Overview

Nicholas Christofilos's Astron experiment at LLNL (1956-1973). Concept: E-layer — ring of relativistic electrons in magnetic mirror to achieve magnetic field reversal. Goal: create closed field lines for compact torus confinement. NEVER achieved field reversal — the fundamental goal. Beam: 100-120 A at ~4 MeV, 0.3 μs pulses. E-layer: 60 cm dia, 300-400 cm long, >1000 A circulating current. 50% particle loss in first 100 μs. E-layers stable up to 200 ms at low pressure. Axial compression by 2x observed. Failure: E-layer buildup losses + poor trapping on later pulses. Funding cancelled 1972, wound down 1973. EARLIEST CONCEPTION OF A COMPACT TORUS — class includes Spheromak and FRC. Linear induction accelerator developed for Astron — now used in many applications. T.K. Fowler co-authored (later LLNL director). Christofilos: Greek engineer, NO formal physics credentials. Presented at 1958 Atoms for Peace conference, Geneva. Lineage: Astron → Spheromak (LLNL/PPPL) and FRC (LANL).

Entity Type: Experiment — Astron (Christofilos) is a scientific experiment or test program.

Technical Definition

A 1960s LLNL fusion experiment proposed by Nicholas Christofilos using a relativistic electron beam to create a field-reversed configuration. A direct precursor to modern FRC research.

Related Concepts: FRC, LLNL, Christofilos

Network Relationships

Astron (Christofilos) connects to 3 entities in the intelligence network:

Concepts (2):

• → Spheromak: Conceptual ancestor — compact torus
• ← Strong-Focusing Principle: Christofilos invented both strong focusing (1949) and Astron (1956)

Organisations (1):

• → LLNL: Hosted at LLNL (1956-1973)

Research Findings

Astron (Christofilos) appears in 5 research analysis documents:

AVCO PlasmaRadiationShield 1967:

Findings: AVCO Plasmaradiationshield 1967

Source PDF: AVCO_PlasmaRadiationShield_1967.pdf Date range: 1955-1985 Source org: NASA

Summary

This 1967 NASA contractor report, prepared by AVCO Corporation researchers Richard H. Levy and Francis W. French, explores the concept of a P...

AVCO PlasmaRadiationShield 1967:

Findings: AVCO Plasmaradiationshield 1967

Source PDF: AVCO_PlasmaRadiationShield_1967.pdf Date range: 1955-1985 Source org: NASA

Summary

This 1967 NASA contractor report, prepared by AVCO Corporation researchers Richard H. Levy and Francis W. French, explores the concept of a P...

Christofilos Astron Fusion 2011:

Findings: Christofilos Astron Fusion 2011

Source PDF: Christofilos_Astron_Fusion_2011.pdf Date range: 1955-2011 Source org: LANL

Summary

Published in 2011 by researchers affiliated with Princeton University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, this review article chroni...

IAEA Fusion Research Vol2 1983:

Findings: IAEA Fusion Research Vol2 1983

Source PDF: IAEA_Fusion_Research_Vol2_1983.pdf Date range: 1956-2025 Source org: LANL

Summary

This document, published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1983, contains the second volume of proceedings from the Ninth Int...

IAEA PlasmaPhysicsFusionResearchVol2 1983:

Findings: IAEA Plasmaphysicsfusionresearchvol2 1983

Source PDF: IAEA_PlasmaPhysicsFusionResearchVol2_1983.pdf Date range: 1956-2025 Source org: LANL

Summary

This 1983 publication from the International Atomic Energy Agency presents Volume II of the proceedings from the Ninth In...

Source Documents

Intelligence derived from 5 source documents:

• OSTI.gov — Astron Thermonuclear Reactor report (1958)
• PPPL — 'Greek Fire: Nicholas Christofilos and the Astron Project' (2011)
• Physics of Fluids 1973-74 — Christofilos, Fowler, Briggs, Stallard
• Wikipedia — Astron (fusion reactor)
• Christofilos Astron Fusion 2011