2008/08/13 by F. Winterberg, Friedwardt Winterberg, Winterberg, Friedwardt
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Accelerator Physics (physics.acc-ph) #Cold Fusion and Nuclear Reactions #FOS: Physical sciences #Fusion and Plasma Physics Studies #Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics #Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph) #physics.acc-ph #physics.plasm-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0808.1905
15 pages, 3 figures
arxiv created 2008/08/13 · openalex publication_date 2008/08/13 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The attainment of ultrahigh electric potentials by suppressing the stepped leader breakdown of a highly charged conductor levitated in a spiraling Taylor flow opens up the possibility of order of magnitude larger driver energies for the ignition of thermonuclear reactions by inertial confinement. In reaching gigavolt potentials, intense 1016 Watt, GeV ion beams become possible. Together with their large self-magnetic field, these beams should be powerful enough to launch a thermonuclear micro-detonation into pure deuterium, compressed and ignited by such beams. In high gain laser fusion the proton flash from the micro-explosion is likely to destroy the optical laser ignition apparatus, and it is not explained how to avoid this danger. The possible attainment of gigavolt potentials could make laser fusion obsolete.