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High‐Velocity Projectile‐Stabilized z‐Pinch
Author(s) -
Winterberg F.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
beiträge aus der plasmaphysik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1521-3986
pISSN - 0005-8025
DOI - 10.1002/ctpp.19850250205
Subject(s) - projectile , thermonuclear fusion , pinch , railgun , mechanics , thermal conduction , implosion , plasma , materials science , z pinch , atomic physics , physics , core (optical fiber) , nuclear physics , optics , thermodynamics , electromagnetic coil , quantum mechanics , metallurgy , armature (electrical engineering)
A high current z‐pinch can be stabilized by a thin long projectile accelerated to a few km/sec, if the projectile is shot through the core of the pinch. Furthermore, as a result of the thermomagnetic Nernst effect both the heat conduction and radiation losses at thermonuclear temperatures are sufficiently small. The stabilized pinch configuration can therefore be used for the controlled release of large amounts of thermonuclear energy from a dense plasma. The needed projectile velocity of a few km/sec can be already reached with chemical propulsion.