A New UK Fusion Plasma Physics Programme at Warwick University
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The UK has recently become a net importer of energy. It is recognized that commercial fusion power development will provide an important strategic option for energy supply by mid century. Fusion is uniquely attractive because it does not rely on the conversion of fossil fuels to greenhouse gases, nor give rise to issues associated with the long term storage of nuclear waste. The physical principles underlying thermonuclear fusion in plasmas are also central to the UK's strategic defence science capabilities. The UK is a key stakeholder in the new generation of international fusion plasma research facilities. These include the magnetic confinement facility ITER, supported by six treaty partners: the EU, the USA, Russian Federation, Japan, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea. The Culham Science Center hosts the world's flagship magnetic fusion facility, JET, together with the pioneering MAST experiment. The UK's defence science needs in this field are met in part by the US National Ignition Facility (NIF, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) and by the new laser facility ORION being initiated at Aldermaston. The UK Government endorses the Fast Track strategy for magnetic confinement fusion power development and is funding the new defence-related facilities.Fusion plasma research is central to the energy, environmental, and defence needs of UK PLC. In addition, contemporary fusion plasma research offers the attractions of a scientific grand challenge, combined with a new generation of advanced large scale international facilities. This proposal seeks to create a new centre of excellence in fusion plasma physics at Warwick, with strong links to the UK magnetic fusion programme at Culham. This will be a step change enhancement that builds on the successful interdisciplinary track record of the Warwick-Culham collaboration, whose work is supported both by EPSRC (primarily through Culham) and by PPARC (primarily through a rolling grant to Warwick). The project will be jointly directed by Prof Sandra Chapman (Warwick) and Prof Richard Dendy (Culham) who have an extensive record of joint scientific and managerial collaboration. To create a new group in fusion plasmas, Warwick would appoint a permanent academic in each of three fields of fusion plasma research: experimental plasma data interpretation and prediction; analytical theory; and computational plasma physics using high performance supercomputing (HPC), linked to the Warwick Centre for Scientific Computing (CSC). The initial scientific focus will be on collisionless, kinetic effects; these are a distinctive feature of fusion plasmas approaching the ignition regime. These appointments are designed to increase UK capacity in this field, and therefore must be attractive internationally as well as nationally. Warwick will therefore in addition undertake to advertise, and subsequently support, these permanent academic posts up to the level of Reader where merited by the quality of the candidate. Each academic will be assisted by two postdocs and a PhD project student. The appointment of up to six postdocs will provide a UK-based career development channel which does not at present exist: this is particularly timely given the recent surge in numbers of high quality UK PhDs in fusion plasma physics. Close engagement with the experimental programme at Culham (MAST and JET) will be developed, and it is expected that some appointees will, for example, participate actively in JET Task Forces.
Publications
Foullon C
(2006)
Automated Detection of EUV Prominences
in Solar Physics
Sircombe N
(2006)
Aspects of electron acoustic wave physics in laser backscatter from plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Dieckmann M
(2006)
Two-stream instability in collisionless shocks and foreshock
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Pascoe D
(2006)
Sausage oscillations of coronal loops
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chapman, S.C., Lee, R.E., Dendy, R.O.
(2006)
Reforming perpendicular shocks and ion acceleration
in SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS
Kiyani K
(2006)
Extracting the scaling exponents of a self-affine, non-Gaussian process from a finite-length time series.
in Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
Manini A
(2006)
Role of T e / T i and ? v tor in ion heat transport of ASDEX Upgrade H-mode plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
KIYANI K
(2006)
Extracting the scaling exponents of a self-affine, non-Gaussian process from a finite-length time series.
in Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys
Gericke D
(2006)
Energy transfer and potential energy contributions in dense two-temperature plasmas
in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General
KIYANI K
(2006)
Extracting the scaling exponents of a self-affine, non-Gaussian process from a finite-length time series.
in Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys
KIYANI K
(2006)
Extracting the scaling exponents of a self-affine, non-Gaussian process from a finite-length time series
in PHYSICAL REVIEW E
Watkins N
(2006)
Towards Synthesis of Solar Wind and Geomagnetic Scaling Exponents: A Fractional Lévy Motion Model
in Space Science Reviews
Vorberger J
(2006)
Equation of state of high density plasmas
in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General
KIYANI K
(2006)
Extracting the scaling exponents of a self-affine, non-Gaussian process from a finite-length time series.
in Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys
Verwichte E
(2006)
Seismology of curved coronal loops with vertically polarised transverse oscillations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Snodin A
(2006)
Simulating field-aligned diffusion of a cosmic ray gas
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Peeters A
(2006)
Toroidal momentum transport
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Gericke D
(2006)
Relaxation of composition and species temperatures in laser- and shock-produced plasmas
in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General
Dieckmann M
(2006)
Phase speed of electrostatic waves: the critical parameter for efficient electron surfing acceleration
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Kampfrath T
(2006)
Ultrafast capture of free electrons in optically ionized gases by the electron scavenger SF6
in Chemical Physics Letters
Nakariakov V
(2006)
Quasi-periodic modulation of solar and stellar flaring emission by magnetohydrodynamic oscillations in a nearby loop
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Verwichte E
(2006)
Fast magnetoacoustic waves in curved coronal loops II. Tunneling modes
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Watkins, N.W., Credgington, D., Hnat, B., Chapman, S.C., Freeman, M.P, Greenhough, J.
