Fusion propulsion with a sheared helical flow stabilized z-pinch

A shear flow stabilized z-pinch has in the past been proposed as a propulsion device for space travel. In high density plasmas non-neutronic fusion chain reactions are possible, which are ideally suited for propulsion. In z-pinches, high densities are only possible if the magnetically confined plasma can be stabilized, but it has been shown that sheared helical flow has a stabilizing effect on z-pinch instabilities. A novel mechanism for producing sheared helical flow was first proposed in 1999. Here we present flow profiles that can provide the shear and also prevent the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability from growing at the plasma/ambient medium boundary.