Reply to "Comments to Marvel Fusions Mixed Fuels Reactor Concept"

Abstract

In "arXiv:2312.13429" Lackner et al. use standard methods to decide if it is possible to ignite mixed fuels. They correctly identify that the increased radiation losses make ignition significantly more challenging than for pure DT fuels, since this leads to higher ignition temperatures. Further, they conclude that at those temperatures the reduced electronic $α$-stopping makes ignition impossible. We show that this conclusion is not correct. The model used for $α$-stopping by Lackner et al. is only approximately correct for low temperatures and hydrogen isotopes. By extending the $α$-stopping model to include ionic $α$-stopping we show in \cite{ruhlkornarXiv5} that the contribution of ionic $α$-particle stopping cannot be neglected. The ionic $α$-stopping together with the neutron stopping, which is also neglected by Lackner et al., lead to elevated ion temperatures implying $kT_i > kT_e$. Those three effects combined lead us to the conclusion, that ignition of mixed fuels is indeed possible with far reaching implications, contrary to the analysis by Lackner.