Book Review:; An Introduction to Stellarators

Abstract

SIAM Review, Volume 68, Issue 1, Page 213-214, February 2026.
Stellarators are devices used in plasma physics to confine very hot plasmas (i.e., ionized gases) with magnetic fields to sustain nuclear fusion reactions. Fusion is the Sun’s energy source, and the achievement of sustained fusion on Earth has been studied for several decades as a promising source of clean and safe energy. Unlike tokamaks, which use a combination of simple magnetic fields and plasma current to cage the plasma, stellarators rely solely on external magnetic fields. This has potential advantages for sustained fusion energy production, but requires the design of complicated magnetic fields and expensive-to-build, complex electromagnetic coils.