Tokamaks - Third Edition

Jul 30, 2026

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Tokamaks - Third Edition by John Wesson, with contributions from multiple physicists, presents an introductory and advanced account of tokamak devices in thermonuclear fusion research. The preface traces progress from early low-temperature, short-confinement regimes to large tokamaks reaching high temperatures and longer confinement, motivating reactor design challenges. The third edition updates the subject toward experimental reactor preparation, incorporating advances in plasma theory, internal transport barriers, tearing modes, and turbulence simulation insights, while serving as an equations and data handbook.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages755

Reading Time31 h 43 min

AccessFree to download

Preface

Authorship

Acknowledgements

Tokamaks THIRD EDITION JOHN WESSON with contributions from D.J.CAMPBELL J.W.CONNORR.D.GILL J.HUGILL C.N.LASHMORE-DAVIES G.M.McCRACKEN H.R.WILSONand A.E.COSTLEY R.J.HASTIEA.HERRMANN B.LLOYDG.F.MATTHEWS J.J.O'ROURKE D.F.STARTB.J.D.TUBBNG D.J.WARD CLARENDON PRESS-OXFORD 2004 OXFORD VNrYE85ITr PB85 Great Clarendon Street.Oxford OX26DF Oxford Unrversity Press is a department of the University of OxfordIt furthers the University's objective of excellence in research,scholarship.and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Bangkok Buenos Aires Cape Town ChennaiDaresSalaam Delhi Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kolkata Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourmne Mexico City MumbaiNairobi SioPaulo Shanghai Taipei Tokyo TorontoOxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford Universiry Pressin the UK and in certain othe countries Publisbed in the United Statesby Oxford University Press Ine.,New York ◎John Wesson,1987,1997,2004 The moral rights of the author have been assertedDatabase right Oxford University Press(maker) First edition 1987 Secondedition 1997 Third edition 2004 All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in aretrieval system,or transmitted,in any form or by any means,without the pror permission in writing of Oxford University Press,or as expressly permitted by law,or under terms agreed with the appropriatereprographics rights organization.Enguiries concerning reproductionoutside the scope of the ahove should be sent to the Rights Department,Oxford University Press,at the address above You must not circolate this book in any other binding or coverand you must impose this same condition on'any acquirer A catalogue record for this tile is available from the British Library Librry of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data(Data available)ISBN 0198509227 10987654321 Typeset by Newgen Imaging Systems(P)Ltd,Chennai,IndiaPrinted in Great Britainon acid-free paper byTheBath Press,Avon Preface When I worked on toroidal devices in the early days of fusion research the plasmatemperatures achieved were around 10eV and the confinement times were perhaps 100microseconds.In the next thirty years there was steady progress and at the publication ofthe first edition of this book in 1987 the temperatures in large tokamaks were several keVand a confinement time of one second had been reached. By then the tokamak had become the predominant device in the attempt to achieve auseful power source from thermonuclearfusion.The accompanying increase in researchactivity and general interest in tokamaks led to the need for an introductory account of thesubject and it was the aim of the first edition to provide such an introduction. In the subsequent decade up to publication of the second edition the subject was trans-formed again.There were now areas where the experimental behaviour could be understoodin terms of accepted theory,which was encouraging.There had also been substantialresearch on large tokamaks leading to the long awaited achievement of significant amountsof fusion power.Inevitably this brought us face to face with the problems involved in design-ing and building a tokamak reactor.The aim of the second edition was to describe theseadvances,and it is perhaps a measure of the developments in the subject that the secondedition was twice the size of the first.When the time came for a reprint the opportunitywas taken of bringing the book up to date in this third edition.In the intervening period theemphasis has been on preparing the ground for an experimental reactor but there have alsobeen significant advances in our understanding of the plasma behaviour,for example,thewider experience of internal transport barriers,the appreciation of the role of tearing modesdriven by neoclassical effects,and insights from turbulence simulations. Despite the increasing complexity of the subject it is hoped that the book will still proveuseful to those enteri

FAQs

What progress in tokamak research does the preface describe from the early fusion era to the 1987 first edition?

It describes a shift from plasma temperatures around 10 eV with ~100 microseconds confinement to several keV temperatures and about one second confinement in large tokamaks by 1987.

What was the purpose of the first and second editions according to the preface?

The first edition aimed to provide an introductory account of tokamaks as they became predominant for useful power generation. The second edition focused on design and reactor-relevant problems enabled by improved understanding and significant fusion power achievements.

What new emphases are added in the third edition?

The third edition emphasizes preparation for an experimental reactor and includes advances in plasma behavior such as internal transport barriers, insights into tearing modes driven by neoclassical effects, and results from turbulence simulations.

Jul 30, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia