Metastable Ecosystem Control of the Linear Fusion Magnetic Mirror Reactor (LFMR): Manifold-Constrained, Sensitivity-Regulated Closed-Loop Architecture Jean-Yves Lozac'h1,2 , Maurice Miguel Lyles2 , et al.

AbstractThe Linear Fusion Magnetic Mirror Reactor (LFMR) combines tandem electro-static plugs, adiabatic CGL compression, and multi-modal synchronized heating (ECR, X/UV, RF ponderomotive). While recent Fokker–Planck simulations con-firm achievable axial confinement factors (Gplug ≥ 30 at mirror ratio R ≥ 15–20), open-loop operation remains vulnerable to kinetic bifurcations, loss-cone filling, andactuator cross-coupling. We present a fully dynamical, control-closed ecosystem ar-chitecture that embeds LFMR physics within a mathematically certified stabiliza-tion framework. A 5D reduced-order moment model preserves anisotropy, confine-ment, and plug potential dynamics. An operating manifold M = Φ (U) = 0 uni-fies thermal balance, CGL anisotropy limits, and Gplug targets into a single scalarpotential. Actuation channels are orthogonalized via QR decomposition to pre-vent parasitic interference. Real-time sensitivity regulation uses the instantaneousspectral abscissa Λmax (J) to preemptively damp kinetic instabilities. A Lyapunovfunction V (U) = 12 Φ2 + 12 (Λmax −Λcrit) 2+ guarantees exponential attraction to a safeoperating corridor C. Stochastic diagnostic fusion replaces idealized neutrino inver-sion with an extended Kalman filter assimilating Thomson scattering, hard X-ray, and interferometric signals. Closed-loop simulations demonstrate robust recoveryfrom 30% compression overshoot, X/UV dropout, and plug voltage collapse, withV̇ < 0 maintained throughout. This work bridges tandem mirror plasma physicsand modern nonlinear control theory, providing a reproducible, hardware-readypathway to the first metastable magnetic mirror demonstration. magnetic mirror, tandem plug, CGL compression, nonlinear control, Lyapunov sta-bility, Fokker–Planck reduction, metastable plasma, closed-loop fusion