The Magnetic-Mirror Approach
A linear machine — simple geometry, direct conversion, and the plugging challenge Kronos's burner addresses.
- Strength
- Linear, direct conversion
- Challenge
- End plugging
The magnetic mirror confines plasma in a straight field, avoiding disruptions and enabling direct energy conversion, at the cost of end losses that must be plugged. Modern tandem-mirror physics solves the historical instabilities, and high-field superconductors make the required plug fields attainable.
The Kronos burner is a modern tandem mirror, with the plug-density requirement (n_p/n_c ≈ 16) as its honest open item.
Common questions
A straight, open-ended magnetic bottle stronger at its ends. Kronos's burner is a tandem mirror, gaining a disruption-free machine that converts energy directly and scales by length.
Simple mirrors leaked, but the physics fixes (tandem plugs, thermal barriers) were understood; what was missing were magnets strong enough. Modern REBCO reaching 26.49 T is what makes the concept viable now.