Alpha Channeling in Mirror Machines and in Tokamaks

The alpha channeling effect in tokamaks exploits the higher population of high-energy alpha particles in the tokamak interior compared to that of low-energy alpha particles at the periphery. Because of the population inversion, it is possible to inject waves that diffuse resonant particles along diffusion paths connecting these regions, so that hot alpha particles diffuse to the periphery and cool at the same time. This effect has been suggested as a way of achieving considerably higher performance in tokamak fusion reactors, and similar possibilities might be expected in mirror reactors.