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
Dewhurst J
(2010)
Finite Larmor radius effects on test particle transport in drift wave-zonal flow turbulence
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Dewhurst J
(2009)
The effects of nonuniform magnetic field strength on density flux and test particle transport in drift wave turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
Dewhurst J
(2008)
Statistical properties of edge plasma turbulence in the Large Helical Device
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Deng CB
(2009)
Energetic-electron-driven instability in the helically symmetric experiment.
in Physical review letters
Dendy R
(2012)
Modelling local time evolution of strong heat pulses in magnetically confined plasmas
in 39th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2012, EPS 2012 and the 16th International Congress on Plasma Physics
Dendy R
(2007)
Fusion, space and solar plasmas as complex systems
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Dendy R
(2013)
Modelling the measured local time evolution of strongly nonlinear heat pulses in the Large Helical Device
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
De Moortel I
(2012)
Magnetohydrodynamic waves and coronal seismology: an overview of recent results.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Crowley BJ
(2012)
Testing quantum mechanics in non-Minkowski space-time with high power lasers and 4(th) generation light sources.
in Scientific reports
Copil P
(2010)
Torsional Alfvén waves in small scale current threads of the solar corona
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Cook JWS
(2017)
Stimulated Emission of Fast Alfvén Waves within Magnetically Confined Fusion Plasmas.
in Physical review letters
Cook JW
(2010)
Electron current drive by fusion-product-excited lower hybrid drift instability.
in Physical review letters
Cook J
(2013)
Particle-in-cell simulations of the magnetoacoustic cyclotron instability of fusion-born alpha-particles in tokamak plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Cook J
(2012)
Fully nonlinear kinetic simulations of fusion product-driven ion cyclotron emission from tokamak plasmas
in 39th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2012, EPS 2012 and the 16th International Congress on Plasma Physics
Cook J
(2011)
Gyrobunching and wave-particle resonance in the lower hybrid drift instability
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Cook J
(2010)
Growth rates of fusion product driven lower hybrid drift instability
in 37th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2010, EPS 2010
Cook J
(2011)
Wave-particle resonance and gyrobunching in the lower hybrid drift instability
in 38th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2011, EPS 2011 - Europhysics Conference Abstracts
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
Connor J
(2009)
13th EU-US Transport Task Force Workshop on transport in fusion plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
Chorley N
(2011)
Period persistence of long period oscillations in sunspots
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chorley N
(2010)
Long period oscillations in sunspots
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Chin R
(2010)
Self-organization of magnetoacoustic waves in a thermally unstable environment
in Physics of Plasmas
Chapman, S.C., Lee, R.E., Dendy, R.O.
(2006)
Reforming perpendicular shocks and ion acceleration
in SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS
Chapman SC
(2013)
On estimating local long-term climate trends.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Chapman S.C.
(2014)
An apparent relation between ELM occurrence times and the prior phase
in 41st EPS Conference on Plasma Physics
Chapman S. C.
(2008)
Solar cycle dependence of scaling in solar wind fluctuations
in NONLINEAR PROCESSES IN GEOPHYSICS
Chapman S
(2009)
Macroscopic control parameter for avalanche models for bursty transport
in Physics of Plasmas
Chapman S
(2009)
OBSERVATION OF UNIVERSALITY IN THE GENERALIZED SIMILARITY OF EVOLVING SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE AS SEEN BY ULYSSES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chapman S
(2010)
Finite size effects and scaling in solar wind fluctuations
Chapman S
(2018)
Control system-plasma synchronization and naturally occurring edge localized modes in a tokamak
in Physics of Plasmas
Chapman S
(2017)
The global build-up to intrinsic ELM bursts and comparison with pellet triggered ELMs seen in JET
in Nuclear Fusion
Chapman S
(2010)
Finite size effects and scaling in solar wind fluctuations
Chapman S
(2018)
Intrinsic ELMing in ASDEX Upgrade and global control system-plasma self-entrainment
in Nuclear Fusion
Chapman S
(2009)
Avalanching systems under intermediate driving rate
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Chapman S
(2007)
Quantifying scaling in the velocity field of the anisotropic turbulent solar wind
in Geophysical Research Letters
Chapman S
(2014)
Relationship of edge localized mode burst times with divertor flux loop signal phase in JET
in Physics of Plasmas
Chapman S
(2008)
Solar cycle dependence of scaling in solar wind fluctuations
in Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics
Chapman S
(2015)
The global build-up to intrinsic edge localized mode bursts seen in divertor full flux loops in JET
in Physics of Plasmas
Chapman S
(2008)
Solar cycle dependence of scaling in solar wind fluctuations
in Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics
Chapman I
(2015)
Overview of MAST results
in Nuclear Fusion
Chapman DA
(2011)
Analysis of Thomson scattering from nonequilibrium plasmas.
in Physical review letters
Chapman D
(2012)
Analysis of Thomson scattering data from strongly-driven hydrogen
in High Energy Density Physics
Chapman D
(2014)
Simulating x-ray Thomson scattering signals from high-density, millimetre-scale plasmas at the National Ignition Facility
in Physics of Plasmas
Chapman B
(2020)
Comparing theory and simulation of ion cyclotron emission from energetic ion populations with spherical shell and ring-beam distributions in velocity-space
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Chapman B
(2018)
Nonlinear wave interactions generate high-harmonic cyclotron emission from fusion-born protons during a KSTAR ELM crash
in Nuclear Fusion
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
Chapman B
(2017)
Sub-microsecond temporal evolution of edge density during edge localized modes in KSTAR tokamak plasmas inferred from ion cyclotron emission
in Nuclear Fusion
Casson F
(2009)
Anomalous parallel momentum transport due to E×B flow shear in a tokamak plasma
in Physics of Plasmas
Casson F
(2010)
Gyrokinetic simulations including the centrifugal force in a rotating tokamak plasma
in Physics of Plasmas
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 |