Effect of giant charge-transfer resonance $\sigma_{CT}\sim {10}^{9}$ barn on operation of magnetic fusion reactor below ``critical energy.''

Charge transfer (CT) reactivity was assumed to be negligible compared to ionization (IO) before Belfast measurements$^{1-3}$ revealed the opposite: CT predominance over IO, $\sigma_{CT}\approx {10}^{9}\mathrm{b,}\sigma _{CT} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {\sigma_{CT} \sigma_{IO}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} \sigma_{IO}\approx U\approx 100$, below critical `atomic unit of velocity', $v_{o}=2.2\times {10}^{8}{cms}^{-1}$, which is orbital velocity of e in H atom. Near v$_{o}$, $U=1$, i.e. $\sigma_{CT}\sim \sigma_{IO}$. Critical ion energy is $T_{0}\left( \mathrm{lab} \right)=k\, 25\, M\, \left[ \mathrm{KeV} \right]=200\, \mathrm{KeV\, for}\, [ERR:md:MbegChr=0x2329,MendChr=0x232A,nParams=1] =\mathrm{ion\, mass\, }\left[ \mathrm{amu} \right]=4\, \mathrm{for\, DT\, mix};k=2$. ``Burnout'' pumping that requires $U\ll 1$ is inoperable in the $U\gg 1$ regime whereas CT continually acts like compressor increasing operating vacuum pressure during neutral beam discharge to 10$^{-3}$ Torr/0.3 s; this, in turn, sets upper limits to ion life-time against neutralization to $\bar{\tau }={10}^{-6}$ s. $\bar{\tau }$ is ${10}^{5}$ times shorter than thermalization time constant; hence plasma cannot be created. Lawson$^{4}$ was unaware of CT resonance; his ``critical temperature'' (30 KeV for DT) should be replaced with $T_{0}$. 1. Gilbody, Physica Scripta 23, 143 (1981); 2. Gilbody, AIP 360.19 (1996); 3. Post, Pyle, Atomic Molec. Phys. Contr. Fusion p. 477, Jochain (Ed.) Plenum Press(1983); 4. Lawson, Proc. Phys. Soc. B70, 6 (1957).