spheromak
Summary
A compact toroidal plasma configuration with both toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields, self-generated by plasma currents. Unlike the FRC, the spheromak has a toroidal field component.
Deep Dive Analysis
Overview
A compact toroidal plasma configuration with both toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields, self-generated by plasma currents. Unlike the FRC, the spheromak has a toroidal field component.
Role: Glossary term: Spheromak
Entity Type: Concept — Spheromak is a technical concept or theoretical framework.
Technical Definition
A compact toroidal plasma configuration with both toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields, self-generated by plasma currents. Unlike the FRC, the spheromak has a toroidal field component.
Related Concepts: Compact Toroid, FRC, Astron
Key Findings
- ▸ Entity Type: Concept — Spheromak is a technical concept or theoretical framework.
- ▸ Related Concepts: Compact Toroid, FRC, Astron
Related Entities (21)
llnl
christofilos-astron
marauder
Air Force Research Laboratory
NASA FAST/PTX Experiment
Fusion Driven Rocket (FDR)
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Sandia National Laboratories
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®
NASA MSFC
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
doe
Tokamak Energy STEP Contract
CTX (Compact Toroid Experiment)
hypersonic-plasma-sheath-sbir
Field Propulsion Technologies
Skunk Works® CFR Program
arpa-e-alpha
cornell
Early FRX-A/B/C Experiments
FRX-L Experiment
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View in Network GraphTimeline Mentions (15)
Christofilos begins Astron experiment at LLNL
Greek engineer starts E-layer field reversal concept. Earliest compact torus conception. Presented at 1958 Geneva.
historical-contextAstron experiment funding cancelled at LLNL
16-year project ends without achieving field reversal. Compact torus concept disperses to spheromak and FRC research.
historical-contextChristofilos Astron experiment cancelled at LLNL
17-year Astron project ends. Field reversal concept disperses to LANL (FRC) and LLNL/PPPL (spheromak).
historical-contextRelaxation Principle Proposed
J.B. Taylor publishes the relaxation principle, establishing that spheromak plasmas minimize magnetic energy while conserving helicity.
fusion-physicsPPPL Compact Toruses Symposium
PPPL symposium consolidating compact toroid (FRC/spheromak) research.
fusion-researchUS-Japan Joint Symposium on Compact Toruses
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) hosted a collaborative symposium focusing on Spheromaks, FRCs, and relativistic-beam injection, marking a convergence of US and Japanese fusion programs.
fusion-physicsCTX Spheromak Stability Verified
Experiments at Los Alamos verify the gross stability of spheromaks in oblate geometries using solid-wall flux conservers.
fusion-physicsLANL CTX Spheromak Experiment
LANL CTX using magnetized coaxial plasma gun to generate spheromaks. Foundational node of the three-lab compact toroid lineage.
Fusion PhysicsFifth Symposium on the Physics and Technology of Compact Toroids
Hosted by Mathematical Sciences Northwest (MSNW), this workshop addressed FRC and Spheromak formation, focusing on slower generation methods and scaling to reactor sizes.
fusion-physicsCTX Achieves 100 eV Electron Temperatures
The CTX experiment becomes the first spheromak to achieve electron temperatures over 100 eV through improved vacuum practices and impurity reduction.
fusion-physicsLos Alamos Spheromak Programme Summary
A major review of the Los Alamos spheromak programme is published, detailing advances in formation, stability, and confinement.
fusion-physicsCompact Torus Accelerator (CTA) Development
C.W. Hartman and team at LLNL present the CTA concept, using Spheromak-type rings as high-efficiency ICF drivers.
fusion-physicsMARAUDER (August 1993): USAF compact toroid weapon, 100 billion g acceleration, Shiva Star, went dark mid-1990s
USAF Phillips Lab compact toroid weapon. 100 billion g acceleration. 9.5 MJ Shiva Star. 'Not a fusion program' — weapons. Physics identical to FRC. Went dark mid-1990s. Lineage: SHIVA I → MARAUDER → FRCHX.
uap-researchFission Plasma Propulsion Research
R.A. Gerwin, R.A. Nebel, and D.I. Poston present research on using spheromak configurations for magnetic control of gas-core fission plasma propulsion at the 31st AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference.
fusion-physicsPTX Program Maturation
The Plasmoid Thruster Experiment (PTX) at NASA MSFC evolves from FAST, focusing on engineering characterization of FRC and Spheromak configurations.
fusion-physicsGlossary Definition
A compact toroidal plasma configuration with both toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields, self-generated by plasma currents. Unlike the FRC, the spheromak has a toroidal field component.
Category: Fusion Physics View in Glossary →Research References
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