This figure shows the development of the proposed “wiffle ball” confinement concept. Three rows of figures are shown: the magnetic field, the electron motion and the plasma density inside the polywell. (A) The field is the superposition of six rings in a box. In the center is a null point - a zone of no magnetic field.[8] The plasma is magnetized, meaning that the plasma and magnetic field intermix. (B) As plasma is injected, the density rises. (C) As the plasma density rises, the plasma becomes more diamagnetic, causing it to reject the outside magnetic field.  As the plasma presses outwards, the density of the surrounding magnetic field rises. This tightens the corkscrewing motion of the particles outsides the center. A sharp boundary is formed.[22]  A current is predicted[19][20] to form on this boundary. (D) If the pressures find equilibrium at a beta of one, this determines the shape of the plasma cloud. (E) In the center, there is no magnetic field from the rings. This means that its motion inside the field free radius should be relatively straight or ballistic.[8]
English: This figure shows the development of the proposed “waffle ball” confinement concept [6]. Three rows of figures are shown: the magnetic field, the electron motion and the plasma density inside the polywell. (A) At low beta, the field is the superposition of six rings in a box [2]. In the center is a null point - a zone of no magnetic field. The plasma is magnetized, meaning that the plasma and magnetic field intermix [7]. The electrons and ions feel a Lorentz force [11]. This makes them corkscrew along the magnetic field lines; while their charges interact with one another [10]. The radius of this corkscrew is the gyroradius. The plasma density is low, making the resulting plasma pressure (density*temp*boltzmann) also low. This means the beta ratio is also low. (B) As plasma is injected, the density rises. The plasma puts more pressure on the surrounding magnetic field, increasing the beta ratio. (C) As the beta ratio reaches and exceeds 1, the plasma pressure overpowers the magnetic field pressure. This pushes the cloud outward, starting from the central null point [1, 3, 6]. As the plasma presses outwards, the density of the surrounding magnetic field rises [10]. This tightens the corkscrewing motion of the particles outsides the center. They move with a smaller gyroradius. A sharp boundary is formed [3]. A skin current is predicted to form on this boundary layer [4, 5, 8]. This may cause the plasma to go diamagnetic, rejecting the external field [4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 6]. (D) If the pressures find equilibrium at a beta of one, this determines the shape of the plasma cloud. The tightening field also shrinks the space available for escaping plasma, forming the “wiffle ball” confinement [6, 12]. (E) In the center, there is no magnetic field from the rings. This means that its motion inside the field free radius should be relatively straight or ballistic [2]. This forms two regions: adiabatic and non-adiabatic plasma [2, 8]. Sources: 1. Presentation “Measurement of Enhanced Cusp Confinement at High Beta” Dr. Jaeyoung Park, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Wisconsin. June 2014 2. Carr, Matthew, and David Gummersall. "Low Beta Confinement in a Polywell Modeled with Conventional Point Cusp Theories." Physics of Plasmas 18.112501 (2011): n. page. Print 3. Park, Jaeyoung, Nicholas A. Krall, and Paul E. Sieck. "High Energy Electron Confinement in a Magnetic Cusp Configuration." In Submission (2014): 1-12. https://arxiv.org. Web. 13 June 2014. 4. Tuck, James L. "A New Plasma Confinement Geometry." Nature 187.4740 (1960): 863-64. Nature Publishing Group. Web. 13 June 2014. 5. Berkowitz, J., K. Friedrichs, H. Goertzel, H. Grad, J. Killeen, and E. Rubin. "Cusped Geometries." Journal of Nuclear Energy (1954) 7.3-4 (1958): 292-93. Web. 16 June 2014. 6.“The Advent of Clean Nuclear Fusion: Superperformance Space Power and Propulsion” Bussard R, W. 57th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2006), Valencia, Spain - October 2006 7. Tuszewski, M. "Field Reversed Configurations." Nuclear Fusion 28.11 (1988): 2033-092. 8. Containment in a cusped Plasma System, Dr. Harold Grad, NYO-9496 9. Rogers, Joel. "Steady State Polywell Fusion Device Designed Using 2D Simulation." The 10th Annual US-Japan IEC Conference. Kyoto University, 4 Dec. 2008. Web. 04 Jan. 2014. 