# Magneto-Inertial Fusion and Powerful Plasma Installations (A Review)
## 2 Magneto-Inertial Fusion Concept  
Magneto-inertial fusion combines all concepts [12; 13], including magnetic compression [14; 15] pinches [16; 17; 18] and combined systems [19; 20; 21]. The specificity of MIF is that this approach requires a shell (liner) [22] to compress and heat a magnetized plasma (target), for example, a compact torus [23]. Under MIF conditions, plasma formation with a high-energy density is possible [24; 25]. Various options have been previously considered for an explosive striker, allowing to preserve the magnetic flux: metallic [26], partially evaporating [27], gaseous [28], compressible liquid shells [29], implosion in a hohlraum [30], and the rapid ignition of fusion fuel. Accordingly, theoretical and experimental studies, including the modeling of plasma-shell interaction processes, were carried out for the systems and installations listed above [31; 32; 33; 34]. It is necessary to use mathematical modeling, numerical methods and a set of programs to study the interaction processes in the \"laser-magnetized target\" and \"target-internal magnetic shell-plasma liner\" systems, and obtain parameters that allow working in those areas and ranges that are unattainable by other installations. The complexity of solving the problem increases significantly in conditions regarding a shortage of experiments on heating, and the compression of plasma by laser beams and high-speed plasma jets in an external field. MIF schemes represent advanced features for the implementation of new technologies, depending on the tasks set. The paper discusses the prospects of using MIF systems, which have a number of advantages and make it possible to create a reactor and a neutron source using existing experience in fusion research, which also opens the way for new technologies. For compact magnetic field configurations, there is a simpler design, greater energy release per unit volume and a possibility of using pure (neutron-free) fuel. Both quasi-stationary and pulsed installations for MIF are considered, in which losses are reduced, since dangerous micro instability does not have time to develop; the problem of plasma interaction with the wall is not so relevant. Modeling of fusion combustion is a separate and important problem. The magneto-inertial approach combines two concepts of controlled thermonuclear fusion (CTF) (as a consequence, simplification of the scheme and reduction of the cost of the system) and can be used to create new plasma retention systems for materials science (neutron source), medicine (proton source) and energy, as well as new effective methods of plasma generation and retention during compression by laser pulses, and plasma jets for the previously, practically, unexplored ranges of magnetic field, density and temperature. Previously (20-30 years ago) there were no such powerful systems, and at present, there are lasers, railguns, current arresters and so on. On the other hand, the cost of calculationsrequired for modeling at a level that allowed the interaction of each jet/beam with the target was prohibitively high. Such plasma systems can be used for diagnostics and testing of various materials. A feature of the physical formulation of the problem is the presence of a seed magnetic field (superimposed external pulsed field) and compression of the magnetic flux by a laser driver or plasma liner. In this case, beams or jets are introduced from the periphery of the working chamber and compress the magnetized plasmoid that is placed in its center to the state of fusion ignition. The magnetic field \"frozen\" into the target is compressed together with the plasma, thereby achieving thermal isolation of the plasma from the environment. Note that the inertial component is responsible for the confinement of particles in MIF, and the energy lifetime determines the magnetic confinement (Table 1). An intense magnetic field suppresses the diffusion in the plasma across the field during the compression phase, and thus, the plasma is heated to fusion temperatures.