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
Grimald S
(2009)
Modulation of NTC frequencies by Pc5 ULF pulsations: Experimental test of the generation mechanism and magnetoseismology of the emitting surface
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Osman K
(2015)
MULTI-SPACECRAFT MEASUREMENT OF TURBULENCE WITHIN A MAGNETIC RECONNECTION JET
in The Astrophysical Journal
Inglis A
(2008)
Multi-wavelength spatially resolved analysis of quasi-periodic pulsations in a solar flare
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
WICKS R
(2007)
Mutual information as a tool for identifying phase transitions in dynamical complex systems with limited data
in PHYSICAL REVIEW E
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
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
Dods J
(2015)
Network analysis of geomagnetic substorms using the SuperMAG database of ground-based magnetometer stations
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
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
Turner AJ
(2012)
Nonaxisymmetric anisotropy of solar wind turbulence as a direct test for models of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence.
in Physical review letters
Turner AJ
(2011)
Nonaxisymmetric anisotropy of solar wind turbulence.
in Physical review letters
Perrone D
(2013)
Nonclassical Transport and Particle-Field Coupling: from Laboratory Plasmas to the Solar Wind
in Space Science Reviews
Matthaeus W
(2014)
NONLINEAR AND LINEAR TIMESCALES NEAR KINETIC SCALES IN SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Grinenko A
(2009)
Nonlinear collisional absorption of laser light in dense strongly coupled plasmas.
in Physical review letters
Vasheghani Farahani S
(2012)
Nonlinear evolution of torsional Alfvén waves
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
McLaughlin J
(2008)
Nonlinear fast magnetoacoustic wave propagation in the neighbourhood of a 2D magnetic X-point: oscillatory reconnection
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Vasheghani Farahani S
(2010)
Nonlinear long-wavelength torsional Alfvén waves
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bottino A
(2007)
Nonlinear low noise particle-in-cell simulations of electron temperature gradient driven turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
Botha G
(2011)
NONLINEAR THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAGNETOCONVECTION AROUND MAGNETIC FLUX TUBES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chapman B
(2018)
Nonlinear wave interactions generate high-harmonic cyclotron emission from fusion-born protons during a KSTAR ELM crash
in Nuclear Fusion
Lavraud B
(2009)
Observation of a Complex Solar Wind Reconnection Exhaust from Spacecraft Separated by over 1800 R E
in Solar Physics
Chapman S
(2009)
OBSERVATION OF UNIVERSALITY IN THE GENERALIZED SIMILARITY OF EVOLVING SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE AS SEEN BY ULYSSES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fletcher LB
(2014)
Observations of continuum depression in warm dense matter with x-ray Thomson scattering.
in Physical review letters
Ma T
(2014)
Observations of strong ion-ion correlations in dense plasmas
in Physics of Plasmas
Chapman SC
(2013)
On estimating local long-term climate trends.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Peeters A
(2007)
On the extrapolation to ITER of discharges in present tokamaks
in Nuclear Fusion
Hnat B
(2007)
On the fractal nature of the magnetic field energy density in the solar wind
in Geophysical Research Letters
Foullon C
(2010)
On the multispacecraft determination of periodic surface wave phase speeds and wavelengths
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Hornsby W
(2010)
On the nonlinear coupling between micro turbulence and mesoscale magnetic islands in a plasma
in EPL (Europhysics Letters)
Grinenko A
(2009)
One-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation of high energy density experiments
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Lanti E
(2020)
Orb5: A global electromagnetic gyrokinetic code using the PIC approach in toroidal geometry
in Computer Physics Communications
Chapman B
(2020)
Origin of ion cyclotron emission at the proton cyclotron frequency from the core of deuterium plasmas in the ASDEX-Upgrade tokamak
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Nakariakov V
(2010)
Oscillatory processes in solar flares
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Chapman I
(2015)
Overview of MAST results
in Nuclear Fusion
Lloyd B
(2011)
Overview of physics results from MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
Lloyd B
(2007)
Overview of physics results from MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
Meyer H
(2009)
Overview of physics results from MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
Meyer H
(2013)
Overview of physics results from MAST towards ITER/DEMO and the MAST Upgrade
in Nuclear Fusion
Meyer H
(2017)
Overview of progress in European medium sized tokamaks towards an integrated plasma-edge/wall solution a
in Nuclear Fusion
Kirk A
(2017)
Overview of recent physics results from MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
Fasoli A
(2008)
Overview of TCV results*
in Nuclear Fusion
Romanelli F
(2015)
Overview of the JET results
in Nuclear Fusion
Litaudon X
(2017)
Overview of the JET results in support to ITER
in Nuclear Fusion
Peeters A
(2011)
Overview of toroidal momentum transport
in Nuclear Fusion
Jolliet S
(2012)
Parallel filtering in global gyrokinetic simulations
in Journal of Computational Physics
McClements K
(2018)
Particle acceleration during merging-compression plasma start-up in the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Angioni C
(2009)
Particle pinch and collisionality in gyrokinetic simulations of tokamak plasma turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
Angioni C
(2009)
Particle transport in tokamak plasmas, theory and experiment
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Cook J
(2009)
Particle-in-cell simulations of the emission mechanism for fusion product-driven ion cyclotron emission from tokamak plasmas
in 36th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2009, EPS 2009 - Europhysics Conference Abstracts
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 |