From the Director - Plasma Science and Fusion Center - MIT

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Contents From the Director •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 Alcator C-Mod •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 6 Physics Research •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 12 High-Energy-Density Physics •• • • • • • • • • 20 Waves and Beams •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 24 Fusion Technology and Engineering •• • • • • 28 Plasma Technology •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 32 Educational Outreach •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • 36 Awards •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 40 1
From the Director MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center carries out a broad research program in the study of plasmas, fusion science and technology. MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) is known internationally as a leading university research center for the study of plasma and fusion science and technology. Plasmas (ionized gas) are a rich area of basic and applied research. The PSFC seeks to provide research and educational opportunities for expanding the scientific understanding of the physics of plasmas, the “fourth state of matter,” and to use that knowledge to develop useful applications. The study of plasmas relevant to fusion power is the major focus of the PSFC research program. Thermonuclear fusion occurs naturally in the sun and other stars, releasing the energy that keeps them “burning.” The plasma that makes up a star is held together by gravity because of the star’s large mass. In laboratory devices, magnetic fields may be used to confine the hot deuterium and tritium (isotopes of hydrogen) long enough for fusion reactions to occur. In another approach, powerful laser beams may be used to compress pellets or special capsules of deuterium and tritium gas, to achieve “inertial fusion” for short time durations. Plasmas in magnetic confinement devices are usually heated by energetic particle beams or high-power radio frequency waves or microwaves. Most successful magnetic confinement devices use a plasma in the shape of a “torus” (a doughnut shape), which prevents the particles following the magnetic field lines from escaping the plasma. The most advanced of these toroidal configurations is called the “tokamak,” an acronym of the Russian words for “toroidal magnetic chamber.” However, the PSFC has research activities not only in magnetically confined plasmas, but also in high-energy-density, inertially confined plasmas, both relevant to the production of fusion power. 2
Page 4 and 5: Founded in 1976, the Center consoli
Page 7 and 8: Alcator C-Mod Background The Alcato
Page 9 and 10: day-by-day operation can be found o
Page 11 and 12: Alcator C-Mod Basics 1 2 6 3 4 5 1.
Page 13 and 14: Physics Research Background The goa
Page 15 and 16: Existing nonlinear gyrokinetic and
Page 17 and 18: turn confines a torus of hot plasma
Page 19 and 20: Frequency [kHz] a. Phase Contrast I
Page 21 and 22: High-Energy-Density Physics Backgro
Page 23 and 24: laser-plasma interactions and to ob
Page 25 and 26: Waves & Beams Background The Waves
Page 27: that occurs at these bends. Recentl
Page 30 and 31: The Division has contributed in man
Page 32 and 33: In a different area of research, wo
Page 34 and 35: other waste treatment technologies.
Page 37 and 38: Educational Outreach Background The
Page 39: Night” at the MIT Museum, and the

From the Director - Plasma Science and Fusion Center - MIT

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