Lundquist Number
A dimensionless number in magnetohydrodynamics representing the ratio of magnetic diffusion time to Alfvén transit time. High Lundquist numbers indicate that magnetic fields are effectively frozen into the plasma, relevant to spheromak and FRC sustainment.
Verified Primary Sources
- → LANL FissionPlasmaPropulsion 1995 (p. 3) — 1995 — Los Alamos National Laboratory
- → LANL FissionPlasmaPropulsion 1995 (p. 7) — 1995 — Los Alamos National Laboratory
- → LANL FissionPlasmaPropulsion 1995 (p. 8) — 1995 — Los Alamos National Laboratory
- → LANL FissionPlasmaPropulsion 1995 (p. 9) — 1995 — Los Alamos National Laboratory
- → LANL FissionPlasmaPropulsion 1995 (p. 10) — 1995 — Los Alamos National Laboratory
External Primary Sources
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Timeline Mentions (8)
Christofilos begins Astron experiment at LLNL
Greek engineer starts E-layer field reversal concept. Earliest compact torus conception. Presented at 1958 Geneva.
Discovery of FRC Anomalous Stability
Experiments at LANL discover that Field-Reversed Configurations (FRCs) are significantly more stable than predicted by MHD theory.
Astron experiment funding cancelled at LLNL
16-year project ends without achieving field reversal. Compact torus concept disperses to spheromak and FRC research.
Christofilos Astron experiment cancelled at LLNL
17-year Astron project ends. Field reversal concept disperses to LANL (FRC) and LLNL/PPPL (spheromak).
Relaxation Principle Proposed
J.B. Taylor publishes the relaxation principle, establishing that spheromak plasmas minimize magnetic energy while conserving helicity.
PPPL Compact Toruses Symposium
PPPL symposium consolidating compact toroid (FRC/spheromak) research.
MAGO project begins at VNIIEF (Russian nuclear weapons lab)
Russian MTF program at weapons lab. Communist Party decree. Same dual-use pattern as US.
Discovery of Anomalous FRC Stability
LANL experiments FRX-A and FRX-B reveal FRCs are stable 100x longer than MHD theory predicts, though limited by n=2 rotational instabilities.