I assume that NIF has been unsuccessful in increasing its yield beyond the 26 kJ high-foot results? I haven't seen any news articles after the "break-even" PR campaign.
Why can't the ICF program be simply shut down? Why do programs such as Omega in Rochester continue as well? Recently I heard that the Z MagLIF (the Sandia version of fusion) results were not very promising after some earlier fanfare.
Yes, there are the usual stockpile stewardship arguments. But ICF is a dud. It probably is the perpetual motion machine of our time.
Why can't the ICF program be simply shut down? Why do programs such as Omega in Rochester continue as well? Recently I heard that the Z MagLIF (the Sandia version of fusion) results were not very promising after some earlier fanfare.
Yes, there are the usual stockpile stewardship arguments. But ICF is a dud. It probably is the perpetual motion machine of our time.
Comments
In another round of questions Feinstein spoke about current experiments at the National Ignition Facility. Less than half of these experiments involve ignition; the remaining are for other aspects of stockpile stewardship. Feinstein spoke of conversations she had at NIF about new research strategies to better understand how to achieve ignition since previous efforts had failed, and was assured that these efforts would continue.
From
http://www.aip.org/fyi/2015/house-and-senate-appropriators-review-fy-2016-request-national-nuclear-security
"The physics of high energy density science": Astrophysics, spacecraft propulsion, asteroid impact, weapons research, nuclear forensics, plus a multitude of more basic research subjects. A "career of dubious current and future prospects"? Hardly. The future of physics? Yes.
April 12, 2015 at 9:43 AM's comment was about the "physics of high energy density science" not about laser fusion. Go back and read it.
April 12, 2015 at 10:07 PM
Aside from mentioning NIF and ignition, you mean?
April 13, 2015 at 4:48 PM
Sorry, I discounted that post because it was even more stupid than April 12, 2015 at 9:43 AM. Not many overlaps between HEDP and astrophysics.?? Really??
April 13, 2015 at 11:14 PM
Ah, the agenda finally peaks out from behind the obfuscation. It is all of weapons physics you hate.
April 14, 2015 at 5:45 PM
As if laser "weapons work" is the only weapons science going on. Get real.
April 19, 2015 at 8:24 AM
HaHa. "Fusion energy" has been "30 years away from reality" every year for the past 60 years. What's new?