Constructing the space of quasisymmetric stellarators

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simplified, topological framework for understanding the space of quasisymmetric stellarators near their magnetic axis, aiding the design of magnetic confinement configurations for fusion reactors.

Contribution

It provides a new, simplified topological model of quasisymmetric stellarators near their magnetic axis, unifying existing designs and enabling the exploration of new configurations.

Findings

Captures existing stellarator designs within the new framework

Provides a basis for discovering new stellarator configurations

Offers insights into the topological structure of stellarator space

Abstract

A simplified view of the space of optimised stellarators has the potential to guide and aid the design efforts of magnetic confinement configurations suitable for future fusion reactors. We present one such view for the class of quasisymmetric stellarators based on their approximate description near their centre (magnetic axis). The result is a space that captures existing designs and presents new ones, providing a common framework to study them. Such a simplified construction offers a basic topological approach, guided by certain theoretical and physical choices, which this paper presents in detail.