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LPPFusion is developing a source of fusion energy using the dense plasma focus device and p-B11 fuel, a combination we call Focus Fusion. So far, this project has led to the achievement of the highest confined ion energies of any fusion experiment (> 200 keV) as well as, recently, the lowest impurities of any fusion plasma. Among privately-funded fusion efforts, our experiments have achieved the highest ratio of fusion energy generation to device energy input (wall-plug efficiency) and the highest nτT product of 3.4 × 1020 keV-s/m3. Our calculations and simulations indicate that the quantum magnetic field effect will allow a great reduction in bremsstrahlung radiation with p-B11 fuel. For commercial fusion, this approach has several major advantages. The small size and simplicity of design of the DPF can lead to 5 MW generators that are much cheaper than any existing energy source, that can be manufactured by mass production and that can be located close to loads. It shares with other p-B11 approaches a lack of neutron damage and radioactive waste. Direct energy conversion of the ion beam and x-rays produced by the device avoids the high costs associated with thermal cycles. With adequate, but still modest, financial resources we anticipate working prototype generators could be ready for production by 2026–2030.

LPPFusion is developing a source of fusion energy using the dense plasma focus device and pB11 fuel, a combination we call Focus Fusion. So far, this project has led to the achievement of the highest confined ion energies of any fusion experiment (> 200 keV) as well as, recently, the lowest impurities of any fusion plasma. Among privately-funded fusion efforts, our experiments have achieved the highest ratio of fusion energy generation to device energy input (wall-plug efficiency) and the highest ntT product of 3.4x1020 keV-s/cm3. Our calculations and simulations indicate that the quantum magnetic field effect will allow a great reduction in bremsstrahlung radiation with pB11 fuel. For commercial fusion, this approach has several major advantages. The small size and simplicity of design of the DPF can lead to 5MW generators that are much cheaper than any existing energy source, that can be manufactured by mass production and that can be located close to loads. It shares with other pB11 approaches a lack of neutron damage and radioactive waste. Direct energy conversion of the ion beam and x-rays produced by the device avoids the high costs associated with thermal cycles. With adequate, but still modest, financial resources we anticipate working prototype generators could be ready for production by 2026–2030.

In a non-expanding universe surface brightness is independent of distance or redshift, while in an expanding universe it decreases rapidly with both. Similarly, for objects of the same luminosity, the angular radius of an object in a non-expanding universe declines with redshift, while in an expanding universe this radius increases for redshifts z>1.25. The author and colleagues have previously shown that data for the surface brightness of disk galaxies are compatible with a static universe with redshift linearly proportional to distance at all z (SEU hypothesis). In this paper we examine the more conventional hypothesis that the universe is expanding, but that the actual radii of galaxies of a given luminosity increase with time (decrease with z), as others have proposed. We show that the radii data for both disk and elliptical galaxies are incompatible with any of the published size-evolution predictions based on an expanding universe. We find that all the physical mechanisms proposed for size evolution, such as galaxy mergers, lead to predictions that are in quantitative contradiction with either the radius data or other data sets, such as the observed rate of galaxy mergers. In addition, we find that when the effect of telescope resolution is taken into account, the r-z relationships for disk and elliptical galaxies are identical. Both are excellently fit by SEU predictions. An overall comparison of cosmological models requires examining all available data-sets, but for this data-set there is a clear contradiction of predictions based on an expanding universe hypothesis., 21 pages, 8 figures, published version

Lawrenceville Plasma Physics Inc. has initiated a 2-year-long experimental project to test the scientific feasibility of achieving controlled fusion using the dense plasma focus (DPF) device with hydrogen-boron (p-B11) fuel. The goals of the experiment are: first, to confirm the achievement of high ion and electron energies observed in previous experiments from 2001; second, to greatly increase the efficiency of energy transfer into the plasmoid where the fusion reactions take place; third, to achieve the high magnetic fields (>1 GG) needed for the quantum magnetic field effect, which will reduce cooling of the plasma by X-ray emission; and finally, to use p-B11 fuel to demonstrate net energy gain. The experiments are being conducted with a newly constructed dense plasma focus in Middlesex, NJ which is expected to generate peak currents in excess of 2 MA. Some preliminary results are reported.

