Posted on 08/17/2022 11:05:30 AM PDT by Red Badger
Scientists have confirmed that last year, for the first time in the lab, they achieved a fusion reaction that self-perpetuates (instead of fizzling out) – bringing us closer to replicating the chemical reaction that powers the Sun.
However, they aren't exactly sure how to recreate the experiment.
Nuclear fusion occurs when two atoms combine to create a heavier atom, releasing a huge burst of energy in the process.
It's a process often found in nature, but it's very difficult to replicate in the lab because it needs a high-energy environment to keep the reaction going.
The Sun generates energy using nuclear fusion – by smashing hydrogen atoms together to create helium.
Supernovae – exploding suns – also leverage nuclear fusion for their cosmic firework displays. The power of these reactions is what creates heavier molecules like iron.
In artificial settings here on Earth, however, heat and energy tend to escape through cooling mechanisms such as x-ray radiation and heat conduction.
To make nuclear fusion a viable energy source for humans, scientists first have to achieve something called 'ignition', where the self-heating mechanisms overpower all the energy loss.
Once ignition is achieved, the fusion reaction powers itself.
In 1955, physicist John Lawson created the set of criteria, now known as the 'Lawson-like ignition criteria', to help recognize when this ignition took place.
Ignition of nuclear reactions usually happens inside extremely intense environments, such as supernova, or nuclear weapons.
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility in California have spent over a decade perfecting their technique and have now confirmed that the landmark experiment conducted on 8 August 2021 did, in fact, produce the first-ever successful ignition of a nuclear fusion reaction.
In a recent analysis, the 2021 experiment was judged against nine different versions of Lawson's criterion.
"This is the first time we have crossed Lawson's criterion in the lab," nuclear physicist Annie Kritcher at the National Ignition Facility told New Scientist.
To achieve this effect, the team placed a capsule of tritium and deuterium fuel in the center of a gold-lined depleted uranium chamber and fired 192 high-energy lasers at it to create a bath of intense x-rays.
The intense environment generated by the inwardly directed shock waves created a self-sustaining fusion reaction.
Under these conditions, hydrogen atoms underwent fusion, releasing 1.3 megajoules of energy for 100 trillionths of a second, which is 10 quadrillion watts of power.
Over the past year, the researchers tried to replicate the result in four similar experiments, but only managed to produce half of the energy yield produced in the record-breaking initial experiment.
Ignition is highly sensitive to small changes that are barely perceptible, like the differences in the structure of each capsule and the intensity of the lasers, Kritcher explains.
"If you start from a microscopically worse starting point, it's reflected in a much larger difference in the final energy yield," says plasma physicist Jeremy Chittenden at Imperial College London. "The 8 August experiment was the best-case scenario."
The team now wants to determine what exactly is required to achieve ignition and how to make the experiment more resilient to small errors. Without that knowledge, the process cannot be scaled up to create fusion reactors that could power cities, which is the ultimate goal of this kind of research.
"You don't want to be in a position where you've got to get absolutely everything just right in order to get ignition," says Chittenden.
This article was published in Physical Review Letters.
Scientists have confirmed that last year, for the first time in the lab, they achieved a fusion reaction that self-perpetuates (instead of fizzling out) – bringing us closer to replicating the chemical reaction that powers the Sun.Then they didn’t confirm it. Why did you say they confirmed it, Felicity?
However, they aren’t exactly sure how to recreate the experiment. …
Great article on the Apollo command module and lunar module computers:
https://www.aulis.com/pascal.htm
Spoiler alert.......
Potemkin Village time.
This led to a lot of jokes at work.
Then I ordered boxes of the parts I needed to construct more. I envisioned building at least 10 and possibly more fingers the same way. But the new parts didn't fit exactly like the first one causing too much friction, and the wood split on me.
I haven't worked on it in a long time, but am torn between getting my 3D printer working or trying to get a mobile base working.
Project for another day.
Didn't we learn that in 1952?
Well, I tell ya, that’s how my low-tech brain feels when I finally navigate through some kind of maze of electronic steps and paths to achieve something I have to do online. It’s almost impossible for me to remember all the steps I took.
Your first sentence proves that you don’t know what you are talking about. The sun is powered by a nuclear reaction, not a chemical reaction.
Science is not a required subject in journalism schools.....................
100 trillionths of a second doesn’t seem very self-sustaining to me.
If it really was ‘self-sustaining’ they would not be here to talk about it.........................
Sounds about right. But starting a nuclear fission electrical plant with a nuclear fusion blast could be problematic I suppose. LOL
Oh, I get it. But I would expect something like a nuclear reaction to be very touchy at first. If they took good notes they will probably be able to recreate it. Certainly every other researcher on the planet will be trying to replicate it too. Workable fusion is worth trillions.
Kaslin liked to sic the mods on other Freepers. My first suspension in 2016 was due to Kaslin. I for one do not miss the snitch.
Since this was laser ignition of a fuel pellet, it is always going to fizzle out.
What they claimed was that the fusion energy generated by the pellet was larger than the input laser energy. I’m not sure whether that was the beam energy or all the energy required to generate the laser beams.
What they can’t replicate is to get the same amount of energy out of igniting another pellet.
Although sold as a fusion energy experiment, the laser ignition experiment is really to research basic fusion physics with the objective of improving fusion weapons.
Since this was laser ignition of a fuel pellet, it is always going to fizzle out.
What they claimed was that the fusion energy generated by the pellet was larger than the input laser energy. I’m not sure whether that was the beam energy or all the energy required to generate the laser beams.
What they can’t replicate is to get the same amount of energy out of igniting another pellet.
Although sold as a fusion energy experiment, the laser ignition experiment is really to research basic fusion physics with the objective of improving fusion weapons.
I fell for the first nuclear fusion hoax over 40 years ago... took my kids out to the beach to celebrate a new world. Not fallen for any of ‘em since.
Fusion is a dish best served cold.
Scientists Achieved Self-Sustaining Nuclear ConFusion… But Now They Can’t Replicate It
there fixed it
If scientists ever achieve self sustained fusion, they won’t know it....................
Same sad song sung by string theory proponents over the last couple of decades...
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