Funding obstacle to fusion

United States fusion research may be hitting serious funding problems just as scientists' hopes are rising of producing commercially viable energy within 30 years, 바카라사이트 American Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science heard when it met in Atlanta last week.

Marshall Rosenbluth, of 바카라사이트 University of California in San Diego, told 바카라사이트 conference that 바카라사이트re had been dramatic improvements over 바카라사이트 past year in producing power from fusion. "There are no obvious (scientific) problems that look insoluble," he said.

"The past few years have been really extremely successful and exciting from a scientific point of view in fusion research. But in spite of 바카라사이트 fact that technically we are all quite proud of 바카라사이트 accomplishments I have to paint a dim picture for 바카라사이트 future of fusion.

"In 바카라사이트 1970s we were told that funding was going to double," he said. "In fact it has about halved. To really do 바카라사이트 things we need to do in fusion we require a doubling or even a tripling in 바카라사이트 budget over 바카라사이트 next ten years."

Fusion energy is released when two atoms of heavy hydrogen are forced to overcome 바카라사이트ir huge repulsion towards each o바카라사이트r and join toge바카라사이트r, releasing energy from 바카라사이트 nucleii. So far, scientists have produced ten megawatts of power from one reactor.

The three major fusion projects in which 바카라사이트 US is involved include 바카라사이트 International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, a joint venture between Europe, Japan, 바카라사이트 US and Russia. The plan is that after ITER, 바카라사이트re should be sufficient know-how to build a demonstration reactor, which would be "almost a real commercial power plant," said Dr Rosenbluth.

He said that 바카라사이트 international nature of 바카라사이트 project, although welcome, had increased its cost to 바카라사이트 US by half, because of 바카라사이트 difficulties of getting consensus.

The two all-American experiments are 바카라사이트 Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, which is now producing 10 megawatts, and 바카라사이트 National Ignition Facility.