Return of the Blob: Scientists find surprising link to troublesome turbulence at the edge of fusion plasmas

PPPL
Blobs can wreak havoc in plasma required for fusion reactions. This bubble-like turbulence swells up at the edge of fusion plasmas and drains heat from the edge, limiting the efficiency of fusion reactions in doughnut-shaped fusion facilities called “tokamaks.” Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have now discovered a surprising correlation of the blobs with fluctuations of the magnetic field that confines the plasma fueling fusion reactions in the device core.
https://www.pppl.gov/news/2020/05/return-blob-scientists-find-surprising-link-troublesome-turbulence-edge-fusion-plasmas