Spark

All the personnel of Huorong Project were in place, and Chen Nian immediately started communicating with them.

In fact, the goal of the first stage is very simple, that is to summarize all the cutting-edge directions related to plasma control, and cooperate with Chen Nian to carry out initial information absorption and learning.

This process will not be short, according to Chen Nian's estimation, it will take at least two months.

After completing this step, Chen Nian can analyze the metal hydrogen superconducting coil, thereby further starting the so-called technology transfer.

This is more like a step-by-step fixed step. Although there are many difficulties, the benefits are stable.

Therefore, Chen Nian is not under too much pressure. Even after the Huorong Project is launched, he can still allocate a considerable part of his energy to continue to prepare for matters related to lasers, aerospace, and aerial platforms.

However, everything was as usual in Huaxia, but in the Lawrence Livermore laboratory in California, Henning had already fallen into a deep anxiety and irritability.

Just now, another ignition experiment of NIF failed. After analysis, the main reason is still the synchronization problem of 192 secondary light sources.

No matter how many times they tried, they couldn't guarantee that all the lasers would hit the target at the same time, which led to different pressures at each position of the target capsule, and a significant drop in the center pressure.

On the other hand, the asymmetry of the pressure also leads to the inhomogeneous mixing of hydrogen isotopes and the decrease of the temperature of the pellet particles.

With the superposition of two major loopholes, the theoretically achievable fusion process becomes an unattainable luxury.

——

What's more, this is only a problem encountered by Henning, that is, a laser aspect problem.

On the target capsule, the project team’s technology also failed to meet the required level. Excessive laser light was scattered from the target capsule, resulting in a large amount of energy loss. The actual laser energy reaching the target capsule was even less than one-tenth of the initial energy. one.

What can be done?

The optimization space for the design of the target capsule is very small. To solve this problem, either increase the laser power or continue to increase the number of lasers.

But even so, even if fusion is finally completed, there is no possibility of achieving a net gain in energy.

That is to say, all efforts are just for a goal of looking beautiful, but in fact it has no meaning.

Thinking of this, Henning let out a long sigh.

He looked at the colleagues and students who were still busy around him, and his thoughts gradually drifted away.

He has been working in this laboratory for more than 20 years, at the beginning, the so-called national ignition device did not exist at all.

That was just a seemingly unrealistic idea put forward by his predecessor, nuclear weapon designer Gilder.

This idea has been discussed for many years, and it was not until 1996 that construction officially started, and the budget for the first phase of construction was as high as 1.1 billion US dollars.

At that time, this was an unimaginable astronomical figure.

Everyone is full of expectations for this project, and even thinks that it may become the key to truly open the door to unlimited energy.

But in fact?

From the very beginning of construction, the project did not go smoothly at all.

The project was delayed many times due to engineering technical problems alone, and by 2002, the project budget had reached a staggering $2.8 billion.

The money did not splash a little water - even, NIF's first target shooting experiment was just completed in June last year.

And from June last year to the present, this laboratory has swallowed more than 800 million US dollars in construction costs and 450 million US dollars in experimental funds, but the results in exchange.

Unsatisfactory?

Wrong, there is no result at all.

Henning sometimes even feels that what he is building is just a big toy.

Congress is a cat keen on chasing lasers, and he is a bad boy, holding a laser pointer and constantly teasing the cat's emotions, making it addicted to chasing illusory hopes

This is exhausting.

Henning sat down on the chair and looked up at the ceiling.

He has never told others about his pressure, especially in front of his opponents, and he must always maintain that confident, arrogant, defiant, and deterrent posture.

He had to make them think that the progress of NIF was going well, and there was no problem with the theoretical verification, so that they might wake up from bed one day and see the news of successful ignition released by NIF.

Only in this way can NIF maintain its oppressive power over other countries and other projects, and Congress can invest more funds to maintain the cluster of flames that are about to dissipate.

Henning frowned tightly, and after a long time of trance, he finally sat up.

The assistant on the side quickly handed him the coffee he had prepared earlier, and then said:

The results of the three temperature calculations came out. It is still far from our goal.

The problem is still the same. The synchronization performance of the laser generator is too poor to play its due role at all.

I think that's the first thing we have to do.

We had to upgrade the lasers, as well as replace the control system and design a smarter program.

Blind experiments are really meaningless. Instead of consuming a lot of money, we might as well save resources and invest in solving real problems.

Hearing what the assistant said, Henning nodded slowly.

He knows better than anyone that the laser must be upgraded, but the problem is that on this path, he encounters far greater difficulties than others imagined.

This is not a problem that can be solved by investing resources. In fact, what he needs more is technical assistance.

But in this country, who can provide him with assistance?

He himself is already at the pinnacle of this field.

After thinking for a long time, Henning asked:

How much time do we have?

.less than 18 months.

Congress has decided to increase the requirements for the NIF program because of the progress of the tokamak device.

If the first real 'effective' ignition cannot be completed within 18 months, the project will be closed by the end of 2012, and all relevant personnel will be dismissed and transferred to other projects.

Eighteen months? Why?

Henning asked in bewilderment.

He knows that this project is in a precarious situation, but is 18 months too short for a project of this size?

At least give them more time to research and trial and error, right?

