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
Connor J
(2006)
Magnetic geometry, plasma profiles, and stability
in Plasma Physics Reports
McDonald D
(2006)
The impact of statistical models on scalings derived from multi-machine H-mode threshold experiments
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Hacquin S
(2006)
Characterization of Alfvén cascades on the JET tokamak using a multi-channel O-mode reflectometer diagnostic
in Nuclear Fusion
Coccorese V
(2006)
Assessment of new ex-vessel magnetic measurements in JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
James M
(2006)
Tearing mode stability in a sheared slab model of the tokamak plasma
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Murari A
(2006)
Fuzzy logic and support vector machine approaches to regime identification in JET
in IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science
Kirk A
(2006)
Evolution of filament structures during edge-localized modes in the MAST Tokamak.
in Physical review letters
Scannell R
(2006)
Enhanced edge Thomson scattering on MAST
in Review of Scientific Instruments
McCLEMENTS K
(2006)
The coupling of shear and fast Alfvén waves at a magnetic X-point
in Journal of Plasma Physics
Andrew Y
(2006)
Improved charge exchange spectroscopy on the Joint European Torus for ion temperature and rotation velocity profiles
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Sircombe N
(2006)
Kinetic effects in laser-plasma coupling: Vlasov theory and computations
in Journal de Physique IV (Proceedings)
Cesario R
(2006)
Spectral broadening of lower hybrid waves produced by parametric instability in current drive experiments of tokamak plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
Dieckmann M
(2006)
Two-stream instability in collisionless shocks and foreshock
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Sjöstrand H
(2006)
New MPRu instrument for neutron emission spectroscopy at JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Nguyen-Manh D
(2006)
Multi-scale modelling of materials for fusion power plants
in Computational Materials Science
Pampin R
(2006)
PPCS thermal analysis of bounding accident scenarios using improved computational modelling
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Marinoni A
(2006)
Analysis and modelling of power modulation experiments in JET plasmas with internal transport barriers
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Kirk M
(2006)
Diffuse elastic scattering of electrons by individual nanometer-sized dislocation loops
in Philosophical Magazine
Kaye S
(2006)
The role of aspect ratio and beta in H-mode confinement scalings
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Rubel M
(2006)
Mirror test for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor at the JET tokamak: An overview of the program
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Dnestrovskij Y
(2006)
Simulation of internal transport barriers by means of the canonical profile transport model
in Plasma Physics Reports
Tala T
(2006)
Fully predictive time-dependent transport simulations of ITB plasmas in JET, JT-60U and DIII-D
in Nuclear Fusion
De Vries P
(2006)
Plasma rotation and momentum transport studies at JET
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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
Boswell C
(2006)
Observation and explanation of the JET chirping mode
in Physics Letters A