U.S.-Brazil Cooperative Research: Edge-Layer Physics of Field Reversed Configurations

该奖项支持华盛顿贝尔维尤光谱技术公司的Loren Steinhauer和巴西坎皮纳斯大学的Roberto Clemente在等离子体物理学方面的合作研究。测量结果显示，等离子体外流的边缘层厚度比预期的要大几倍。一个有希望的解释是，静电势垒自发地建立在FRC（场反向配置）的末端附近，从而降低了流出率。这个想法从来没有在理论上建立过模型。由于边缘层约束比预期的要好，对热核等离子体的影响可能是反应FRC的尺寸要求显著降低。提出的研究是建立互补模型来解释观测到的边缘层性质；克莱门特将开发一个基于流体的模型，斯坦豪尔将开发一个动力学模型。FRC概念是一个非常有前途的聚变等离子体概念，可能应用于地面聚变电能（特别是低放射性D-3He燃料循环）、天基电力系统和太空推进。拟议的工作将有利于美国财务汇报委员会计划，从另一个国家招募一名研究人员参与一个对现有国内计划有重大意义的项目。拟议的工作还将使巴西在等离子体物理学方面的努力受益，使其一名科学家能够与正在进行主要FRC实验和理论工作的实验室的一名研究人员合作。此外，STI的大量计算技能，包括进入国家磁聚变能计算机中心（利弗莫尔，加利福尼亚），可以支持这项研究。

This award supports cooperative research in plasma physics between Loren Steinhauer of Spectra Technology, Inc. of Bellevue, Washington and Roberto Clemente of the University of Campinas in Brazil. Measurements have shown edge-layer thicknesses several times larger than expected for simple outflow of plasma. A promising explanation is that an electrostatic potential barrier is spontaneously established near the ends of the FRC (field reversed conviguration) which reduces the outflow rate. This idea has never been modelled theoretically. Since the edge-layer confinement is better than expected, the implications for a thermonuclear plasma may be a significantly reduced size requirement for a reacting FRC. The proposed research is to construct complementary models to explain the observed edge layer properties; a fluid-based model will be developed by Clemente, and a kinetic model by Steinhauer. The FRC concept is a highly promising fusion plasma concept with possible application to terrestrial fusion-electric energy (especially the low- radioactivity D-3He fuel cycle), space-based power systems, and space propulsion. The proposed work would benefit the U.S. FRC program by enlisting a researcher from another country in a project of significant interest to an existing domestic program. The proposed work would also benefit the Brazilian effort on plasma physics by enabling one of its scientists to collaborate with a researcher at a laboratory where major FRC experimental and theoretical work is in progress. In addition, the substantial computation skills at STI, including access to the National Magnetic Fusion Energy Computer Center (Livermore, California) are available in support of the research.