burning nuclear plasma
English edit
Etymology edit
burning + nuclear plasma From being self-sufficient in the production of the amount of heat necessary to continue the nuclear processes, hence "burning" (where in a chemical fire, the reaction processes produces enough heat to continue reacting in the heat portion of the fire triangle); and being a plasma (a highly ionized gas) where nuclear processes occur.
Noun edit
burning nuclear plasma (plural burning nuclear plasmas)
- (nuclear physics) A plasma undergoing nuclear fusion where the amount of fusion reactions is sufficient to produce enough energy to maintain the temperature of the plasma at a level necessary for further fusion processes.