FPN07-33

Academies Report Urges Inertial Fusion Planning

June 1, 2007

The Executive Summary and Overview sections of the recently issued U. S. National Academies report (FPN07-32), Plasma Science: Advancing Science in the National Interest, listed only one "principal" recommendation to the U. S. Department of Energy Office of Science: to broaden its stewardship role for plasma science "well beyond the present mission and purview of the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences." However, the main body of the report provides specific conclusions and recommendations for various sub-fields.

The section on Plasma Physics at High Energy Density contains the following conclusion:

"If the United States is to realize the opportunities for future energy applications that may come from the achievement of inertial fusion ignition, a strategic plan is required for the development of the related science and technology toward the energy goal. Currently no such plan exists at the Department of Energy. Perhaps more importantly, neither is there a set of criteria to guide the determination of when such a plan should be developed."

The report can be downloaded in unedited, prepublication form from the following URL http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bpa/PLS2010.html.