-beta plasma state by energetic beam injection

Nat Commun. 2015 Apr 23:6:6897. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7897.

Authors

H Y Guo¹, M W Binderbauer¹, T Tajima¹, R D Milroy², L C Steinhauer¹, X Yang¹, E G Garate¹, H Gota¹, S Korepanov¹, A Necas¹, T Roche¹, A Smirnov¹, E Trask¹

Affiliations

¹ Tri Alpha Energy, California 92688, USA.
² 1] Tri Alpha Energy, California 92688, USA [2] PSI-Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.

PMID: 25902924
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7897

Abstract

Developing a stable plasma state with high-beta (ratio of plasma to magnetic pressures) is of critical importance for an economic magnetic fusion reactor. At the forefront of this endeavour is the field-reversed configuration. Here we demonstrate the kinetic stabilizing effect of fast ions on a disruptive magneto-hydrodynamic instability, known as a tilt mode, which poses a central obstacle to further field-reversed configuration development, by energetic beam injection. This technique, combined with the synergistic effect of active plasma boundary control, enables a fully stable ultra-high-beta (approaching 100%) plasma with a long lifetime.