14 DAY TRIAL // A group of experts from all over the world have used powerful laser technology to recreate the extreme conditions inside planetary cores or stellar surfaces. Besides the obvious consequence that this study may have on the general comprehension of the formation and evolution of the solar system and, ultimately, the universe, it could also provide a clean and more reliable source of energy. The experiment basically involves understanding and controlling thermonuclear fusion, which is a natural process in stars.
Fusion is a process that implies joining more similarly-charged nuclei in order to form a heavier one. Fusing nuclei with a mass lower than iron ones causes a release of energy, while those with a higher mass lead to an energy absorption upon fusion.
The experts team used the Vulcan laser of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) in order to mimic and diagnose the conditions of planet cores (where matter reaches a temperature in excess of 50,000°), by experimenting on a compressed sample of lithium. The obtained matter had an intermediary state between solid and gas over lengths larger than 0.3 nanometers, behaving like a charged liquid on distances longer than that, and as a gas on smaller ones.
According to Dr. Gianluca Gregori from the University of Oxford and STFC's Central Laser Facility, “This research [...] makes it not only possible to formulate more accurate models of planetary dynamics, but also to extend our comprehension of controlled thermonuclear fusion where such states of matter, that is liquid and gas, must be crossed to initiate fusion reactions. This work expands our knowledge of complex systems of particles where the laws that regulate their motion are both classical and quantum mechanical.”
STFC's Director of the Central Laser Facility, professor Mike Dunne, added that, “Using high power lasers to find solutions to astrophysical issues is an area that has been highly active at STFC for some time. We are very excited that the Vulcan laser has contributed to such a significant piece of research. The use of extremely powerful lasers is proving to be a particularly effective approach to delivering long-term solutions for carbon-free energy.”