New insights could help tame speedy ions in fusion plasmas

To create a practical fusion energy reactor, researchers need to control particles known as fast ions.…

Sandia scientists tell the remarkable story of shock wave physics in post-World War II America

Sandia National Laboratories physicists Mark Boslough and Dave Crawford predicted the Hubble Space Telescope would see…

World record acceleration: Zero to 7.8 billion electron volts in 8 inches

To understand the fundamental nature of our universe, scientists would like to build particle colliders that…

Volcanic ash modifies the height, width and lifetime of a standing shock wave that can occur during volcanic eruptions

Imagine you’re getting ready to fly to your favorite vacation destination when suddenly a volcano erupts,…

Taking new angle to enable more efficient, compact fusion power plants

Researchers at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego have demonstrated a new approach for…

Gravity crystals: A new method for exploring the physics of white dwarf stars

Grab a mixing bowl from your kitchen, throw in a handful of aluminum balls, apply some…

New supercomputer simulations explore magnetic reconnection and make a surprising discovery

Magnetic reconnection, a process in which magnetic field lines tear and come back together, releasing large…

Taking a new tangent to control pesky waves in fusion plasmas

Fusion combines light elements in the form of plasma—”the hot, charged state of matter composed of…

A star is born: Using lasers to study how star stuff is made

On a typical day at the world’s biggest laser, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Livermore,…

Fuel injection helps reduce magnetic island instabilities

Fusion is a non-carbon-based process for energy production, where lighter atoms fuse into heavier ones. Fusion…