"The lab hasn’t yet reproduced this month’s results, and Herrmann cautioned that doing so might not be straightforward. “We don’t know what variability will be in successive shots. It’s a nonlinear process where alpha heating heats up the fusion fuel and creates more fusion, which creates more heat.” Herrmann says the 3.5 MeV alpha particles, which remain in the plasma, produced 20% of the fusion yield, with 14 MeV neutrons accounting for most of the energy."
I’m sure the weapons scientists and engineers are happy, as one of NIF’s main purposes is stockpile stewardship, and reaching ignition would verify computer models developed that currently...
I’m sure the weapons scientists and engineers are happy, as one of NIF’s main purposes is stockpile stewardship, and reaching ignition would verify computer models developed that currently simulate nuclear tests.
As exciting as this is, always be skeptical
I’m sure the weapons scientists and engineers are happy, as one of NIF’s main purposes is stockpile stewardship, and reaching ignition would verify computer models developed that currently simulate nuclear tests.