On Tuesday, French scientists announced a significant achievement in the pursuit of nuclear fusion, successfully maintaining a highly energetic plasma for an unprecedented duration of 22 minutes. This milestone is considered crucial in the multifaceted journey toward realizing fusion as a viable energy source.
Nuclear fusion is lauded for its potential to provide a sustainable, safe, and virtually limitless energy supply, yet the pursuit has remained an arduous challenge for decades. The process aims to replicate the natural reactions occurring in the cores of stars, where two atomic nuclei are fused—a stark contrast to fission, utilized in conventional nuclear power plants, which involves splitting atomic nuclei.
To achieve this, tremendous temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius are required to generate and sustain plasma. This superheated, ionized gas is inherently unstable, which poses risks of energy loss and significantly hampers the efficiency of future fusion reactors.
According to France’s Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), the WEST tokamak facility in southern France successfully maintained plasma for 1,337 seconds on February 12, breaking the previous record set in China by 25%. Anne-Isabelle Etienvre, the CEA’s head of fundamental research, emphasized that sustaining plasma for such an extended period demonstrates significant advancements in both its production and maintenance.
Nevertheless, numerous technological hurdles remain before thermonuclear fusion can yield more energy than it consumes. In the coming month, the WEST team plans to extend plasma durations further—potentially enduring several hours—and achieve higher temperatures, as they strive to replicate conditions anticipated in fusion plasmas. Additionally, the scientists will investigate the impact of this “intense plasma” on the internal structure of the tokamak.
This research is instrumental in setting the stage for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a collaborative project involving multiple nations, including China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States, which began development in 1985. Originally slated to become operational this year, ongoing challenges and escalating costs have delayed its timeline until at least 2033.
© Agence France-Presse
Vocabulary List:
- Achievement /É™ËtĘiËv.mÉ™nt/ (noun): A thing that has been done successfully typically by effort courage or skill.
- Pursuit /pÉ™rËsuËt/ (noun): The action of pursuing someone or something.
- Milestone /ËmaÉŞlstoĘŠn/ (noun): A significant event or stage in the development of something.
- Sustainable /sÉ™ËsteÉŞ.nÉ™.bÉ™l/ (adjective): Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level; conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources.
- Challenges /ËtĘæl.ÉŞn.dĘ’ÉŞz/ (noun): A call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or an invitation to engage in a contest.
- Collaborative /kÉ™Ëlæb.É™r.É™.tÉŞv/ (adjective): Produced or conducted by two or more parties working together.
How much do you know?
What significant achievement was announced by French scientists in the pursuit of nuclear fusion?
Which process involves replicating the natural reactions in the cores of stars?
What is the main challenge hindering the efficiency of future fusion reactors?
Which facility in southern France broke the previous record for plasma duration?
What collaborative project involves multiple nations working on thermonuclear fusion?
What is the goal of extending plasma durations and achieving higher temperatures?
Thermonuclear fusion is considered a simple process to achieve.
The WEST team plans to investigate the impact of intense plasma on external structures.
ITER was initially planned to be operational in 2021.
Nuclear fusion reactors aim to split atomic nuclei.
Energy loss risks pose significant challenges to future fusion reactors.
The WEST tokamak broke the plasma duration record set in Russia.
The WEST team plans to extend plasma durations further, potentially enduring several .
ITER is a collaborative project involving multiple nations, including China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the .
The pursuit of nuclear fusion has remained an arduous challenge for .
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) began development in .
One of the main goals of thermonuclear fusion is to yield energy than it consumes.
Anne-Isabelle Etienvre is the head of fundamental research at .
