Possibility of demonstrating a self-sustained fusion reaction in an ambipolar trap

A brief description is given of an axisymmetric mirror trap to demonstrate ignition of a D-T plasma confined by ambipolar barriers. Key problems for t his demonstration are ion pumping and suppression of instabilities in the t hermal barriers. It is suggested that the fusion-fuel ions can be pumped aw ay from the thermal barriers by exciting trapped-ion bounce oscillations at parametric resonances. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7850 (99)00512-1].