My Nuclear Field Trip

A co-worker of mine learned that there is a nuclear fusion research facility less than 5 miles from where we work, and he arranged for a group of us to take a lunchtime tour of the facility.

So, some fellow nerds and I visited General Atomics today for a 60-minute introduction to the marvels of nuclear fusion. Basically, fusion is the process that takes place in the sun and stars, and produces energy. Scientists are trying to discover how to replicate this power and use it for energy here on earth, because it would provide safe, environmentally-friendly, and unlimited energy.

The General Atomics researchers use a large, magnetic, donut-shaped machine called a tokamak to heat plasma to 150 million degrees! I think our tour guide said that plasma is found on the surface of the sun. It’s like gas, but it’s basically a group of charged particles that reacts to a magnet.

It was interesting, but reinforced the fact that I was not meant to be a physicist.

The photo below shows a replica of a cross-section of the tokamak machine.