Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) are exploring a novel approach to mitigate a critical challenge in fusion energy development, i.e., the detrimental effects of runaway electrons. Electron runaway arises from plasma instabilities within fusion reactors.
“Fusion reactors work by extracting tremendous sums of energy from the fusion of lighter atomic nuclei into a heavier nucleus,” said LANL in a press release.
To achieve this, scientists need to create a superheated plasma, a state of matter where electrons are stripped from atoms, reaching temperatures exceeding 150 million degrees Celsius.
“But instability breeds in extreme conditions. The plasma is wildly unruly and often tries to escape the reactor,” highlighted the press…