Re: the year 2100

[Rick Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

Since the plasma confinement people hit scientific break-even a few years
ago, I've heard very little on the fusion front.  However, I believe there
is still plenty of ongoing research activity around the world, so I'm not
ready to write this off (as yet).  OTOH, we discovered how to accomplish
large scale fusion reactions more than 50 years ago, have been working
almost as long to more finely control the energy output, and we still
'aren't there', so there is also plenty of room for pessimism.  The laser
implosion projects disappeared from view at about the time that the military
started to take laser weapons seriously, so I have no idea where that is in
terms of fusion energy.  Maybe there are list members closer to the fusion
research community who could comment?

Rick

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Richard W. Tarara
Associate Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim O'Donnell" <odonnt@CELINA.K12.OH.US>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2001 12:54 PM
Subject: Re: the year 2100


> > The point of view of my project is a 'worst-case' scenario.
> > WHAT IF no major breakthroughs in energy technology/physics
> > occur in the next 100 years.  If we look at the past
> > century, there is really little 'new' in commercial 'energy
> > production' apart from nuclear and photo-voltaic electrical
> > production.  Sure the engineering and much of the technology
> > has improved, but the physics of the energy industry would
> > be easy for the circa 1900 physicist to comprehend.  So,
> > while we hope for breakthroughs in areas such as fusion, and
> > could always be surprised by something coming totally out of
> > 'left field', it is not unreasonable to look at what the
> > possibilities/probabilities would be without any 'new
> > physics' and with little in the way of true 'breakthrough'
> > technology.
>
> Rick,
> What is your feeling on fusion?
> At one point in time by 2050 I taught it might be a major
> supplier, but now it seems dead in the water.  I haven't
> heard much about it for a few years.
>
> Tim O'Donnell
> Instructor of Physics and Chemistry
> Celina High School
> 715 East Wayne Street
> Celina, Ohio 45822
> (419) 586-8300 Ext 1200 or 1201
> odonnt@celina.k12.oh.us
>
> "Chance only favors the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur