What is it about?
Large nuclear fusion experiments such as ITER use magnetic fields to contain hot and dense plasma. The goal of these experiments is to sustain a fusion reaction, which can be used to produce power. To observe what is happening in the extreme conditions inside a fusion reaction, special diagnostic tools are needed. Our team is testing a diagnostic that can observe the temperature inside the magnetically confined plasma. In addition, it can detect instabilities called neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) that degrade performance and can lead to disruptions. This detection is needed to suppress the instability.
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Why is it important?
Larger tokamaks like ITER will sustain higher temperatures, densities, and magnetic fields than ever tested experimentally. Additional physics need to be considered to make sure that things like our diagnostic will work properly. These studies inform the design of the diagnostic, and let us know the limitations. It is critical that our diagnostic be able to detect the neoclassical tearing mode instability with low latency in order to leave the control system enough time to apply countermeasures. This work shows that our design meets this challenge.
Perspectives
This article is one in a series of papers we are writing about our work developing the ECE diagnostic for ITER. While the work presented here has been done at the Institute for Fusion Studies at the University of Texas at Austin with the co-authors, the ITER ECE team extends beyond just this topic. Collaborations take place throughout the US as well as between international researchers. These studies will have lasting impacts on the development of fusion reactors, including potential usage on fusion power plants.
Joseph Ziegel
University of Texas at Austin
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Electron cyclotron emission detection of neoclassical tearing modes for control for ITER, Review of Scientific Instruments, July 2024, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0219334.
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