National Science Foundation Workshop on “Mathematical Modeling and Control of Plasmas in Magnetic Fusion” Conferences, Workshops, and Special Meetings in the Mathematical Sciences

Location and Date:

The meeting will take place at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, General Atomics, San Diego, California USA

May 11–12, 2006

The objective of this workshop is to initiate a dialogue between tokamak fusion physicists and
engineers, and specialists in mathematical control theory, with the intended outcome of
starting collaborative efforts to solve, during the next 5 to 10 years, some of the many
mathematical modeling and control problems that will arise in the planned International
Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The ITER tokamak, an international $5 billion
project that includes the European Union, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of
Korea, the Russian Federation, Japan, India and the United States, will confine a mixture of
ionized isotopes of hydrogen, also known as plasma, at a temperature of around 100 million
degrees centigrade, fusing the isotopes of hydrogen into helium and thereby producing
energy. There is consensus in the fusion community that active control will be one of the key
enabling technologies. Control researchers will receive a good general overview of the major
objectives of fusion research and obtain a basic understanding of the many control problems
that must be solved to achieve those objectives. Fusion scientists will obtain an improved
understanding of available control technologies and expertise, with some feeling for how
applicable these techniques are to their own control problems. Both communities will learn
what is needed to initiate a collaborative activity. The workshop will consist of two days of
presentations and discussion. Day 1 will provide an overview of tokamak fusion and the
associated control problems. Day 2 will provide a selected cross-section of state-of the art
control methods, which may be beneficial in fusion control problems. A tour of the DIII-D
tokamak and fusion facility will be provided to enhance the learning experience for control
researchers

Organizing Committee:

Program Committee:
Dr. Eugenio Schuster, Lehigh University
Dr. Michael Walker, General Atomics
Dr. Miroslav Krstic, University of California San Diego

NSF Program Manager:
Dr. Mary Ann Horn, Division of Mathematical Sciences, NSF

Logistics
A grant from NSF (Award No. DMS-0532636) will be used to provide travel support for
invited speakers who require financial assistance. Other attendees may apply for funds
remaining after reimbursement of speakers. Priority will be given to graduate students.

Web-Page and Contact Information
http://www.lehigh.edu/~eus204/workshop/fcw.html
Dr. Eugenio Schuster (schusterlehigh.edu)