Date of initial appointment:

January 1988

Education

B.E. Electrical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, 1953
M.S. Physics, Vanderbilt University, 1955
Ph.D. Theoretical Physics, University of Wisconsin, 1957

Major Awards

National Academy of Sciences,
Berkeley Citation

Field of specialization and areas of interest:

Plasma physics, confinement and stability of plasmas for thermonuclear fusion, fusion reactor design

Teaching and Research

Professor Fowler specializes in plasma physics and magnetic fusion energy. His current research interest is theoretical aspects of the spehromak compact toroid plasma confinement configuration that is being studied experimentally at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. On-going projects include the development of computler models of heat transport and gun injection in spheromaks.

Theoretical Aspects of Spheromaks

The spheromak is a very compact magnetic configuration to confine hot plasmas in a fusion reactor, but one at very early stages of development. Recent theoretical work suggests that energy confinement in spheromaks is far better than previously believed. Experiments on the SSPX spheromak at Livermore are addressing this and other questions about spheromaks. Recent studies indicate that the “nuclear island” cost for a spheromak fusion reactor would be much less than that for the tokamak concept that is the mainline research effort today.

Selected Recent Publications:

T. K. Fowler, The Fusion Quest, John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1997

T. K. Fowler, D. D. Hua, E. B. Hooper, R. W. Moir and L. D. Pearlstein, “Pulsed Spheromak Fusion Reactors,” 13 Part C, 83 (1999).

T. K. Fowler and D. D. Hua, “Prospects for Spheromak Fusion Reactors,” Journal of Fusion Energy 14, 181 (1995).

U. Shumlak, T. K. Fowler and E. C. Morse, “Rotational Effects on the m = 1 magnetohydrodynamic instability in spheromaks,” Physics of Plasmas 1, 643 (1994).

E. Teller, A. J. Glass, T. K. Fowler, A. Hasegawa and J. F. Santarius, "Space Propulsion by Fusion in a Magnetic Dipole", Fusion Technology 22:82, 1992.

Recent consulting, industrial employment or other non-university activity

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - Fusion

Archimedes Technology Group

Member, National Academy of Sciences

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