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Jess Eskew

@thatplasmagirl

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⚛️ fusion energy
🔭 @georgiatech physics alum
☀️ @auburnu physics phd candidate

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Last week I got to run an experiment on DIII-D with the aim to learn more about the interplay between energetic electrons and magnetic islands in fusion plasmas.

DIII-D is the largest operating tokamak researching fusion energy in the US. During an experiment, a series of plasma “shots” is done, each lasting up to ~7 seconds. In between shots, real time data analysis is conducted to inform on if anything needs to be changed/tweaked. This could be something like changing plasma current or density target values or a different type of coil perturbation. Time is limited, so you have to think fast!

While DIII-D is just a fusion energy research device and not an actual reactor, these types of experiments are what informs future reactors of the needed plasma and machine conditions to ensure safe, reliable power.

It can be hard! Something may work one day but not the next, but that is what makes studying fusion so interesting to me. Even if your experiment doesn’t run perfectly, there is still PLENTY of data you can extract and so much to learn.

#fusion #nuclear #physics #engineer #stem by @thatplasmagirl

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4 months ago

I LOVE FUSION and DIII-D even if the tokamak breaks before our experiment🥲🫶 by @thatplasmagirl

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3 years ago

GW150914...in LIGO fashion I am posting this after the fact, but wow...This is what got me into Physics!!! “Black Holes and Time Warps,” Kip Thorne’s book I wrote a hs paper on in August 2015...The next month LIGO DETECTED GRAVITATIONAL WAVES FOR THE FIRST TIME. Then this happened.... taken in Georgia Tech by @thatplasmagirl

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6 years ago

sounds a little insane but here’s the math:

a deuterium-tritium fusion reaction releases 17.6 MeV per reaction, giving it an enormous energy density. this is equivalent to 3.38 x 10^14 J per kg of D-T fuel.

over a lifespan of ~80 years, a person uses on average 880,000 kWh of electricity or 3.17 × 10^12 J.

given a ~40% efficiency of thermal to electric conversion, this ultimately comes out to 23 g of D-T fuel needed!

deuterium can be extracted from seawater and tritium can be bred from lithium. the amount of fuel you need can be extracted from a bathtub of seawater and two of ur laptop’s lithium batteries!

designs for breeding tritium are currently underway. commercial prototypes for fusion plants are being built right now! fusion is coming sooner than you think :)

#fusion #engineer #physics #stem #nuclear by @thatplasmagirl

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6 hours ago

ahhhhhh I seriously can’t believe my phd is coming to an end 😅🫠🥴😵‍💫 I feel like there’s still so much to do, but alas we must prevail. It has for sure been HARD recently but I really do love getting to research plasma physics and fusion!!!! makes it all worth it

also lol side note about something i’ve learned from safety watch - diii-d is extremely safe! workplace hazards are real but there are precautions put in place that ensure the safety of everyone involved :)

#physics #engineer #phd #stem #dayinthelife by @thatplasmagirl

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3 days ago

who cares about fossil fuels like coal when fusion energy can offer 4 MILLION times the amount of power from the same amount of fuel.

as i’m nearing the end of my phd in plasma physics I just can’t help but get excited for my future career working in fusion. there is much still needed to do to get fusion on the grid but I do love a good challenge !!

#engineer #physics #fusion #energy #stem by @thatplasmagirl

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5 days ago

mandatory outside time in yosemite. it’s making my thesis better I stg!!! by @thatplasmagirl

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a month ago

just a few of my favorites! these textbooks have been so helpful for me during my phd courses and research. 📚

#physics #engineer #fusion #stem #science by @thatplasmagirl

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a month ago

Getting your phd in physics or engineering is no easy feat. It’s hard work and dedication, with many MANY years of learning and research required. But the growing energy demands and instability of the earth’s climate make it all worth it.

Every year the world consumes more and more energy. (check out the @iaeaorg for exacts). AI and data centers are adding even more to this number.

Fusion energy is the solution to our problem. A tiny amount of fusion fuel can produce about 4 million times more energy per kilogram than burning coal. AND it has zero emissions.

Achieving fusion on the grid is a hard task, but with more funding and people working on the problem it is 100% doable.

#physics #engineer #stem #science #energy by @thatplasmagirl

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2 months ago

listen I loved astrophysics and quantum, but when I found out about fusion energy and plasma physics everything changed.

fusion needs more people! there are so many different jobs one can have in fusion- we need physicists, engineers, technicians, communicators, coders, and so much more. obtaining a reliable, clean, and sustainable energy source is the largest task humankind faces. fusion energy is the solution, and it needs all the help it can get!
plus it’s a pretty fun field to be in :)

#physics #engineer #science #fusion #womeninstem by @thatplasmagirl

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2 months ago

baby waves, fireworks, and family in nsb by @thatplasmagirl

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3 months ago

every time I surf my mind goes right to landau damping! this is a very simplified explanation of the similarities between landau damping and surfing.

landau damping is pretty cool. It limits the growth of instabilities and waves in fusion, and is how energy is dissipated in the universe even though there are no collisions!

videos of surfing at the wedge were taken by the lovely @korin.griffin

image of fusion plasma in tcv (credit: CURDIN WÜTHRICH, SPC/EPFL)

graphs for landau damping from wikipedia and richard fitzpatrick’s online plasma lectures
#physics #surfing #engineer #learn #stem by @thatplasmagirl

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3 months ago