Recent Developments in Stellarator Physics

Experimental and theoretical work on the stellarator concept has established its position as the best alternate concept for fusion power. Its plasma properties are comparable to, or better than, those obtained in comparable tokamak devices. Confinement and transport should be adequate for reactor operation, with high-β operation possible. Although the coil configurations in present experiments are complicated, stellarator reactors could be simpler than tokamaks. The possibilities of steady-state operation, little recirculating power, good start-up and control properties, no disruptions, modular construction, and a built-in divertor make it an obvious direction for tokamak evolution as well as a viable alternate concept in its own right.