A new dedicated signal processing system for gamma-ray spectrometers in high power deuterium-tritium plasma scenarios in tokamaks

The most performant deuterium-tritium (DT) plasma discharges realized by the Joint European Torus (JET) tokamak in the recent DT campaign have produced neutron yields on the order of 10¹⁸ n/s. At such high neutron yields, gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements with scintillators are challenging as events from the neutron-induced background often dominate over the signal, leading to a significant fraction of pileup events and instability of the photodetector gain along with the consequent degradation of the reconstructed spectrum. Here, we describe the solutions adopted for the tangential lanthanum bromide spectrometer installed at JET. A data acquisition system with free streaming mode digitization capabilities for the entire duration of the discharge has been used to solve dead-time related issues and a data reconstruction code with pileup recovery and photodetector gain drift restoration has been implemented for off-line analysis of the data. This work focuses on the acquired data storage and parsing, with a detailed explanation of the pileup recovery and gain drift restoration algorithms.

Fusion product measurements by nuclear diagnostics in the Joint European Torus deuterium-tritium 2 campaign (invited)

A new deuterium-tritium experimental, DTE2, campaign has been conducted at the Joint European Torus (JET) between August 2021 and late December 2021. Motivated by significant enhancements in the past decade at JET, such as the ITER-like wall and enhanced auxiliary heating power, the campaign achieved a new fusion energy world record and performed a broad range of fundamental experiments to inform ITER physics scenarios and operations. New capabilities in the area of fusion product measurements by nuclear diagnostics were available as a result of a decade long enhancement program. These have been tested for the first time in DTE2 and a concise overview is provided here. Confined alpha particle measurements by gamma-ray spectroscopy were successfully demonstrated, albeit with limitations at neutron rates higher than some 10¹⁷ n/s. High resolution neutron spectroscopy measurements with the magnetic proton recoil instrument were complemented by novel data from a set of synthetic diamond detectors, which enabled studies of the supra-thermal contributions to the neutron emission. In the area of escaping fast ion diagnostics, a lost fast ion detector and a set of Faraday cups made it possible to determine information on the velocity space and poloidal distribution of the lost alpha particles for the first time. This extensive set of data provides unique information for fundamental physics studies and validation of the numerical models, which are key to inform the physics and scenarios of ITER.

Fusion: a true challenge for an enormous reward

A source of energy which would be inexhaustible, inherently safe and environmentally friendly, is this not a marvellous prospect? Nuclear fusion is a possible candidate for this role. It has been the energy source of our Sun and the stars in the universe for billions of years. The process requires temperatures of tens of millions of degrees, so extremely high and foreign to our daily experience that it seems out of reach. Nevertheless, these extremely high temperatures are routinely realised in several laboratories all over the world. Since the early 1990s, tens of MW of fusion power have been released from fusion reactions. Progress in the last years shows that fusion holds the promise to be a clean and safe solution for mankind’s long-term energy needs. We are witnessing the birth of a new technology destined to meet the gigantic future energy needs of mankind with minimal impact on the environment.

Fusion: a true challenge for an enormous reward

Nuclear physics shows that energy can be released from both fission of heavy nuclei and fusion of light nuclei. Steady progress shows that fusion — an important additional option for energy production in the future — promises to be a clean and safe solution for mankind’s long-term energy needs with minimal environmental impact. A source of energy which would be inexhaustible, inherently safe and environmentally friendly, is this not a marvellous prospect? Nuclear fusion, a possible candidate for this role, has been the energy source of our Sun and the stars in the universe for billions of years. This process requires temperatures of tens of millions of degrees, so extremely high and foreign to our daily experience that it seems out of reach. Nevertheless, these extremely high temperatures are routinely realised in several laboratories all over the world, and since the early 1990s, tens of MW fusion power have been released from fusion reactions. We are witnessing the birth of a new technology destined to meet the gigantic future energy needs of mankind with minimal impact on the environment.

Influence of magnetic field ripple on the intrinsic rotation of tokamak plasmas

Using the unique capability of JET to monotonically change the amplitude of the magnetic field ripple, without modifying other relevant equilibrium conditions, the effect of the ripple on the angular rotation frequency of the plasma column was investigated under the conditions of no external momentum input. The ripple amplitude was varied from 0.08% to 1.5% in Ohmic and ion-cyclotron radio-frequency (ICRF) heated plasmas. In both cases the ripple causes counterrotation, indicating a strong torque due to nonambipolar transport of thermal ions and in the case of ICRF also fast ions.

Poloidal rotation dynamics, radial electric field, and neoclassical theory in the jet internal-transport-barrier region

Results from the first measurements of a core plasma poloidal rotation velocity (upsilontheta) across internal transport barriers (ITB) on JET are presented. The spatial and temporal evolution of the ITB can be followed along with the upsilontheta radial profiles, providing a very clear link between the location of the steepest region of the ion temperature gradient and localized spin-up of upsilontheta. The upsilontheta measurements are an order of magnitude higher than the neoclassical predictions for thermal particles in the ITB region, contrary to the close agreement found between the determined and predicted particle and heat transport coefficients [K.-D. Zastrow, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 46, B255 (2004)]. These results have significant implications for the understanding of transport barrier dynamics due to their large impact on the measured radial electric field profile.

Quasistationary high confinement discharges with trans-greenwald density on TEXTOR-94

Confinement quality as good as ELM-free H-mode at densities substantially above the Greenwald density limit ( &nmacr;(e,0)/n(GW) = 1.4) has been obtained in discharges with a radiative boundary under quasistationary conditions for 20 times the energy confinement time. This is achieved by optimizing the gas-fueling rate of RI-mode discharges which tailors their favorable energy confinement and leads to discharges with beta values just below the operational limit beta(n) = 2 of TEXTOR-94, thereby effectively avoiding confinement back transitions or disruptions. In addition, this high-density regime is favorable for helium removal and results in figures of merit tau(*)(p,He)/tau(E) approximately 10-15, relevant for a future fusion power reactor.

Model for the transition to the radiatively improved mode in a tokamak

A model for the transition to the radiatively improved (RI) mode triggered in tokamaks by seeding of impurities is proposed. This model takes into account that with increasing plasma effective charge the growth rate of the toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) instability, considered nowadays as the dominant source of anomalous energy losses in low-confinement (L) mode, decreases. As a result the plasma density profile peaks due to an inward convection generated by trapped electron turbulence. This completely quenches ITG induced transport and a bifurcation to the RI mode occurs. Conditions necessary for the L-RI transition are investigated.