to facilitate scientific discovery in fusion research through the application of advanced computer science techniques.
Fusion is potentially an inexhaustible energy source whose exploitation requires basic understanding of high-temperature plasmas. The development of a science-based predictive capability for fusion-relevant plasmas is a challenge central to fusion energy science, in which numerical modeling has played a vital role for more than four decades.
The program in Theory and Simulation of Fusion Plasmas at General Atomics supports the DOE's goals of advancing fundamental understanding of plasmas, resolving outstanding scientific issues and establishing reduced-cost paths to more attractive fusion energy systems, and advancing understanding and innovation in high-performance plasmas including burning plasmas.
The program in advanced computer science techniques supports the same goal through the application of a wide variety of technologies including Grid Computing, Parallel Computing, Advanced Collaborative Environments, Large-Scale Data Management, Scientific Visualization, and Tiled Display Walls.
Announcements
Theory Group Program Report for Grant Year 2005-2007
A closed form for the velocity difference between impurity ions and the main ions in neoclassical theory has been obtained in terms of the pressure and temperature differences. This difference has important diagnostic implications since typically the impurity velocities are measured and the main ion rotation inferred from this. Although the individual velocities cannot be analytically evaluated to the required order in inverse aspect ratio, the difference in a two ion species plasma can be calculated using an approach similar to the one used for bootstrap current. The formula has also been simplified to the case of trace impurity ions, which then is applicable to any number of trace impurities. The resulting difference between two different trace impurity ions in an otherwise pure plasma can be checked against experiments.
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