Advanced Diagnostics for Magnetic and Inertial Fusion

TL;DR: In this article, a collection of papers, written by specialists in the field, on advanced topics of nuclear fusion diagnostics is presented, focusing on the requirements imposed by the physical issues to be studied.

Abstract: This book is a collection of papers, written by specialists in the field, on advanced topics of nuclear fusion diagnostics. The 78 contributions were originally presented at the International Conference on Advanced Diagnostics for Magnetic and Inertial Fusion held at Villa Monastero, Italy in September 2001. Both magnetically confined and inertial fusion programmes are quite extensively covered, with more emphasis given to the former scheme. In the case of magnetic confinement, since the present international programme is strongly focused on next-step devices, particular attention is devoted to techniques and technologies viable in an environment with strong neutron fluxes. Indeed, in the first section, the various methods are considered in the perspective of performing the measurements of the relevant parameters in conditions approaching a burning plasma, mainly in the Tokamak configuration. The most demanding requirements, like the implications of the use of tritium and radiation resistance, are reviewed and the most challenging open issues, which require further research and development, are also clearly mentioned. The following three sections are devoted to some of the most recent developments in plasma diagnostics, which are grouped according to the following classification: `Neutron and particle diagnostics', `Optical and x-ray diagnostics' and `Interferometry, Polarimetry and Thomson Scattering'. In these chapters, several of the most recent results are given, covering measurements taken on the most advanced experiments around the world. Here the developments described deal more with the requirements imposed by the physical issues to be studied. They are therefore more focused on the approaches adopted to increase the spatial and time resolution of the diagnostics, on some methods to improve the characterisation of the turbulence and on fast particles. Good coverage is given to neutron diagnostics, which are assuming increasing relevance as the plasma parameters approach ignition. Spectroscopic systems and their recent developments are well represented, whereas edge diagnostics are somewhat thin on the ground. A dedicated section is devoted to the latest tests on radiation effects and technological issues. The problems of damage to optical components and the difficulties presented by the determination of the tritium inventory are described. In the last part, the new diagnostic systems of the most recent experiments (under construction or recently operated) are reported. Various aspects of some diagnostics not included in the three previous sections are also covered, with particular emphasis on microwaves and infrared diagnostics. The book is well suited for specialists and, more generally, for people involved in nuclear fusion, who need information about the most recent developments in the field of plasma diagnostics. The papers cover many aspects of the challenges and possible solutions for performing measurements in fusion machines approaching reactor conditions. On the other hand, the contributions are in general quite advanced and would be challenging for people without a significant background in plasma diagnostics and nuclear fusion. The quality of the paper is more than satisfactory both from the point of view of clarity and of graphics. Moreover, at the beginning of the book, several papers make a considerable effort to put diagnostic issues in the wider context of present day nuclear fusion research. For those topics, which are too involved to be completely described in a conference contribution, in general adequate references are provided for deeper investigation. A Murari Approximately one third of the papers included in this volume deal with diagnostics related to inertial confinement fusion plasmas (i.e., laser-produced plasmas and pulsed-power). These papers discuss recent developments in charged particle diagnostics, neutron diagnostics, optical and x-ray measurements along with laser and particle probing diagnostics. The resulting collection of papers is comprehensive and wide-ranging and all of the major laboratories in Europe, the US, and Japan are represented. There is important discussion on the development of diagnostics for the National Ignition Facility, LMJ, and future ultra-high intensity laser experiments as well as papers on wire array z-pinch experiments. It is especially useful to have the contributions from inertial confinement fusion experiments intermingled with those from magnetic confinement fusion. The separation between these two approaches to fusion is often unfortunately large, so one of the pleasing things about this book is that it is very easy for readers familiar with experimental research in one area to compare `state of the art' plasma diagnostics in the other area. Hopefully this will facilitate the development of new ideas in both areas. This book is a conference proceedings and as such, almost all of the papers included are quite brief and are highly technical. Consequently, the book is not particularly pedagogical and would be most useful to researchers already working in this area of physics. For these readers, however, Advanced Diagnostics for Magnetic and Inertial Confinement Fusion is an excellent overview of the present status of fusion plasma diagnostics. K Krushelnick