Riemann's Contribution to Flight and Laser Fusion

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Fusion Reporterator is very large, a test of the crucialpellet implosion feasibility will be veryexpensive this way.Now, several scientists (includingmyself) have proposed to use soft X-rays rather than laser or particle beamenergy for compression, however,with the beams providing the primaryenergy source to produce the soft X-rays (or 10 6 to 10 7 °K black body radiation).I therefore suggest as an economicalway to test the pellet implosionconcept to use soft X-rays from anuclear underground explosion. Inthis proposal, the pellet would haveUniversity 01 Texas at AustinTexas Tokamak DedicatedThree hundred people attended dedication ceremonies for the newexperimental tokamak fusion reactor at the University of Texas at Austinon May 28. Built with a $10 million grant from the Department of Energy,the experimental device is available for research and training to all U.S.universities. The device has been operating under the direction of Dr.Kenneth Gentle since Nov. 1981, and more than 2,000 experimental"shots" have been conducted to date.Dr. John Clarke, deputy director of the DOE Office of Fusion Energy,was the keynote speaker at the event. Fusion is the "ultimate energysource," promising a virtually unlimited supply of cheap energy, capableof raising the standard of living of the entire human race, he said. Askedabout the threat of cuts in the fiscal 1982 fusion budget by the Reaganadministration, Clarke said that the new administration, in his view, iscommitted to the development of fusion and the "spirit" of the landmark1980 Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act. Clarke said that thecurrent economic situation, typified by high interest rates, has causedReagan to feel a necessity to cut government spending across the board.Dr. William E. Drummond, director of the Fusion Research Center atthe Austin campus of the yniversity of Texas, praised the Texas AtomicResearch Foundation for supporting fusion research at the university forthe last 20 years. Presiding over the dedication, Dr. Gerhard J. Fonken,vice president for academic affairs at the university, extended an invitationto all present to the dedication of the first operative fusion reactorin Texas. "I can't tell you exactly when, but it will be sometime 10 or 15years from now," he promised.to be separated by many meters fromthe fission explosion, with narrow softX-ray reflecting tubes of differentpath-length going from the fission explosiveto the chamber containing thepellet. By using several tubes of differentpath-length, in combinationwith X-ray absorbing foils placed inthese tubes and to be burned out bythe intense X-ray flux, the requiredtime dependence of the compressionpulse could probably be produced.I do not know exactly how costlyan underground test really is, but itappears to me much less costly thanthe several hundred million up to abillion dollars required for a laser orheavy ion linac [accelerator] of the requiredenergy output. Such a test atleast could decide the feasibility onceand for all before going into largeexpenditures.In case there is DOE interest, theDesert Research Institute would askto obtain,.if possible, a modest subcontract,maybe in cooperation withEGG, to do some diagnostic work orwork related to it. Please let me knowif we even can submit a proposal.I also forward a copy of this letterto some prominent scientists who maybe interested in this.[Signed] Dr. F. WinterbergDear Dr. Winterberg:This is in reply to your recent letterdated Dec. 2,1980. Under DOE policy,we are unable to comment on certaincategories of information to personswho have not been granted access toRestricted Data or Formerly RestrictedData. Included in these categories isinformation which describes or attemptsto describe the design or operationof X-ray driven inertial fusiontargets. This policy is necessary to preventthe use of our comments as abasis to develop, by an iterative process,a design or concept that couldcompromise classified information.For reasons stated above, we cannotcomment on the contents of yourletter; similarly, it would not be possiblefor us to respond, on an unclassifiedbasis, to a contractual proposalfrom you.[Signed] Gregory H. Canavan20 FUSION October-November 1981 Fusion Report
