stellarator

American  

[stel-uh-rey-ter] / ˈstɛl əˌreɪ tər /

noun

Physics.

1. an experimental plasma-physics device in which magnetic fields confine the plasma within a tube shaped like a figure eight.

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stellarator British  

/ ˈstɛləˌreɪtə /

noun

1. physics an apparatus used in research into thermonuclear reactions, consisting of a toroidal vessel designed so that a plasma may be contained within it by a helical magnetic field. The magnetic field is produced by current-carrying coils

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Etymology

Origin of stellarator

1951; stellar + (gener)ator, so named because the reactions produced resemble those in stars

Example Sentences

PPPL's Head of Digital Engineering, Michael Churchill, uses machine learning to improve the design of another type of fusion reactor, a stellarator.

From Science Daily

"We need to leverage a lot of different codes when we're validating the design of a stellarator. So the question becomes, 'What are the best codes for stellarator design and the best ways to use them?'"

From Science Daily

The more complex geometry of this design, called a stellarator, is tricky to engineer, but a few projects are pursuing it.

From Scientific American

A notable example is the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Greifswald, Germany, completed in 2015 and now operating again after a three-year upgrade.

From Scientific American

“A stellarator has some advantages, but technically it's a more complicated device,” Donné says.

From Scientific American