Fusion: The Energy of the Universe

Garry M. McCracken, Peter Stott9780124818514, 012481851X

Unraveling the role of fusion in the universe has taken almost a century since Einstein’s proof of the equivalence of energy and matter in 1905. The discovery that fusion reactions are responsible for the building of the light elements in the “Big Bang” and the subsequent development of the heavier elements in the stars and in exploding supernovae is one of the field’s most exciting successes.In this engaging book, McCracken and Stott reexamine these discoveries in astrophysics and discuss the possibility that fusion reactions are not only our sun’s source of power, but may also be induced for our use on earth.* Details the initial discovery of nuclear fusion, all related research, and today’s concern over future energy supply* Examines current attempts to create nuclear fusion here on earth* Enhanced with color illustrations and examples* Provides a non-technical treatment of fusion using straightforward language* Includes technical notes for aspiring physicists”

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Table of contents :
Fusion: The Energy of the Universe……Page 6
Contents……Page 10
Technical Summaries……Page 14
Foreword……Page 16
Preface……Page 18
Acknowledgments……Page 20
1.1 The Alchemists’ Dream……Page 22
1.2 The Sun’s Energy……Page 23
1.4 Man-Made Suns……Page 24
1.5 The Rest of the Story……Page 25
2.1 Einstein’s Theory……Page 28
2.2 Building Blocks……Page 29
2.3 Something Missing……Page 33
3.1 The Source of the Sun’s Energy……Page 38
3.2 The Solar Furnace……Page 40
3.3 Gravitational Confinement……Page 41
3.4 The Formation of Heavier Atoms……Page 45
3.5 Stars and Supernovae……Page 47
4.1 Down to Earth……Page 54
4.2 Getting It Together……Page 57
4.3 Breaking Even……Page 62
5.1 The First Experiments……Page 68
5.2 Behind Closed Doors……Page 73
5.3 Opening the Doors……Page 76
5.4 ZETA……Page 79
5.5 From Geneva to Novosibirsk……Page 80
6.1 The Background……Page 82
6.2 The Problems……Page 84
6.3 Beyond the “Sloyka”……Page 87
7.1 Mini-Explosions……Page 90
7.2 Using Lasers……Page 93
7.3 Alternative Drivers……Page 102
7.4 The Future Program……Page 107
8.1 Fusion in a Test Tube?……Page 108
8.2 Bubble Fusion……Page 112
8.3 Fusion with Mesons……Page 113
9.1 The Basics……Page 116
9.2 Instabilities……Page 117
9.3 Diagnosing the Plasma……Page 121
9.4 Impurities……Page 123
9.5 Heating the Plasma……Page 127
10.1 The Big Tokamaks……Page 132
10.2 Pushing to Peak Performance……Page 136
10.3 Tritium Operation……Page 139
10.4 Scaling to a Power Plant……Page 140
10.5 The Next Step……Page 144
10.6 ITER……Page 146
11.2 Fusion Power Plant Geometry……Page 150
11.3 Magnetic-Confinement Fusion……Page 152
11.4 Inertial-Confinement Fusion……Page 154
11.5 Tritium Breeding……Page 158
11.6 Radiation Damage and Shielding……Page 159
11.7 Low-Activation Materials……Page 162
12.1 World Energy Needs……Page 166
12.2 The Choice of Fuels……Page 167
12.3 The Environmental Impact of Fusion Energy……Page 171
12.4 The Cost of Fusion Energy……Page 173
Epilogue……Page 176
Units……Page 178
Glossary……Page 182
Further Reading……Page 198
Index……Page 202