10. "Ephi - the Simple Physics Simulator." www.mare.ee. Indrek Mandre, 2007. Web. 08 Apr. 2012. 11. Jackson, John David. Classical Electrodynamics. 2nd ed. N.p.: Jones & Bartlett, n.d. Print. 12. Should Google Go Nuclear? Clean, Cheap, Nuclear Power. 24 minutes, 18 seconds. Perf. Dr. Robert Bussard. Google Tech Talks. YouTube, 9 Nov. 2206. Web. 15 Sept. 2010. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1996321846673788606#. Other information This figure shows the development of the proposed “waffle ball” confinement concept [6]. Three rows of figures are shown: the magnetic field, the electron motion and the plasma density inside the polywell. (A) At low beta, the field is the superposition of six rings in a box [2]. In the center is a null point - a zone of no magnetic field. The plasma is magnetized, meaning that the plasma and magnetic field intermix [7]. The electrons and ions feel a Lorentz force [11]. This makes them corkscrew along the magnetic field lines; while their charges interact with one another [10]. The radius of this corkscrew is the gyroradius. The plasma density is low, making the resulting plasma pressure (density*temp*boltzmann) also low. This means the beta ratio is also low. (B) As plasma is injected, the density rises. The plasma puts more pressure on the surrounding magnetic field, increasing the beta ratio. (C) As the beta ratio reaches and exceeds 1, the plasma pressure overpowers the magnetic field pressure. This pushes the cloud outward, starting from the central null point [1, 3, 6]. As the plasma presses outwards, the density of the surrounding magnetic field rises [10]. This tightens the corkscrewing motion of the particles outsides the center. They move with a smaller gyroradius. A sharp boundary is formed [3]. A skin current is predicted to form on this boundary layer [4, 5, 8]. This may cause the plasma to go diamagnetic, rejecting the external field [4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 6]. (D) If the pressures find equilibrium at a beta of one, this determines the shape of the plasma cloud. The tightening field also shrinks the space available for escaping plasma, forming the “wiffle ball” confinement [6, 12]. (E) In the center, there is no magnetic field from the rings. This means that its motion inside the field free radius should be relatively straight or ballistic [2]. This forms two regions: adiabatic and non-adiabatic plasma [2, 8]. Sources: 1. Presentation “Measurement of Enhanced Cusp Confinement at High Beta” Dr. Jaeyoung Park, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Wisconsin. June 2014 2. Carr, Matthew, and David Gummersall. "Low Beta Confinement in a Polywell Modeled with Conventional Point Cusp Theories." Physics of Plasmas 18.112501 (2011): n. page. Print 3. Park, Jaeyoung, Nicholas A. Krall, and Paul E. Sieck. "High Energy Electron Confinement in a Magnetic Cusp Configuration." In Submission (2014): 1-12. https://arxiv.org. Web. 13 June 2014. 4. Tuck, James L. "A New Plasma Confinement Geometry." Nature 187.4740 (1960): 863-64. Nature Publishing Group. Web. 13 June 2014. 5. Berkowitz, J., K. Friedrichs, H. Goertzel, H. Grad, J. Killeen, and E. Rubin. "Cusped Geometries." Journal of Nuclear Energy (1954) 7.3-4 (1958): 292-93. Web. 16 June 2014. 6.“The Advent of Clean Nuclear Fusion: Superperformance Space Power and Propulsion” Bussard R, W. 57th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2006), Valencia, Spain - October 2006 7. Tuszewski, M. "Field Reversed Configurations." Nuclear Fusion 28.11 (1988): 2033-092. 8. Containment in a cusped Plasma System, Dr. Harold Grad, NYO-9496 9. Rogers, Joel. "Steady State Polywell Fusion Device Designed Using 2D Simulation." The 10th Annual US-Japan IEC Conference. Kyoto University, 4 Dec. 2008. Web. 04 Jan. 2014. 10. "Ephi - the Simple Physics Simulator." www.mare.ee. Indrek Mandre, 2007. Web. 08 Apr. 2012. 11. Jackson, John David. Classical Electrodynamics. 2nd ed. N.p.: Jones & Bartlett, n.d. Print. 12. Should Google Go Nuclear? Clean, Cheap, Nuclear Power. 24 minutes, 18 seconds. Perf. Dr. Robert Bussard. Google Tech Talks. YouTube, 9 Nov. 2206. Web. 15 Sept. 2010. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1996321846673788606#.