DOE Stalls on FED;Bouquard ReconvenesAdvisory PanelThe Fusion Engineering Devicemandated by the 1980 fusion legislationis in danger of being stalled, atleast for the next year, because ofdelays in setting up its managementstructure, funding, and design, as wellas the stated reluctance of the DOEto pursue the project.The Magnetic Fusion Energy EngineeringAct of 1980 mandates that theDOE have a Fusion Engineering Device(FED) on line by 1990 to demonstratethe feasibility of integrating thecomplex fusion systems and producenet power. The first stage in this process,the law specifies, is "the creationof a national magnetic fusion engineeringcenter for the purpose ofaccelerating fusion technology development."The legislation requires that thesecretary of energy submit to Congressby July 1 a plan for establishingthe Center for Fusion Engineering, orCFE, which is to direct the engineeringphase of magnetic fusion development.The DOE report submitted to CongressJuly 7, however, stated that thedepartment had not yet come to "ajudgment on the advisability of establishingsuch a center"—even thoughthe CFE is not only mandated by thelaw, but ^as recommended in theDOE's own review of the fusion programcompleted a year ago.Critical for meeting the 1990 scheduleis the DOE funding of and commitmentto design and build the FED, andhere progress has been most disappointing.In the letter of transmittal tothe July 7 DOE report to Congress,Acting Energy Research Director N.Douglas Pewitt said that the Reaganadministration's policy is in "consonance"with the law, "but because ofoverriding fiscal constraints nowplaced on government activities, weare proceeding at a lower rate of accelerationtoward the same objective."Fusion ReportMarsha FreemanNo friend of fusion: Dr. N. DouglasPewitt, acting director of the DOEOffice of Energy Research.Pewitt, a holdover from the Carteradministration, is no friend of fusion.He stated repeatedly during budgethearings earlier this year that the fusionlaw was a "permissive piece oflegislation" and that the administrationwould not make a commitmentto build the FED. Without such a commitment,of course, there is no pointin establishing a new center to managefusion engineering.As an "interim" policy, Pewitt's Julyreport proposed to establish an "EngineeringFeasibility PreparationsProject" located at one of the nationallaboratories. But this proposal is simplyanother stalling tactic. It has alreadybeen agreed that the FED willnot be located at a national laboratory,so it is very unlikely that Congresswill accede to this type of delay.Hirsch Panel ReconvenedAs the DOE report was being prepared,Congresswoman Marilyn Bouquard(D-Tenn.) reconvened the fusionadvisory panel of the HouseScience and Technology Committee'sSubcommittee on Energy Researchand Production to study the feasibilityof "fast-tracking" the fusion program.Formerly headed by Dr. RobertHirsch, a past director of the U.S.magnetic fusion program, the panelwas commissioned in 1979 by formercongressman Mike McCormack whenhe chaired the energy subcommitteethat Bouquard now chairs. The Hirschpanel, as it was known, played anOctober-November 1981Stuart L«wi«/NSIPSFusion supporter: Leonard F. C.Reichle of Ebasco, new head of thefusion advisory panel.important role in preparing the wayfor the 1980 fusion legislation. McCormack was the law's chief sponsor.Now headed by Leonard F. C.Reichle, executive vice president ofEbasco Services Inc., the panel includesprominent fusion scientists, industryleaders, and Mike McCormack.Ebasco is the chief contractor buildingPrinceton's TFTR tokamak."The taxpayer can be saved 2 billion1980 dollars if the DOE will stop draggingits feet and move now into theengineering phase of fusion energydevelopment," Bouquard said in announcingthe panel's June 29 meeting.Sources on Capitol Hill report thatBouquard has written a letter to EnergySecretary Edwards protesting thecontent of Pewitt's report to Congressand that she may hold public hearingson fusion in the fall to continue toput pressure on the administration tomeet the requirements of the fusionlaw.How Much Industry Control?At the June 29 hearings, the panelheard a broad range of views fromindustry representatives on the involvementof industry in fusion engineeringdevelopment, specifically inthe establishment of the Center forFusion Engineering, the CFE.Two industry groups, the AtomicIndustrial Forum and Fusion PowerAssociates, stated that industry isContinued on page 60FUSION 21
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Riemann's Contribution to Flight and Laser Fusion

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