Despite its great popularity, the Big Bang framework for cosmology faces growing contradictions with observation. The Big Bang theory requires three hypothetical entities-the inflation field, nonbaryonic (dark) matter, and the dark energy field-to overcome gross contradictions of theory and observation. Yet, no evidence has ever confirmed the existence of any of these three hypothetical entities. The predictions of the theory for the abundance of /sup 4/He, /sup 7/Li, and D are more than 7/spl sigma/ from the data for any assumed density of baryons and the probability of the theory fitting the data is less than 10/sup -14/. Observations of voids in the distribution of galaxies that are in excess of 100 Mpc in diameter, combined with observed low streaming velocities of galaxies, imply an age for these structure that is at least triple and more likely six times the hypothesized time since the Big Bang. Big Bang predictions for the anisotropy of the microwave background, which now involve seven or more free parameters, still are excluded by the data at the 2/spl sigma/ level. The observed preferred direction in the background anisotropy completely contradicts Big Bang assumptions. In contrast, the predictions of plasma cosmology have been strengthened by new observations, including evidence for the stellar origin of the light elements, the plasma origin of large-scale structures, and the origin of the cosmic microwave background in a "radio fog" of dense plasma filaments. This review of the evidence shows that the time has come, and indeed has long since come, to abandon the Big Bang as the primary model of cosmology.

To reduce impurities in the dense plasma focus FF-1 device, we used monolithic tungsten electrodes with pre-ionization. With this new set-up, we demonstrated a three-fold reduction of impurities by mass and a ten-fold reduction by ion number. FF-1 produced a 50% increase in fusion yield over our previous copper electrodes, both for a single shot and for a mean of ten consecutive shots with the same conditions. These results represent a doubling of fusion yield as compared with any other plasma focus device with the same 60 kJ energy input. In addition, FF-1 produced a new single-shot record of 240 ± 20 keV for mean ion energy, a record for any confined fusion plasma, using any device, and a 50% improvement in ten-shot mean ion energy. With a deuterium-nitrogen mix and corona-discharge pre-ionization, we were also able to reduce the standard deviation in the fusion yield to about 15%, a four-fold reduction over the copper-electrode results. We intend to further reduce impurities with new experiments using ...

A massive blackout in August 2003 forced a reexamination of the mixture of physics, engineering, economics, and politics that attempts to keep the power flowing.

Summary form only given. The scientists at Lawrenceville Plasma Physics, Inc. are investigating the Focus Fusion-1 (FF1) Dense Plasma Focus device as an alternate concept for future net energy generation. The FF1 is capable of producing copious amounts of neutrons per shot (1.4 × 1011 n/shot) from the D-D reactions. Along with neutrons, this device also produces other forms of radiation such as ion beams, electron beams, as well as hard and soft X-rays. In this presentation we will elaborate on the Scintillation-PMT detector diagnostic used for the X-ray detection, along with the sources of errors and solutions to handle such noise in the data. It was observed that the x-rays producing light in the scintillator also affect the dinodes in the PMT, which increases noise in the signal by as much as 50%. One way to fix this problem would be to keep the detector away from the line of sight of the X-rays and use optical mirrors to direct the light from the scintillator to the PMT detector.

The conventional interpretation of the cosmic background radiation (CBR) as a relic of the Big Bang assumes that the intergalactic medium is highly transparent to radio frequency radiation. Previous work (Lerner, 1990) used the well-known correlation of IR and radio luminosities of spiral galaxies to test this assumption. That analysis, using 237 Shapley-Ames galaxies showed that radio luminosity (L R ) for a given IR-luminosity, declines with distance, implying that the IGM strongly absorbs radio frequency radiation. That absorption has now been confirmed using a sample of 301 IR-bright galaxies. Using two independent methods of determining the correlation of IR and radio luminosities of spiral and interacting galaxies, the sample shows that for a givenL IR ,L R ∼D −0.32±0.04 over a range of distances from 0.7-300 Mpc. (H 0 = 75 km s−1 Mpc−1). The correlation is significant at the 8 σ or 10−14 level. Absorption by the IGM is the only reasonable explanation for this correlation. The existence of such absorption implies that neither the isotropy nor the spectrum of the CBR are primordial and that neither is evidence for a Big Bang.

