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DTRA’s advancements in nuclear and radiological detection
A new, more complex nuclear age has begun. Echoing the tensions of the Cold War amid rapidly evolving nuclear and radiological threats, preparedness in the modern age is a contest of scientific innovation. The Research and Development Directorate (RD) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is charged with winning this contest.
Donald A. Spong, D. J. Sigmar, J. J. Ramos
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 13 | Number 3 | March 1988 | Pages 428-431
Technical Paper | Alpha-Particle Workshop / Alpha Workshop | doi.org/10.13182/FST88-A25119
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
For Tα/Ti < 150 (where Tα is the alpha-mean energy and Ti the ion temperature), the trapped alpha precision resonance destabilizes the kinetic ballooning mode of the bulk plasma. Using a slowing down distribution and both circular and noncircular equilibrium models, the eigenfrequencies of the resonant ballooning integral equation are computed. One finds lower critical betas and a widening of the unstable region, particularly at higher electron temperature and for flat q, steep pressure profiles typical of ignited sawtoothing plasmas.