I.A. The Basic Concept

A new concept for inertialelectrostatic spherical collid ing beam fusion Polywell is based on the use of magnetohydrodynamically stable quasispherical poly hedral magnetic fields to contain energetic electrons that are injected to form a negative potential well that is capable of ion confinement. A simple phenomenological model for this system shows that: 1. It is grossly stable against internal and global per turbations by virtue of the eects of both the exter nal magnetic fields typically 1 to 5 kG and the large central azimuthally isotropic power flow due to con servation of transverse momentum in the recirculat ing ion flow. 2. Electron current recirculation ratios must be of the order of 105 for net fusion power operation, which is found to be possible within limits set by energy exchange selfcollisions. 3. Losses due to bremsstrahlung and synchrotron ra diation can be kept small relative to fusion power generation, and ion energy Maxwellianization by twobody collisional upscattering can be kept to acceptable levels by operation at suciently large well depth. 4. System gains of 10 to 100 seem possible from sev eral fusion fuels. 5. No zeroorder impediments have yet been found to this highly speculative concept; feasibility must be determined by study of more complex and detailed phenomena