Lawrenceville Plasma Physics Inc. has initiated a two-yearlong experimental project to test the scientific feasibility of Focus Fusion, controlled nuclear fusion using the dense plasma focus (DPF) device and pBll fuel. The experiment is being conducted with a newly-constructed dense plasma focus, Focus-Fusion-1, which is expected to generate peak currents in excess of 2 MA. The goals of the experiment are first, to confirm the achievement the high ion and electron energies first observed in previous experiments in 2001 at Texas AM second, to greatly increase the efficiency of energy transfer into the plasmoid where the fusion reactions take place; third, to achieve the high magnetic fields (>1 GG) needed for the quantum magnetic field effect, which will reduce cooling of the plasma by x-ray emission; and finally, to use pBll fuel to demonstrate greater fusion energy production than energy fed into the plasma (positive net energy production). Preliminary experimental results are presented.

Dense, force-free magnetic filaments generated by quasars, active galactic nuclei, and Herbig-Haro objects can remain stable in the intergalactic medium for many Gy. They will be opaque to radiation with wavelengths longer than 100-400 mu m, and essentially transparent to shorter wavelengths. They are thus capable of thermalizing and isotropizing the cosmic background radiation, and of accounting for the observed decrease of radio luminosity of galaxies within increasing distance from the Earth. >

A non-Big-Bang plasma model is used to predict the submillimeter spectrum of the cosmic background radiation (CBR). Early intermediate-mass stars heat dust which, in turn, warms electrons trapped in force-free filaments emitted by galactic nuclei. Current stars contribute further heating by the same synchrotron mechanism. The electrons emit a nonblackbody radiation which matches the observed CBR spectrum and isotropy. The model also predicts intergalactic absorption of radio radiation, as confirmed by observations of spiral galaxies, and accurately predicts the spectrum of radio-quiet sources. >

The optical properties of a number of supercompact ultraviolet luminous galaxies (UVLG), recently discovered in the local Universe matching GALEX and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data, are discussed. Detailed re-analysis of the SDSS data for these and other similar but nearer galaxies shows that their surface brightness radial profile in both R and u bands is in most cases well described by an extended disk plus a central unresolved component (possibly a bulge). Since the SDSS pipeline used a single disk component to derive the half light radius of these UVLGs their size was severely underestimated. Consequently, the average UV surface brightness is much lower that previously quoted casting doubts on the claim that UVLGs are the local analogs of high redshift Lyman break galaxies., Comment: Accepted for publication on the Astrophysical Journal, 10 pages, 5 figures

Surface brightness data can distinguish between a Friedman-Robertson-Walker expanding universe and a non-expanding universe. For surface brightness measured in AB magnitudes per angular area, all FRW models, regardless of cosmological parameters, predict that surface brightness declines with redshift as (z+1)^-3, while any non-expanding model predicts that surface brightness is constant with distance and thus with z. High-z UV surface brightness data for galaxies from the Hubble Ultra Deep Field and low-z data from GALEX are used to test the predictions of these two models up to z=6. A preliminary analysis presented here of samples observed at the same at-galaxy wavelengths in the UV shows that surface brightness is constant, mu=kz^0.026+-0.15, consistent with the non-expanding model. This relationship holds if distance is linearly proportional to z at all redshifts, but seems insensitive to the particular choice of d-z relationship. Attempts to reconcile the data with FRW predictions by assuming that high-z galaxies have intrinsically higher surface brightness than low-z galaxies appear to face insurmountable problems. The intrinsic FUV surface brightness required by the FRW models for high-z galaxies exceeds the maximum FUV surface brightness of any low-z galaxy by as much as a factor of 40. Dust absorption appears to make such extremely high intrinsic FUV surface brightness physically impossible. If confirmed by further analysis, the impossibility of such high-surface-brightness galaxies would rule out all FRW expanding universe (big bang) models., Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, to be published in the Proceedings of the First Crisis in Cosmology Conference, AIP proceedings series typos corrected

Impurities produced by the vaporization of metals in the electrodes may be a major cause of reduced fusion yields in high-current dense plasma focus devices. We propose here that a major, but hitherto-overlooked, cause of such impurities is vaporization by runaway electrons during the breakdown process at the beginning of the current pulse. This process is sufficient to account for the large amount of erosion observed in many dense plasma focus devices on the anode very near to the insulator. The erosion is expected to become worse with lower pressures, typical of machines with large electrode radii, and would explain the plateauing of fusion yield observed in such machines at higher peak currents. Such runaway electron vaporization can be eliminated by the proper choice of electrode material, by reducing electrode radii and thus increasing fill gas pressure, or by using pre-ionization to eliminate the large fields that create runaway electrons. If these steps are combined with monolithic electrodes to eliminate arcing erosion, large reductions in impurities and large increases in fusion yield may be obtained, as the I4 scaling is extended to higher currents.

