UK Fusion Programme
Lead Research Organisation:
CCFE/UKAEA
Department Name: Culham Centre for Fusion Energy
Abstract
Fusion is the energy-releasing process that powers the sun and other stars. If it can be harnessed economically on earth it would be an essentially limitless source of safe, environmentally responsible energy. Fusion energy is therefore strongly mission-orientated. The most promising method uses strong magnetic fields in a tokamak configuration to allow a high temperature deuterium-tritium plasma to be generated while minimising contact with the surrounding material surfaces.The UK contributes to fusion research in two ways: (i) through the UK's own programme focused on the spherical tokamak experiment MAST, and (ii) by contributing to the Joint European Torus (JET) programme. The MAST and JET facilities are situated at Culham Science Centre. International co-operation is strong with the focus on the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER), which will be the first fusion device to achieve energy gain and sustained burn.Experimental programmes on the MAST and JET tokamaks are performed to help resolve and refine understanding of key physics issues for ITER. In addition, experimental programmes on MAST focus on testing the potential of the spherical tokamak as a more compact option for future fusion devices. A strong theory and modelling group supports the experimental programmes and contributes to the research and development of fusion materials and to studies of conceptual fusion power stations. Expansion of the research and development of ITER specialist (i.e. diagnostic and heating) systems, focuses on securing major roles for the UK in the provision of two or three of these large complex projects.The results of the research are presented in reports and publications, and at conferences, expert groups and specialist committees. Collaborations with researchers in other areas of science and technologies are pursued strongly, where the research overlaps with fusion R&D.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Christopher Llewellyn-Smith (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
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Zhou Z
(2006)
Simulations of weak-beam diffraction contrast images of dislocation loops by the many-beam Howie-Basinski equations
in Philosophical Magazine
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Wilson H
(2006)
Magneto-hydrodynamic stability of the H-mode transport barrier as a model for edge localized modes: an overview
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Weisen H
(2006)
Scaling of density peaking in JET H-modes and implications for ITER
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Walsh M
(2006)
Design challenges and analysis of the ITER core LIDAR Thomson scattering system
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Von Hellermann M
(2006)
Status of the DNB based ITER CXRS and BES diagnostic
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Valovic M
(2007)
On the correlation between density profile and particle flux in H-mode tokamak plasmas and the implication for ITER
in Nuclear Fusion
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Thyagaraja A
(2006)
Toroidal and poloidal flows in single-fluid and two-fluid tokamak equilibria
in Physics of Plasmas
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Testa D
(2006)
The role of the radial electric field for the transition to high confinement regimes
in Nuclear Fusion
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Tartari U
(2006)
Critical issues highlighted by collective Thomson scattering below electron cyclotron resonance in FTU
in Nuclear Fusion
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Tardocchi M
(2006)
Modeling of neutron emission spectroscopy in JET discharges with fast tritons from (T)D ion cyclotron heating
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Tala T
(2006)
Fully predictive time-dependent transport simulations of ITB plasmas in JET, JT-60U and DIII-D
in Nuclear Fusion
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Surrey E
(2006)
Gas heating in the neutralizer of the ITER neutral beam injection systems
in Nuclear Fusion
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Strachan J
(2008)
Modelling of carbon migration during JET 13 C injection experiments
in Nuclear Fusion
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Storrs J
(2006)
Real-time optical plasma edge detection and position control on MAST
in Fusion Engineering and Design
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Stammers K
(2006)
The calibration of the MAST neutron yield monitors
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
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Smith H
(2006)
Runaway electrons and the evolution of the plasma current in tokamak disruptions
in Physics of Plasmas
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Sjöstrand H
(2006)
New MPRu instrument for neutron emission spectroscopy at JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Sircombe N
(2006)
Aspects of electron acoustic wave physics in laser backscatter from plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Sircombe N
(2006)
Kinetic effects in laser-plasma coupling: Vlasov theory and computations
in Journal de Physique IV (Proceedings)
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Shibaev S
(2006)
MAST data acquisition system
in Fusion Engineering and Design
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Sharapov S
(2006)
Alfvén cascades in JET discharges with NBI-heating
in Nuclear Fusion
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Scannell R
(2006)
Enhanced edge Thomson scattering on MAST
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Santala M
(2006)
Proton-triton nuclear reaction in ICRF heated plasmas in JET
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Sandquist P
(2006)
Relativistic electron distribution function of a plasma in a near-critical electric field
in Physics of Plasmas
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Salmi A
(2006)
JET experiments to assess the clamping of the fast ion energy distribution during ICRF heating due to finite Larmor radius effects
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Saarelma S
(2007)
MHD stability analysis of ELMs in MAST
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Rubel M
(2006)
Mirror test for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor at the JET tokamak: An overview of the program
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Rozhansky V
(2006)
Modelling of radial electric field profile for different divertor configurations
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Reimerdes H
(2006)
Cross-machine comparison of resonant field amplification and resistive wall mode stabilization by plasma rotation
in Physics of Plasmas
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Pitts R
(2007)
ELM transport in the JET scrape-off layer
in Nuclear Fusion
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Pinches S
(2006)
Observation and modelling of fast ion loss in JET and ASDEX Upgrade
in Nuclear Fusion
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Pampin R
(2006)
PPCS thermal analysis of bounding accident scenarios using improved computational modelling
in Fusion Engineering and Design
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Ovsyannikov D
(2006)
Mathematical methods of plasma vertical stabilization in modern tokamaks
in Nuclear Fusion
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O'Mullane M
(2006)
Atomic modeling and instrumentation for measurement and analysis of emission in preparation for the ITER-like wall in JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Nicholls RJ
(2006)
Simulated electron energy loss spectra from a C70 crystal.
in Micron (Oxford, England : 1993)
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NGUYENMANH D
(2007)
Environmental dependence of bonding: A challenge for modelling of intermetallics and fusion materials
in Progress in Materials Science
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Nguyen-Manh D
(2006)
Multi-scale modelling of defect behavior in bcc transition metals and iron alloys for future fusion power plants
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
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Nguyen-Manh D
(2006)
Multi-scale modelling of materials for fusion power plants
in Computational Materials Science
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Newton S
(2007)
Collisional bulk ion transport and poloidal rotation driven by neutral beam injection
in Physics of Plasmas
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Neu R
(2007)
Investigation of tungsten coatings on graphite and CFC
in Physica Scripta
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Negus C
(2006)
Enhanced core charge exchange recombination spectroscopy system on Joint European Torus
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Murari A
(2006)
Fuzzy logic and support vector machine approaches to regime identification in JET
in IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science
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Murari A
(2006)
Real-time recovery of the electron density from interferometric measurements affected by fringe jumps
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Murari A
(2006)
New diagnostic techniques and technologies at JET (invited)
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Mrovec M
(2007)
Bond-order potential for simulations of extended defects in tungsten
in Physical Review B
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Mlynár J
(2006)
Progress in neutron diagnostics at JET
in Czechoslovak Journal of Physics
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Meyer H
(2008)
Active control of the H-mode transition on MAST
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Meyer H
(2009)
Overview of physics results from MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
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Merrifield J
(2007)
Intermittency, dissipation, and scaling in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
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McKay R
(2007)
Fast Alfven Wave Heating and Acceleration of Ions in a Nonuniform Magnetoplasma
in The Astrophysical Journal