Fusion research started over half a century ago. Although the task remains unfinished, the end of the road could be in sight if society makes the right decisions. Nuclear Fusion: Half a Century of Magnetic Confinement Fusion Research is a careful, scholarly account of the course of fusion energy research over the past fifty years. The authors outline the different paths followed by fusion research from initial ignorance to present understanding. They explore why a particular scheme would not work and why it was more profitable to concentrate on the mainstream tokamak development. The book features descriptive sections, in-depth explanations of certain physical and technical issues, scientific terms, and an extensive glossary that explains relevant abbreviations and acronyms.

This book contains the papers presented at the Course on "Tokamak Startup - Problems and Scenarios Related to the Transient Phases of a Thermonuclear Fusion Reactor" which was held in Erice, July 14-20, 1985. The fact that the critical startup and transient phases of a tokamak reactor are now the specific subject of a comprehensive international gathering of fusion specialists seems indicative of the substantial pro gress made in recent years towards attaining controlled ignition of a nuclear fusion fuel, i.e. towards demonstrating the scientific feasibili ty of controlled thermonuclear fusion. In fact, the steady-state burning phase has attracted so far most of the attention of fusion physicists and engineers, as it is conceptually more rewarding, and theoretically easier to handle. However, as for many large engineering systems, - nuclear fis- ... ':1' " . 10 ' ... Entrance to San Rocco's lecturing hall v sion power plants, or aerospace crafts, for example - the major issues of design and operation lie often in the startup, shutdown and power tran sieQt phases, rather than at the full load, or at cruising regimes. In ehoosing the contributions to this 7th Course of Prof. B.