Physicists uncover mechanism that stabilizes plasma within tokamaks
Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - 16:30
in Physics & Chemistry
A team of physicists led by Stephen Jardin of the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has discovered a mechanism that prevents the electrical current flowing through fusion plasma from repeatedly peaking and crashing. This behavior is known as a "sawtooth cycle" and can cause instabilities within the plasma's core. The results have been accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters. The research was supported by the DOE Office of Science (Office of Fusion Energy Sciences).