South Korean scientists have achieved a groundbreaking feat by sustaining temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius, a level seven times hotter than the sun's core. This milestone, attained through a nuclear fusion experiment conducted at the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) reactor, marks a significant advancement in the pursuit of clean and virtually limitless energy.
During tests conducted between December and February, the KSTAR reactor maintained the record temperature for an impressive 48 seconds, surpassing its previous record of 31 seconds set in 2021. Termed South Korea's "artificial sun," the reactor's success represents a crucial step in the journey towards establishing fusion energy as a reliable source of power.
At the heart of this achievement lies the process of nuclear fusion, where heavy hydrogen isotopes in a plasma are compelled to fuse, releasing energy akin to the processes occurring within the sun's core. The KSTAR reactor, resembling a donut-shaped tokamak, subjects hydrogen variants to extreme temperatures to initiate fusion reactions.
Director Si-Woo Yoon of the KSTAR Research Centre attributed the success to meticulous hardware testing and campaign preparation. He expressed confidence that further experimentation could extend the duration of sustaining 100 million-degree temperatures to 300 seconds by 2026.
These endeavors hold immense significance for the development of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in France, the world's largest tokamak. By contributing crucial insights and data, KSTAR's work aims to enhance ITER's operational efficiency and accelerate the commercialization of fusion energy.
In summary, South Korea's achievement in sustaining temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius for a record duration underscores significant progress towards unlocking the potential of fusion energy. With ongoing research and collaboration, the dream of harnessing clean and abundant energy from nuclear fusion draws closer to reality.
