lanl-high-beta-confinement-mif
Executive Summary
System Metadata
Source ID
DOC-OSAKA_UN
Process Date
2/3/2026
Integrity Hash
SHA256-1ewxp92cq4s...
Indexer Status
COMPLETE
INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS
Layman's Executive Summary
Researchers at Osaka University tested new ways to heat a high-pressure plasma known as a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) by shooting it with particle beams and hitting it with radio waves. They successfully moved the plasma into a special chamber that allowed them to keep it stable longer and increase its temperature, moving closer to the conditions needed for fusion power.
Document Origin
The document was authored by S. Okada and a team from the Plasma Physics Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Research Purpose
The study aimed to overcome the 'accessibility' problem of FRC plasmas—which are usually too dense for heating beams to penetrate—by translating the plasma from its formation area to a larger confinement region where Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) and wave heating could be applied more effectively.
Relevancy Analysis
" This document is highly relevant to the study of Field Reversed Configuration (FRC), a fusion technology often associated with high-power-density reactors and advanced aerospace propulsion concepts. It connects theoretical reactor designs like 'ARTEMIS' to actual experimental data on high-beta plasma confinement, which is a significant departure from the more common (and larger) Tokamak fusion approach found in programs like ITER. "
Extracted Verifiable Claims
- › The FRC Injection experiment (FIX) apparatus utilizes a confinement region made of 6mm thick stainless steel with a length of 3.4m and a radius of 0.4m.
- › The Neutral Beam (NB) used in the experiment achieved an energy of 14keV and a current of 23A.
- › The ARTEMIS conceptual reactor design is based on a D-3He fuel cycle with a confining magnetic field of 5.4T.
- › The experiment achieved an averaged beta value (plasma pressure normalized by magnetic field pressure) of approximately 90%.
- › Ion heating was observed through the application of a 80kHz compressional wave, which is approximately 1/4 of the ion gyro frequency.
Technical Contribution
This document provides specific experimental parameters and results for the FRC Injection experiment (FIX) apparatus, demonstrating that translating a plasma can optimize its density for neutral beam trapping and ion heating.