Lawson criterion

[ law-suhn krahy-teer-ee-uhn ]

noun

, Physics.

1. (in a hypothetical nuclear fusion reactor) the requirement that in order for the energy produced by fusion to exceed the energy expended in causing the fusion, the product of the density of the fuel and the time during which it is confined at that density the Lawson product must be greater than a certain number that depends on the kind of fuel used.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Lawson criterion¹

Named after John David Lawson (1923–2008), English physicist, who formulated it in 1957