Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion has the potential to produce safe, carbon-free electricity, but such reactors continue to consume more energy than they produce. While basic science and engineering are still needed, ML can help inform nuclear fusion research in a variety of ways, e.g., by suggesting parameters for physical experiments or modeling the behavior of plasma inside reactors.

Background Readings

 * "Nuclear fusion" in Nature Physics: A collection of articles on the state of nuclear fusion research. Available here.

Future Directions

 * "[S]peculatively, ML could help characterize this evolution and even help steer plasma into safe states through reactor control. ML models for such fusion applications would likely employ a combination of simulated and experimental data, and would need to account for the different physical characteristics, data volumes, and simulator speeds or accuracies associated with different reactor types."