The “plasma ball” is a very high vacuum phenomenon. It’s density is like one millionth that of the atmosphere.
It’s temperature is high but its energy density is low.
It’s kind of like asking “what if the induced draft fans on a coal-fired boiler failed? Wouldn’t the burning gases inside get out and incinerate the surrounding county?”
Ah, no. And for a fusion plasma, the actual amount of heated material is far, far less.
“Ah, no. And for a fusion plasma, the actual amount of heated material is far, far less.”
True for magnetic confinement but not for inertial confinement.
It was a completely novel discovery. No one had even predicted such a thing.
If I understand correctly, the solar wind transported a huge mass of plasma to our atmosphere. Once it arrived, Earth's magnetic field took over and literally shaped the plasma into a cyclone.
The plasma hurricane survived for eight hours!
How can the energy density be low while the heat is high?
When such a structure collapses, the air will rush in and the heat will create a raging fireball storm, would it not?