toroidal confinement

Toroidal confinement is a method used in nuclear fusion research to contain plasma, which is a superheated gas of charged particles. The most common device employing this concept is the tokamak, which uses a combination of magnetic fields to hold the plasma within a doughnut-shaped chamber.

These magnetic fields have two crucial components: a toroidal field running the long way around the torus and a poloidal field running the short way. Together, these helical magnetic field lines prevent the plasma from drifting to the chamber walls and maintain a stable equilibrium. Without both components, the plasma would either escape or become unstable. The goal is to achieve conditions where fusion reactions can occur, releasing significant amounts of energy.