379. Thermonuclear fusion: list of posts

Before proceeding to the discussion of hydrodynamic instabilities in plasma, let me list for further reference all the posts I wrote so far about thermonuclear fusion and thermonuclear reactors:

1. Thermonuclear fusion: some basic facts about thermonuclear reactions, where I start explaining why such phenomenon as thermonuclear fusion can even take place in Nature I also briefly discuss the issue of Coulomb barrier and two possible strategies to overcome it.

2. Thermonuclear fusion. Coulomb barrier and reaction rates, where several important fusion reactions are listed and reaction rates (defined by the Gamov exponent) are estimated by means of quasiclassical approximation.

3. Thermonuclear fusion. Nuclear reaction rates – second part, where I estimate reaction rate from the naive kinetic theory and find its dependence on temperature.

4. Introduction into thermonuclear reactors, where the criterion for thermonuclear reactions to be self-sustained is represented and we discuss two classes of reactors based on the type of plasma confinement used. After that post thermonuclear reactors with magnetic confinement will be almost completely forgotten

5. Thermonuclear reactors. Inertial confinement, where we calculate reaction rate in thermonuclear reactors with inertial confinement.

6. Thermonuclear reactors. More on inertial confinement, devoted to discussion of a couple of important parameters that characterize thermonuclear reactors with inertial confinement.

7. Inertial confinement – using lasers for compression, where it is explaned how inertial confinement works and why it has any meaning to use lasers for compressing the plasma and ignition.

8. Inertial confinement: more on interaction of laser emission with matter, where important mechanisms of laser/matter (material of the fuel capsule) interaction and scenarios of behavior of matter in the fuel capsule after ignition are discussed.