Conveners - John Wesley (wesleyfusion.gat.com) (GA) Dave Humphreys (humphreysfusion.gat.com) (GA)

Draft report, 9 July 2002 (Microsoft Word format)

The charter of the Physics Operations Subgroup is to examine BPSX matters that apply to the hourly, daily and annual and lifetime operation of the experiment to conduct plasma science studies and experimentation in the "burning plasma regime", which is defined to be the regime where Q = P_fusion/P_aux is nominally >= 10, i.e., where P_alpha is nominally greater than 2P_aux. Q = 10 is taken to be nominal; the range of scientific interest is taken to be Q = 5 to infinity.

In this BP regime, the topics for SG consideration are (no special order of priority or importance):

1. Experimental program topics and sequence (time plan from commissioning to achievement of BP regime to conduct of experiments in this regime, also estimate of pulses, durations and other program parameters [diagnostics, control, etc.] to achieve elements of plan)

2. Device specific operational attributes: pulses per hour, pulses per year, time between major component replacements, tritium inventory and supply attributes, disruption and other off-normal event tolerance, means of wall conditioning and disruption and vent recovery procedures, procedures and time scales for minor and major maintainence and/or modification

3. Device specific "flexibility" attributes: domain of plasma parameters within BP regime, margin(s) for plasma performance shortfalls, plasma current, shape, size, density and fusion power and pulse duration variation, ability to vary auxiliary heating mix and/or heating CD localization, availability of "active" control means for MHD instabilities of plasma profiles, yields with non-DT operation

4. Device specific diagnostic attributes, as applied to flexibility and operation program issues, time phasing of diagnostic set availability.

Physics Operations Subgroup participation is open to all Snowmass participants. Active participation of individuals with present tokamak or similar toroidal device operation experience is solicited. SG members are expected to contribute to pre-meeting work that will include collection and review of information from present experiments and proposed BPSXs, preparation of a common "generic" BPSX operation plan and desirable characteristics and draft comparison of attributes among candidates and with the generic plan. Data and draft findings to be discussed during SM02 meeting and conclusions incorporated in SG, WG and SM-MFE final report.

Hope is to have 3-10 working members, plus interaction with peer level physics and experimental approach subgroups, especially the Scenario and Diagnostics SGs. Pre-meeting activities are expected to be primarily in the electronic domain via Web page and email. Face-to-face meetings as/if required.