Magnetic secrets of plasma revealed for stable nuclear fusion reactor

Researchers from South Korea have experimentally demonstrated the phenomenon of multi-scale coupling in plasma, revealing how microscopic turbulence at the particle level can induce large-scale structural changes in plasma systems. Using the Versatile Experiment Spherical Torus (VEST) device at Seoul National University, the team generated two electron beam-driven flux ropes within a 3D helical magnetic field. These flux ropes exhibited turbulence that triggered magnetic reconnection—a process where magnetic field lines break and reconnect—resulting in the merging of the two flux ropes into a larger structure. This experiment provided the first direct observation of three-dimensional (3D) reconnection driven by turbulence beyond the traditional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) framework. The findings have significant implications for nuclear fusion technology and astrophysics. For fusion research, understanding how particle-level turbulence influences plasma stability could lead to improved control strategies necessary for sustaining stable fusion reactions. In astrophysics, the energy spectra observed during the experiment’s magnetic reconnection closely resemble those seen in cosmic plasma