(2006)
Towards synthesis of solar wind and geomagnetic scaling exponents: A fractional Levy motion model
in SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS
Verwichte E
(2006)
Fast magnetoacoustic waves in curved coronal loops I. Trapped and leaky modes
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Wicks R
(2007)
Using mutual information to quantify spatial correlation between simultaneous spacecraft measurements of solar wind plasma turbulence
in 34th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2007, EPS 2007 - Europhysics Conference Abstracts
Vorberger J
(2007)
Properties of Dense Fluid Hydrogen and Helium in Giant Gas Planets
in Contributions to Plasma Physics
Van Doorsselaere T
(2007)
Coronal loop seismology using multiple transverse loop oscillation harmonics
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Angioni C
(2007)
Scaling of density peaking in H-mode plasmas based on a combined database of AUG and JET observations
in Nuclear Fusion
Peeters AG
(2007)
Toroidal momentum pinch velocity due to the coriolis drift effect on small scale instabilities in a toroidal plasma.
in Physical review letters
Simon B
(2007)
Potential methods for nonlinear slow magnetoacoustic waves in pressure anisotropic high-ß plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Bottino A
(2007)
Nonlinear low noise particle-in-cell simulations of electron temperature gradient driven turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
Physics) E
(2007)
Chapter 2: Plasma confinement and transport
in Nuclear Fusion
Merrifield J
(2007)
Intermittency, dissipation, and scaling in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
Kampfrath T
(2007)
Long- and short-lived electrons with anomalously high collision rates in laser-ionized gases.
in Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
Sych R
(2007)
The Pixelised Wavelet Filtering Method to Study Waves and Oscillations in Time Sequences of Solar Atmospheric Images
in Solar Physics
Tala T
(2007)
Toroidal and poloidal momentum transport studies in tokamaks
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
BRUNO R
(2007)
Intermittent character of interplanetary magnetic field fluctuations
in Physics of Plasmas|Physics of Plasmas
Hnat B
(2007)
On the fractal nature of the magnetic field energy density in the solar wind
in Geophysical Research Letters
Lloyd B
(2007)
Overview of physics results from MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
Sips A
(2007)
The performance of improved H-modes at ASDEX Upgrade and projection to ITER
in Nuclear Fusion
Peeters A
(2007)
On the extrapolation to ITER of discharges in present tokamaks
in Nuclear Fusion
WICKS R
(2007)
Mutual information as a tool for identifying phase transitions in dynamical complex systems with limited data.
in Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys
Angioni C
(2007)
Non-adiabatic passing electron response and outward impurity convection in gyrokinetic calculations of impurity transport in ASDEX Upgrade plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Wicks RT
(2007)
Mutual information as a tool for identifying phase transitions in dynamical complex systems with limited data.
in Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
Vermare L
(2007)
Study of the ß dependence of confinement and heat transport in ASDEX Upgrade
in Nuclear Fusion
Chapman S
(2007)
Quantifying scaling in the velocity field of the anisotropic turbulent solar wind
in Geophysical Research Letters
BRUNO R
(2007)
Intermittent character of interplanetary magnetic field fluctuations
in Physics of Plasmas|Physics of Plasmas
Vorberger J
(2007)
Hydrogen-helium mixtures in the interiors of giant planets
in Physical Review B
WICKS R
(2007)
Mutual information as a tool for identifying phase transitions in dynamical complex systems with limited data
in PHYSICAL REVIEW E
Description | See our International Advisory Panel reports to EPSRC please see the relevant research papers- we continue to actively publish in this area |
Exploitation Route | please see the relevant research papers |
Sectors | Energy,Environment,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy |
Description | We created a new centre for interdisciplinary plasma physics research. The Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics has continued to grow and to facilitate research across laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Young researchers trained at the Centre have found permanent positions across academia and at the leading facilities for fusion research worldwide, as well as in the mathematical modelling, finance and data analytics sectors. |
First Year Of Impact | 2008 |
Sector | Energy,Environment,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | A radiation-hydrodynamic ALE code for laser fusion energy |
Amount | £255,109 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I029117/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2011 |
End | 09/2013 |
Description | Centre for Computational Plasma Physics |
Amount | £264,129 (GBP) |
Organisation | Atomic Weapons Establishment |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2017 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | Centre for Computational Plasma Physics |
Amount | £326,643 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Contract V30286915 |
Organisation | Atomic Weapons Establishment |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2014 |
End | 06/2017 |
Description | Enabling Research |
Amount | £11,728 (GBP) |
Organisation | EUROfusion |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 01/2018 |
Description | Enabling Research |
Amount | € 30,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | TNT |
Organisation | European Atomic Energy Commission (EURATOM) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Belgium |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 12/2020 |
Description | Eurofusion MST1 |
Amount | £11,570 (GBP) |
Organisation | EUROfusion |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 01/2018 |
Description | Extension and optimisation of the EPOCH code |
Amount | £236,478 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/P02212X/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2017 |
End | 05/2019 |
