'Eerie-blue glow' seen with nuclear fusion for the first time - Interesting Engineering
'Eerie-blue glow' seen with nuclear fusion for the first time
'Eerie-blue glow' seen with nuclear fusion for the first timeThe company's deuterium-tritium fusion operation displayed a blue glow, which could be seen with the naked eye.Ameya Paleja| Aug 03, 2023 08:00 AM ESTCreated: Aug 03, 2023 08:00 AM ESTinnovationScreenshot of the fusion chamber emitting a blue glowSHINE Technologies Stay ahead of your peers in technology and engineering - The BlueprintBy subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time.Janesville, Wisconsin-based nuclear fusion company SHINE Technologies has obtained visible proof of its reaction at work, visible radiation produced as a byproduct, a press release stated. The company claims this is the first instance when this has been achieved for nuclear fusion. With the world looking for cleaner ways to meet its energy demands, nuclear power is gaining favor once again as a low-carbon source of energy. Companies are also focused on harnessing energy from nuclear fusion instead, which does not raise concerns about nuclear waste. Challenges for nuclear fusion are still aplenty as researchers look for ways to contain the plasma used for generating energy as well as obtaining higher yields than the energy put into the fusion reaction. SHINE has adopted a multi-disciplinary approach to nuclear fusion as it looks to apply the technology in industrial and medical applications on its way to tackling the problem of generating energy. See Also Related Nobel laureate to build rapid-fire laser-powered nuclear fusion reactor by 2030 A special new tape could make small, efficient nuclear fusion reactors possible Advancing fusion energy: Researchers achieve record-breaking temperatures in a tokamak Visible proof of fusionSHINE's approach to achieving the holy grail of nuclear fusion includes using the systems for smaller applications, such as inspecting industrial components. Earlier in April, the company began offering this as a service for aerospace and defense applications. The target chamber of the fusion system is submerged under water at the company's main campus and it was here that the team observed a blue glow when the reaction was in progress. Nuclear scientists refer to this glow as Cherenkov radiation in honor of the Nobel laureate Pavel Cherenkov, who was the first to demonstrate and explain this glow. When particles travel faster than lightCherenkov radiation is observed when particles move faster than the speed of light in a specific medium like water. This might sound fundamentally wrong since nothing we know travels faster than light in a vacuum. However, light slows down in water, traveling at about 75 percent of its normal speed, while other particles continue to move at higher speeds. These particles disturb the equilibrium of atoms of the medium, which then release photons to regain it, a shock wave of sorts similar to a sonic boom when objects travel faster than sound. These photons have high frequencies and low wavelengths and are perceived as blue by the human eye. In the case of nuclear fusion, the glow is created after a hydrogen atom absorbs a neutron and emits a high-energy gamma ray, which then strikes an electron and accelerates it nearly to the speed of light. Historically, fusion reactions have been detected with sophisticated instruments. However, on this occasion, there was visible proof. "At a billion fusions per second, you might have measurable Cherenkov radiation but not visible amounts," said Gerald Kulcinski, a professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in the press release. "The Cherenkov radiation effect produced here was bright enough to be visible, which means there’s a lot of fusion happening, about 50 trillion fusions per second."“Fusion has long captured the imagination of scientists and the public," said Greg Piefer, founder and CEO of SHINE. "To be able to create visual evidence of fusion is just really cool.” HomeInnovationAdd Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.Add Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.SHOW COMMENT (1) For You Einstein's secret 1950 letter on biblical story hits auctionStromer unveils solid-state ceramic battery, a first for the e-bike industryHow insect-inspired microphones are revolutionizing our hearingSpaceX tests Starship water deluge system for second time without permitCould a gene switch off anxiety?Ad Astra: The Future of Propulsion Technology (Part II)Manganese ocean ‘potatos’ are highly radioactive7,000 year-old DNA proves European Neolithics had only one partner at a time7 compelling reasons to invest in a portable air conditionerExploring the mysteries of the human microbiome Job Board
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.