In this little time, I am afraid that even the most basic and complete experimental process cannot be completed.

Hearing his question, the assistant sighed, and then replied:

According to the information we have, Huaxia's EAST project may complete the preliminary construction within 18 months and output the first batch of results.

In other words, our schedule is forced to match theirs.

Are you kidding me!?

Henning immediately interrupted the assistant, and then said firmly:

This project is just getting started, and the infrastructure alone will take a lot of time.

We all know that their equipment this time is not based on the original HT-7, but is completely rebuilt from the beginning to the end.

In this case, how could they do it so fast?

Let's not talk about output results, even theoretical preparations are almost impossible!

But this is the structure after aggregating and analyzing information from multiple sources.

The assistant's tone was flat. He spread his hands and said to Henning:

In fact, they don't need to actually do all the construction work on the project, but just the part that everyone cares about the most.

Normal temperature superconducting coils based on metal hydrogen materials - the theoretical support required for this step is extremely complicated. If they can solve it within 18 months, it means that they have ruled out the biggest one on the practical path of nuclear fusion. difficulty.

This thing, it can even be said that since the birth of nuclear physics, no one has ever done it.

They will gain unparalleled first-mover advantages, including but not limited to economics, international prestige, and technology itself.

So, we have to make a countermeasure—and the core of the countermeasure is NIF.

That's why we're under so much pressure, because we're desperate

No, I disagree with that.

Henning shook his head seriously and said:

“Congress is terrified—yes, their breakthroughs in applied technology, especially in the military industry, over the past few years have been astonishing, even frightening.”

However, that doesn't change the fact that their basic science is weak.

Congress has overlooked a very important point, that is, China's technological prosperity is built on castles in the air that lack theoretical support.

F-22? Aircraft carrier? 096 submarine?

I want to ask, among all these things, is there any technology that we can't understand?

They just rearranged and combined existing technologies, and with some luck, they just got the desired result.

Such development is absolutely unsustainable—even metal hydrogen is nothing more than a simple and crude achievement under the support of existing theories.

Huaxia is still the same Huaxia. They are as impatient and flamboyant as ever. It's just a little achievement, and they show off like hens.

Trust me, their lead is temporary

After saying these words, even the assistant felt persuaded.

Yes, this is also the reason why many people disagree with the China's leading theory.

The technological achievements they created are too practical, as if they piled up all the resources and squeezed out the limits of existing theories.

But nuclear fusion is different --- although the most basic principles are clear, the theoretical research involved in the practice process is enormous.

Even just a plasma control has spawned countless unprecedented theoretical achievements.

Under such circumstances, can Huaxia really be as comfortable as before?

The answer doesn't seem so certain.

So, he couldn't help but sighed.

While that appears to be the case, there is no denying that we do face pressure from Congress.

We can't go to Congress and say that they can't meet the plan on time, so our plan should be delayed?

Such a reason is simply not acceptable

All in all, there's no way our stress will be relieved - that's the unchangeable situation.

No, we can change.

Henning's eyes were a little bright, and he suddenly thought of a possibility:

What if we can lock each other's progress in theoretical science development in a certain key field?

It doesn't need to be too complicated, just limit the opponent's research progress in the direction of plasma control.

But the question is how to do it?

They have their own experimental site and a group of trustworthy researchers, even if they want to destroy it through espionage, they will have no way to start.

Is it possible that, like the novel released in 2006, some kind of proton will come out to destroy their plasma experiment?

That was a little too sci-fi too.

The assistant on the side looked at him who was lost in thought, and couldn't help asking:

So how to change?

We can try to lock down their research in the field of plasma control.

Henning answered quickly.

His brain is still running fast, using the special thinking unique to theoretical researchers to deduce the feasibility of all strategies.

In order to achieve one's own goal, there are actually two paths.

One is to let the opponent lose the conditions for exploration, that is, take away the pickaxe they used to open the way.

The other is to let the other party lose the direction of exploration and waste resources in the wrong direction.

Compared with the former, the latter is obviously more maneuverable.

Moreover, it also has stronger concealment, it is not easy to expose flaws, and it is not easy to get corrections.

Perhaps it is a good starting point to start with people.

If a self-consistent theory can be designed and promoted to the world, it may be able to have an impact on their resource investment.

Such things have happened too many times in history, including the Baltimore incident, the Timothy rat incident, the 118 element incident, etc., which have caused scientific research resources to be enriched in the wrong direction to a certain extent, and have also led to serious academic problems. Crisis of Confidence.

Otherwise, start from this aspect?

An excited look appeared on Henning's face, and he thought more and more deeply.

No, that's not enough.

Theoretical deception must be matched with observable experimental data, or in other words, they must be able to see and verify the truth of the theory with their own eyes.

Only then will everything make sense.

I need a team -- no, not me, we need a team.

A team? What kind of team?

A team that gathers the best plasma physicists in the world, knows cutting-edge theories well, and can produce research results with enough influence without any effort.

Henning explained his thoughts to the assistant, who kept asking questions, and as the communication deepened, the two people in this office gradually reached an agreement.

Yes, this is indeed a way.

In the case where frontal confrontation cannot take effect, perhaps returning to the original is the best offensive method for one's own side.

Although it does seem a bit dirty to let these future explorers of mankind do such a thing.

But, who cares?