rotational-instability
TECHNOLOGY dossier

Rotational Instability (n=2)

TECHNOLOGY General HISTORICAL // R&D Also: n=2 rotational instability

01 Executive_Summary

The primary destructive mode for FRCs, where the plasma cross-section deforms into a rotating ellipse and hits the wall. This issue was definitively solved on the FRX-C device using weak quadrupole magnetic fields, a breakthrough that extended plasma lifetimes from tens to hundreds of microseconds.

03 Deep_Dive_Intelligence

Overview

The primary destructive mode for FRCs, where the plasma cross-section deforms into a rotating ellipse and hits the wall. This issue was definitively solved on the FRX-C device using weak quadrupole magnetic fields, a breakthrough that extended plasma lifetimes from tens to hundreds of microseconds.

Entity Type: Technology — Rotational Instability (n=2) represents a specific technology or capability.

Source Documents

Intelligence derived from 3 source documents:

  • 00315294
  • 12614824 (1)
  • LANL FRC Research History Uncovered: This report analyzes Los Alamos National Laboratory’s foundational research into Field-Reversed Configurations conducted between 1975 and 1991. It details how the FRX experimental series achieved brea

05b Related_Topics (1)

Field-Reversed Configuration
usa → russia → china → japan → israel →

07 Key_Findings

  • ▸ Entity Type: Technology — Rotational Instability (n=2) represents a specific technology or capability.
  • ▸ LANL FRC Research History Uncovered: This report analyzes Los Alamos National Laboratory’s foundational research into Field-Reversed Configurations conducted between 1975 and 1991. It details how the FRX experimental series achieved brea

09 Timeline_Mentions (3)

1975

LANL Field-Reversed Experiment (FRX) Series

Foundational research at Los Alamos National Laboratory (FRX-A, B, C) masters the control of the n=2 rotational instability in FRCs using quadrupole magnetic fields.

fusion-physics
1981

FRX-B Operations and Anomalous Stability Discovery

Upgraded experiment FRX-B identifies the n=2 rotational instability and discovers that FRCs are 100x more stable than MHD theory predicts.

fusion-physics
1983

FRX-C Quadrupole Stabilization Breakthrough

The FRX-C experiment at LANL demonstrates that weak quadrupole magnetic fields can suppress the n=2 rotational instability, extending FRC lifetimes to 300 microseconds.

fusion-physics
View Full Timeline → View on Network Graph →

10 FAQ

What is Rotational Instability (n=2)? ▾
The primary destructive mode for FRCs, where the plasma cross-section deforms into a rotating ellipse and hits the wall. This issue was definitively solved on the FRX-C device using weak quadrupole magnetic fields, a breakthrough that extended plasma lifetimes from tens to hundreds of microseconds.
What role does Rotational Instability (n=2) play in the research network? ▾
Rotational Instability (n=2) is classified under the "General" category, belonging to the HISTORICAL // R&D vertical group. The primary destructive mode for FRCs, where the plasma cross-section deforms into a rotating ellipse and hits the wall. This issue was definitively solved on the FRX-C device using weak...
What evidence supports the Rotational Instability (n=2) assessment? ▾
The intelligence assessment for Rotational Instability (n=2) is supported by 3 primary sources. Key sources include "Helical and straight quadrupole stabilization of the n=2 rotational instability in translated field-reversed configurations", "Theoretical and experimental studies of field-reversed configurations", and "Stability and compressional heating of large field-reversed configurations in the FRX-C/LSM device". These documents provide the evidentiary basis for the analysis.
How does Rotational Instability (n=2) work? ▾
The primary destructive mode for FRCs, where the plasma cross-section deforms into a rotating ellipse and hits the wall. This issue was definitively solved on the FRX-C device using weak quadrupole magnetic fields, a breakthrough that extended plasma lifetimes from tens to hundreds of microseconds. Entity Type: Technology — Rotational...
What are the applications of Rotational Instability (n=2)? ▾
The primary destructive mode for FRCs, where the plasma cross-section deforms into a rotating ellipse and hits the wall. This issue was definitively solved on the FRX-C device using weak quadrupole magnetic fields, a breakthrough that extended plasma lifetimes from tens to hundreds of microseconds. Entity Type: Technology — Rotational...
Who developed Rotational Instability (n=2)? ▾
Rotational Instability (n=2) is documented across 3 primary sources in the research archive.
What are the alternative names or aliases for Rotational Instability (n=2)? ▾
Rotational Instability (n=2) is also known as: n=2 rotational instability. These alternative names appear across different source documents and may reflect codenames, abbreviations, or historical references.
What external sources document Rotational Instability (n=2)? ▾
Rotational Instability (n=2) is documented by 3 external sources, including 2 journal article and 1 conference paper. Notable references include "Helical and straight quadrupole stabilization of the n=2 rotational instability in translated field-reversed configurations", "Theoretical and experimental studies of field-reversed configurations", and "Stability and compressional heating of large field-reversed configurations in the FRX-C/LSM device".
What is the historical timeline for Rotational Instability (n=2)? ▾
Rotational Instability (n=2) is referenced across documents spanning 1975–1991, with activity noted in 1975 and 1991. This temporal range is derived from the primary source documents in the research archive.
What documents should I read to learn more about Rotational Instability (n=2)? ▾
To learn more about Rotational Instability (n=2), review the 3 primary sources, and related research finding linked in the source documents section of this dossier.

Source_Documents 3 FILES

00315294
PDF Archive →
12614824 (1)
PDF Archive →
LANL FRC Research History Uncovered
This report analyzes Los Alamos National Laboratory’s foundational research into Field-Reversed Configurations conducted between 1975 and 1991. It details how the FRX experimental series achieved breakthroughs in plasma stability, confinement scaling, and translation, which established the scientific basis for later Magnetized Target Fusion programs.
PDF Archive →

Primary_Source_PDFs 1 FILES

LANL FRC Research 1991
This report analyzes Los Alamos National Laboratory’s foundational research into Field-Reversed Configurations conducted between 1975 and 1991. It details how the FRX experimental series achieved breakthroughs in plasma stability, confinement scaling, and translation, which established the scientific basis for later Magnetized Target Fusion programs.
PDF Archive →

External_References 2 REFS

00315294.pdf ref
12614824 (1).pdf ref

Verified_Primary_Sources 3 SOURCES

primary osti.gov journal_article
Helical and straight quadrupole stabilization of the n=2 rotational instability in translated field-reversed configurations
Verifies: n=2 rotational instability completely suppressed on FRX-C/T using quadrupole fields; Quadrupole field thresholds of 7% and 9% for straight and helical coils
External Link ↗
primary osti.gov conference_paper
Theoretical and experimental studies of field-reversed configurations
Verifies: n=2 rotational instability suppressed on translated FRCs in FRX-C/T; Nearly equal stabilization thresholds for straight and helical quadrupole fields
External Link ↗
primary osti.gov journal_article
Stability and compressional heating of large field-reversed configurations in the FRX-C/LSM device
Verifies: FRC stability properties in FRX-C/LSM device; Grossly stable FRCs restricted to kinetic and elongated plasmas
External Link ↗
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ID: rotational-instability
Type: technology
Region: intel-base
Last updated: Research database snapshot