“Strange” ions found in plasma that existed for nanoseconds

Scientists from the National Laser Fusion Facility (NIF, National Ignition Facility) are working on

nuclear fusion since 2009 using an array of 192 lasers to fire high-energy pulses at a fuel capsule the size of a ball bearing. This fuel pellet is made up of deuterium and tritium, and the intense heat causes the individual atoms to fuse into helium, releasing enormous amounts of energy.

Although the burning plasma only existednanoseconds, scientists studied it. The analysis showed that it behaves “strangely,” the scientists write, and the ions in it have higher energy than scientists expected.

“This means that the ions that undergo fusion have more energy than expected. This cannot be predicted by normal codes of radiation hydrodynamics,” the scientists explain.

The study authors compare the unexpected,high-energy behavior of ions with the Doppler effect. This is a change in the frequency and, accordingly, the wavelength of radiation perceived by the observer, due to the movement of the radiation source relative to the observer. The effect is named after the Austrian physicist Christian Doppler. The easiest way to imagine it is to remember how different a police siren sounds when it passes in the distance and when it passes nearby.

The authors of the study explain the needmore advanced simulations to flesh out ongoing processes. This will provide key information for the further design of thermonuclear installations.

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Cover photo: William Jack