The Tolman test for surface brightness dimming was originally proposed as a test for the expansion of the Universe. The test, which is independent of the details of the assumed cosmology,is based on comparisons of the surface brightness (SB) of identical objects at different cosmological distances. Claims have been made that the Tolman test provides compelling evidence against a static model for the Universe. In this paper we reconsider this subject by adopting a static Euclidean Universe with a linear Hubble relation at all z (which is not the standard Einstein- de Sitter model),resulting in a relation between flux and luminosity that is virtually indistinguishable from the one used for LCDM models. Based on the analysis of the UV surface brightness of luminous disk galaxies from HUDF and GALEX datasets, reaching from the local Universe to z ~ 5 we show that the surface brightness remains constant as expected in a SEU. A re-analysis of previously-published data used for the Tolman test at lower redshift, when treated within the same framework, confirms the results of the present analysis by extending our claim to elliptical galaxies. We conclude that available observations of galactic SB are consistent with a static Euclidean model of the Universe. We do not claim that the consistency of the adopted model with SB data is sufficient by itself to confirm what would be a radical transformation in our understanding of the cosmos. However, we believe this result is more than sufficient reason to examine further this combination of hypotheses., 27 pages, 9 figures

Using a dense plasma focus device with a 50 kJ capacitor charge, we have observed fusion reactions from deuterium ions with record energies of >150 keV, which are confined for durations of 7–30 ns in the cores of plasmoids with typical radii of 300–500 μm and densities ∼3 × 1019 cm−3. We have for the first time simultaneously imaged the plasmoid at high (30 μm) resolution and measured trapped ion energy and neutron anisotropy. The isotropy of the neutron emission as well as other observations confirms that the observed neutrons per pulse of up to 1.5 × 1011 are produced mainly by confined ions, not an unconfined beam. The conditions achieved are of interest for aneutronic fusion, such as with pB11 fuel.

Despite its widespread acceptance, the Big Bang theory is presently without any observational support. All of its quantitative predictions are contradicted by observation, and none are supported by the data. Its predictions of light element abundances are inconsistent with the latest data. It is impossible to produce a Big Bang “age of the universe” which is old enough to allow the development of the observed large scale structures, or even the evolution of the Milky Way galaxy. The theory does not predict an isotropic cosmic microwave background without several additional ad hoc assumptions which are themselves clearly contradicted by observation. By contrast, plasma cosmology theories have provided explanations of the light element abundances, the origin of large scale structure and the cosmic microwave background that accord with observation. It is time to abandon the Big Bang and seek other explanations of the Hubble relationship.

The IR-radio correlation for spiral galaxies has been used to measure the absorption of 1.49-GHz radiation by the intergalactic medium. Contrary to conventional expectation, a sample of 237 galaxies shows a strong inverse correlation of radio luminosity (at a given IR luminosity) with distance, Lr = about D exp -0.4, over a range of distances from 0.7-55 Mpc. Strong absorption by the intergalactic medium is the only reasonable explanation of this correlation, which is statistically significant at the 2 x 10 to the -12th level. 12 refs.

A cosmological model is presented that produces He, C, O, D, Li, Be, and B in their observed abundances without a Big Bang. The elements are produced during the 1.5-Gy formation period of a galaxy, with C, O, and other heavy elements produced by stars of M>12 M/sub 3/, He by stars of 6 M/sub s/ >

A model of quasars and radio galaxies and their associated jets is further elaborated here. The model, presented in Part I of this paper, is based on magnetic selfcompression as the process involved in producing extremely high energy densities. In the present paper, the results derived in Part I are used to predict radiation spectra from quasars, and to extend the model to radio galaxies. The role of magnetic self-compression of magnetic vortices in the origin of filamentary superclusters of galaxies is briefly discussed.

