UK Fusion Programme
Lead Research Organisation:
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
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.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Christopher Llewellyn-Smith (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Helander P
(2006)
Tokamak current driven by poloidally asymmetric fueling
in Physics of Plasmas
Jenkins M
(2006)
Electron microscope weak-beam imaging of stacking fault tetrahedra: observations and simulations
in Journal of Materials Science
Crowley B
(2006)
Measurement of the electron energy distribution function by a Langmuir probe in an ITER-like hydrogen negative ion source
in Nuclear Fusion
Chapman S
(2006)
Perpendicular Shock Reformation and Ion Acceleration
in Space Science Reviews
Coccorese V
(2006)
Assessment of new ex-vessel magnetic measurements in JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Tartari U
(2006)
Critical issues highlighted by collective Thomson scattering below electron cyclotron resonance in FTU
in Nuclear Fusion
Shibaev S
(2006)
MAST data acquisition system
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Surrey E
(2006)
Gas heating in the neutralizer of the ITER neutral beam injection systems
in Nuclear Fusion
Von Hellermann M
(2006)
Status of the DNB based ITER CXRS and BES diagnostic
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Boswell C
(2006)
Observation and explanation of the JET chirping mode
in Physics Letters A
Murari A
(2006)
New diagnostic techniques and technologies at JET (invited)
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Reimerdes H
(2006)
Cross-machine comparison of resonant field amplification and resistive wall mode stabilization by plasma rotation
in Physics of Plasmas
McCLEMENTS K
(2006)
The coupling of shear and fast Alfvén waves at a magnetic X-point
in Journal of Plasma Physics
Pinches S
(2006)
Observation and modelling of fast ion loss in JET and ASDEX Upgrade
in Nuclear Fusion
Kirk M
(2006)
Diffuse elastic scattering of electrons by individual nanometer-sized dislocation loops
in Philosophical Magazine
McDonald D
(2006)
The dimensionless scaling of ELMy H-mode confinement
in Comptes Rendus. Physique
Garzotti L
(2006)
Simulations of source and anomalous pinch effects on the density profile peaking of JET H-mode plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
Cruz N
(2006)
JET real-time project test-bench software structure
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Hacquin S
(2006)
X -mode reflectometry measurements in the JET plasma core region
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Cottrell G
(2006)
A survey of plasma facing materials for fusion power plants
in Materials Science and Technology
McArdle G
(2006)
Results from evaluation of a long pulse pilot data acquisition system on MAST
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Dendy R
(2006)
Characterization and interpretation of strongly nonlinear phenomena in fusion, space and astrophysical plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Chapman I
(2006)
Modeling the effect of toroidal plasma rotation on drift-magnetohydrodynamic modes in tokamaks
in Physics of Plasmas
Darrow D
(2006)
Initial results from the lost alpha diagnostics on Joint European Torus
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Joiner N
(2006)
Electron temperature gradient driven transport in a MAST H-mode plasma
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Galloway R
(2006)
Cross-Field Diffusion of Electrons in Tangled Magnetic Fields and Implications for Coronal Fine Structure
in The Astrophysical Journal
Ovsyannikov D
(2006)
Mathematical methods of plasma vertical stabilization in modern tokamaks
in Nuclear Fusion
Fülöp T
(2006)
Destabilization of magnetosonic-whistler waves by a relativistic runaway beam
in Physics of Plasmas
Gryaznevich M
(2006)
Plasma formation in START and MAST spherical tokamaks
in Nuclear Fusion
McClements K
(2006)
Collective electric field effects on the confinement of fast ions in tokamaks
in Physics of Plasmas
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
Dieckmann M
(2006)
Two-stream instability in collisionless shocks and foreshock
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Mlynár J
(2006)
Progress in neutron diagnostics at JET
in Czechoslovak Journal of Physics
Marinoni A
(2006)
Analysis and modelling of power modulation experiments in JET plasmas with internal transport barriers
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Hawkes N
(2006)
Calibration and operational experience with the JET motional Stark effect diagnostic
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Chapman I
(2006)
The effect of toroidal plasma rotation on sawteeth in MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
Sjöstrand H
(2006)
New MPRu instrument for neutron emission spectroscopy at JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Mayoral M
(2006)
Hydrogen plasmas with ICRF inverted minority and mode conversion heating regimes in the JET tokamak
in Nuclear Fusion
Dieckmann M
(2006)
Phase speed of electrostatic waves: the critical parameter for efficient electron surfing acceleration
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Borba D
(2006)
Confinement transitions (H-mode) in JET inner wall limiter plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Sandquist P
(2006)
Relativistic electron distribution function of a plasma in a near-critical electric field
in Physics of Plasmas
Conway N
(2006)
High-throughput charge exchange recombination spectroscopy system on MAST
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Scannell R
(2006)
Enhanced edge Thomson scattering on MAST
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Andrew Y
(2006)
Improved charge exchange spectroscopy on the Joint European Torus for ion temperature and rotation velocity profiles
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Gatu Johnson M
(2006)
The TOFOR neutron spectrometer and its first use at JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Batista A
(2006)
An FPGA-based multi-rate interpolator with real-time rate change for a JET test-bench system
in IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
Christiansen J
(2006)
Self-consistent plasma modelling by Monte Carlo test particles
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Santala M
(2006)
Proton-triton nuclear reaction in ICRF heated plasmas in JET
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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