9. Fusion research

The aim of the controlled fusion research program is to achieve ignition, which occurs when enough fusion reactions take place for the process to become selfsustaining, with fresh fuel then being added to continue it. Once ignition is achieved, there is a net energy yield—about four times as much as with nuclear fission. As mentioned earlier, such conditions can occur when the temperature increases, causing the ions in the plasma to move faster and eventually reach speeds high enough to bring the ions close enough together. The nuclei can then fuse, causing a release of energy.

The plasma temperature needed for ignition is produced by external heating. Powerful methods were developed for this purpose. They are:


These methods produce temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius in present-day fusion devices.