The design of a reliable system begins with the earliest feasibility studies and continues through final production blueprints. An initial electronic system design has only 10 to 30 percent of the reliability (mean time between failures ? MTBF) of the final product. To increase this, design engineers undertake a repetitive design cycle, modeling reliability, testing predictions in the laboratory, and isolating areas that need improvement and redesigning them. This process is called ?reliability growth? and must be carefully planned in order to achieve acceptable reliability by the time the product is ready for production.

A plasma model of the origin of the light elements and the microwave background is presented. In contrast to the conventional Big Bang hypothesis, the model assumes that helium, deuterium and the microwave background were all generated by massive stars in the early stages of galaxy formation. The microwave background is scattered and isotropized by multi-GeV electrons trapped in the jets emitted by active galactic nuclei. The model produces reasonable amounts of heavy elements, accurately predicts the gamma-ray background intensity and spectrum, and explains the statistics of quasars, compact and extended radio sources.

On most days, if you visit Harold Rosen, you will likely find him hunched over his desk, drawing circuit diagrams on his writing pad. He is probably puzzling out some new ideas he has had for a high-performance satellite antenna. If you are not in the areospace business, you may wonder what this design engineer is doing in a business suit in a commodious corner office in the headquarters of Hughes Aircraft Co.'s Space and Communications Group in El Segundo, Calif. But if you are in the business, you probably know that, far from being a bench engineer, Harold A. Rosen is the father of the Syncom satellite and vice president of engineering of the Hughes space group.

Electro '84 will combine with the IEEE Centennial anniversary and the Mini-Micro Northeast Conference for a week-long industry event in Boston in mid-May. Thc annual IEEE electronics convention and exhibition will be held May 15?17, as will the Mini-Micro show. The IEEE Centennial events will start on Sunday, May 13.

An explanation for the observed scale invariants in the universe is presented. Force-free magnetic vortex filaments are proposed to play a crucial role in the formation of superclusters, clusters, galaxies, and stars by initiating gravitational compression. The critical velocities involved in vortex formation are shown to explain the observed constant orbital velocities of clusters, galaxies, and stars. A second scale invariant nr = C where n is particle density and r is average distance between objects, is also noted here and explained by our model. The model predicts a maximum size for magnetic vortices, which is comparable to the dimensions of the observable universe and a density for such vortices which is close to that actually observed, eliminating any theoretical need for missing mass. On this basis, we present an alternative cosmology to that of the "Big Bang," one which provides a much better fit to recent observations of large-scale structure and motion. The model suggests scale invariants between microscopic and cosmological scales, leading to the derivation of a simple analytical expression for the fundamental constants G, mp/me, and e2/hc. We conclude that these expressions indicate the existence of vortex phenomena on the particle level.

The ongoing debate in the past year over the military strategy of the United States and its allies has spilled out of the military journals and onto the front pages of newspapers. The key questions of nuclear policy that have been argued for years in the classified conferences of specialists are the subject of mass demonstrations in Europe, Japan, and North America. What has brought the once-arcane discussion of nuclear planning to the attention of much of the world's population is the adoption by the current U.S. Administration of a new military strategy that calls for a vast arms buildup.

Command, control, and communications (C3) are the brains and nervous system of any modern military force. Without central coordination an army breaks down into disconnected, uncoordinated units, each fighting its own battle.

Both the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Warsaw Pact have deployed thousands of nuclear weapons in European nations for use if war breaks out. Current NATO doctrine includes the use of nuclear weapons in the early stages of such a battle if NATO appears to be losing. Would the vast quantities of electronics deployed by the United States and its allies survive on such a battlefield?

What effects might electromagnetic pulses from exploded nuclear weapos have on nuclear power plants? Might they cause serious accidents in the plants? While preliminary investigations have indicated that such accidents are not likeiy, the Nuciear Regulatory Commission studying the matter to help the U.S. government decide whether new safety requirements are needed at the plants.

It is reported that the Israeli minister of defense was able to watch the most recent battle in Lebanon unfurl on his own television monitor (see Aviation Week & Space Technology, June 5, 1982, p. 16). He attributed his country's success against air attack to its military communications system. This case is testimony to the need felt by both major powers and smaller nations like Israel for increasingly sophisticated command, control, and communications (C3) systems used to command complex weaponry, from smart missiles to laser-guided artillery [see p. 96].