Circular magnetic macroparticle accelerator to reach thermonuclear ignition

Abstract

A circular magnetic macroparticle accelerator for impact fusion, making use of the skin effect in the accelerator ring, is proposed. The macroparticle can be either a ferromagnetic or magnetized superconducting projectile. If the accelerator ring consists of a good conductor, then the magnetic field of a rapidly moving projectile has no time to penetrate into the conductor. As a result, the magnetic field of the projectile generates a virtual mirror image in the conductor, repelling the projectile with the same force as the force generated by the magnetic field of the projectile itself, and thereby counteracting the centrifugal force. Since under the condition of the skin effect, the conductor behaves like a perfect diamagnetic, the projectile can be accelerated in a stable orbit if the cross section of the conductor forms a trough.