Description | Fulbright-Lloyd's of London Scholarship 2017/18 |
Amount | $60,000 (USD) |
Organisation | US-UK Fulbright Commission |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2017 |
End | 09/2018 |
Description | H2020-PROTEC-2014 |
Amount | € 386,531 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 637302 - PROGRESS |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2015 |
End | 12/2017 |
Description | JET campaign 2016 |
Amount | £22,999 (GBP) |
Organisation | EUROfusion |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2016 |
End | 01/2017 |
Description | JET campaign 2017 |
Amount | £23,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | EUROfusion |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 01/2018 |
Description | JET campaign 2018 |
Amount | £22,999 (GBP) |
Organisation | EUROfusion |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2018 |
End | 01/2019 |
Description | Multi-scale simulations of intense laser-plasma interactions |
Amount | £439,082 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/G054940/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2010 |
End | 03/2014 |
Description | Newton-CONICYT |
Amount | $1,438,000 (CLP) |
Organisation | Newton Fund |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2015 |
End | 10/2016 |
Description | ODIN |
Amount | £255,110 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I029117/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2011 |
End | 09/2013 |
Description | Standard Grant |
Amount | £422,595 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2012 |
End | 06/2015 |
Title | Field-line map based mesh-free method |
Description | A type of mesh-free element method for representing continuous functions has been found. This can be used in computational simulations of movement and transport in systems with elongated structures. It is particularly appropriate for describing turbulence in tokamaks, especially when the field topology is complicated beyond the X-point. |
Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Impact | A user-friendly software implementation of this newly developed software technique is under design: this has not yet been found end-user application. |
Title | Odin |
Description | Odin is a 2D r-z geometry multi-material MHD ALE code. This is maintained on a private gitlab server along with detailed documentation. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Impact | This is the first full release of the Odin code but is currently restricted to the development team only. This includes researchers at Exeter, Warwick, Imperial College and York. This release is the first full Odin release which is able to complete simulations of pellet implosion for inertial confinement fusion (ICF). It includes MHD, conduction and a generalised Ohm's law. The ability to begin ICF simulations, albeit with an early release version of the Odin code, is essential for keeping the UK academic community actively involved in international ICF programmes. |
URL | https://cfsa-pmw.warwick.ac.uk/Odin/Odin |
Title | Release of EPOCH code |
Description | Release of the EPOCH particle-in-cell code as a publicly available software package. EPOCH has been developed primarily at the University of Warwick as a multi-purpose plasma simulation code. QED algorithms and code to model gamma-ray and electron-positron pair production were developed at Oxford. Warwick implemented the QED package in the publicly released version of EPOCH. The fully documented code is available at https://cfsa-pmw.warwick.ac.uk/EPOCH/epoch. It is being used by experimentalists and theorists from many countries. This initial release of EPOCH was in 2011 but this is continually updated. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | The UK is now recognised as a world leading centre for kinetic plasma simulations for laser-plasmas |
URL | https://cfsa-pmw.warwick.ac.uk/EPOCH/epoch |
Description | Electrical wire explosion in water |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited Talk at Warm Dense Matter School, Berkeley, California, USA (2008). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | Invited Talk: Int. Conference on Frontiers of Plasma Physics and Technology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | talk initiated discussions and further collaborations group of presenter is seen as active with influencial results group of presenter is seen as active with influencial results |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | Invited main talk: Annual meeting of the German physical Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | talk initiated discussions and further collaborations group of presenter is seen as active with influencial results |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | Invited main talk: European Conference on Laser Interaction with Matter |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | talk initiated discussions and further collaborations group of presenter is seen as active with influencial results |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
Description | Invited talk: EPS Conference on Plasma Physics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | talk initiated discussions and further collaborations group of presenter is seen as active with influencial results |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | Invited talk: Expert Meeting on Heavy Ion Fusion |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | talk initiated discussions and further collaborations group of presenter is seen as active with influencial results |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007 |
Description | Invited talk: Int. Conference on Inertial Fusion Science and Applications |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | talk initiated discussions and further collaborations group of presenter is seen as active with influencial results |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007 |
Description | Momentum conservation law for the Gyrokinetic Vlasov-Poisson equations |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | Round table intervention at Festival de Théorie, Aix-en Provence,France, (2011). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |