Jacobo Varela Rodriguez
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid - Research Group : Física de Plasmas
Abstract : Nuclear fusion reveals as one of the most promising solutions in the current international situation of energetic crisis. In this context, the ITER project aims at proving the feasibility of nuclear fusion to produce energy. For this purpose, the fuel (called plasma) must be heated up to hundred million degrees. Such extreme conditions are required for the nuclear fusion reactions to take place. These reactions produce neutrons and alpha particles. The neutrons will leave the reactor and will be used to generate electricity as in present nuclear power plants. However, alpha particles (also called energetic particles, because they are born with energies of 3.5 MeV) must remain sufficiently well confined in the reactor in order to transfer their energy to the thermal particles and self-sustain this way the nuclear fusion reactions. Unfortunately, alpha particles have the capability to trigger Alfvén-like instabilities in the plasma, which can de-confine the particles and hence reduce the performance of fusion reactors. Other types of energetic particles can exist in a fusion reactor, coming from external heating (radio-frequency, energetic beams...).
