Lonigro and her colleagues came to this realization by experimenting with a mathematical technique called “spline representation,” which they used to improve the computer code that generates designs for magnetic coils. This led to the design of magnets with straighter sections but still a strong and accurate enough magnetic field to confine the plasma. As a demonstration, the scientists designed straighter and simpler new magnets for an experimental stellarator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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