Z machine exceeds two billion degrees Kelvin: hotter than the interiors of stars

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Sandiaacutes Z machine firing. The arcs and sparks formed at the water-air interface travel between metal conductors. (Photo by Randy Montoya)
Sandia's Z machine firing. The “arcs and sparks” formed at the water-air interface travel between metal conductors. (Photo by Randy Montoya)

Sandia’s Z machine has produced plasmas that exceed temperatures of 2 billion degrees Kelvin — hotter than the interiors of stars. The unexpectedly hot output, if its cause were understood and harnessed, could eventually mean that smaller, less costly nuclear fusion plants would produce the same amount of energy as larger plants.


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