Dmitri M. Orlov

January 31, 2026

Sidney Williams Awarded DOE SCGSR Fellowship

Sidney Williams, a Ph.D. student in the Orlov Lab at the University of California, San Diego, has been awarded a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Fellowship. As part of the fellowship, Sidney is conducting research in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, working with the BOUT++ / Hermes-3 team and Dr. Ben Zhu. His research focuses on the effects of resonant magnetic perturbations on edge plasma profiles and scrape-off-layer heat-flux width broadening in DIII-D plasmas, with direct relevance to heat-flux management in fusion pilot plants and future fusion power plants. We congratulate Sidney on this achievement and look forward to the contributions of his SCGSR-supported research.

January 28, 2026

Paper on Neural-Network-Based Plasma Boundary Reconstruction with Reduced Diagnostics Published in Journal of Plasma Physics

Our paper, “Neural network reconstruction of the DIII-D tokamak plasma boundary using a reduced set of diagnostics,” has been published in the Journal of Plasma Physics. The authors are Maksim Stokolesov, Maxim Nurgaliev, Ivan Kharitonov, Evgeny Adishchev, Dmitry Sorokin, Randall Clark, and Dmitri Orlov. This work investigates the feasibility of reconstructing the last closed flux surface in the DIII-D tokamak using neural network models trained on a severely reduced diagnostic set. By relying primarily on magnetic coil currents and a small number of global signals, the approach directly addresses the diagnostic constraints anticipated in future fusion power plants. The results demonstrate that meaningful plasma boundary reconstruction is possible even in data-limited environments, highlighting the potential role of AI/ML-based surrogates as fast, robust components of next-generation plasma control and protection systems. The research represents a close public–private collaboration between the Orlov Lab at UC San Diego and Next Step Fusion, carried out at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility.

The published article is available online at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-plasma-physics/article/neural-network-reconstruction-of-the-diiid-tokamak-plasma-boundary-using-a-reduced-set-of-diagnostics/78810E6B4AA03B52D381FFA9A0029ECE

January 10, 2026

Paper on Machine-Learning-Based Plasma Confinement State Identification Accepted in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

Our paper, “Plasma Confinement State Classification via FPP-Relevant Microwave Diagnostics,” has been accepted for publication in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. The authors are Randall Clark, Vacslav Glukhov, Georgy Subbotin, Maxim Nurgaliev, Aleksandr Kachkin, Max E. Austin, and Dmitri Orlov. This work presents a parsimonious and robust machine-learning framework for identifying plasma confinement states using a severely constrained diagnostic set relevant to fusion power plants. Relying exclusively on electron cyclotron emission measurements, the approach demonstrates accurate and reliable L-mode / H-mode classification without the need for in-vessel diagnostics, achieving high performance while remaining compatible with the operational constraints of future fusion power plants. The research highlights the potential of minimalist, ML-driven state identification as a key element of resilient plasma control architectures for next-generation fusion devices.

The accepted manuscript is available online at: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6587/ae363c

January 7, 2026

Paper on Reconstruction-Free Reinforcement Learning Plasma Control Accepted in Nuclear Fusion

Our paper, “Demonstration of reconstruction-free static magnetic control of DIII-D plasma with deep reinforcement learning,” has been accepted for publication in Nuclear Fusion. The authors are Georgy Subbotin, Dmitry Sorokin, Maxim Nurgaliev, Alexander Granovskiy, Ivan Kharitonov, Evgeny Adishchev, Eduard Khairutdinov, Randall Clark, Heather Shen, Wilkie Choi, Jayson Barr, and Dmitri Orlov. This work presents the development and experimental validation of a deep reinforcement learning–based magnetic control approach on the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, enabling real-time plasma shape and position control directly from raw magnetic diagnostic signals without reliance on equilibrium reconstruction. The research represents a collaboration between University of California San Diego, Next Step Fusion, and General Atomics, and highlights the growing role of machine learning–based control in advanced tokamak operation.

The accepted manuscript is available online at: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1741-4326/ae34c6

January 5, 2026

Jessica Eskew Begins DOE SCGSR Fellowship at DIII-D

We are pleased to share that Jessica Eskew, a Ph.D. student from Auburn University, has begun her U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Fellowship at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. During her appointment, Jessica will work with our group on research focused on magnetic island bifurcation and magnetic topology control for runaway electron mitigation in tokamaks. We are excited to welcome Jessica and look forward to her contributions to our fusion energy research efforts.

News - 2025

October 23, 2025

The Dual-Electron Cyclotron Emission Based Measurement of 3D Structures on DIII-D Tokamak

Our collaborative paper, “The Dual-Electron Cyclotron Emission Based Measurement of 3D Structures on DIII-D Tokamak”, led by Xiaoliang Li and Guanying Yu (University of California, Davis), has been accepted for publication in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion.

The study introduces a dual-Electron Cyclotron Emission (dual-ECE) diagnostic method for detecting three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic structures—such as locked modes and magnetic islands—essential for maintaining plasma stability in fusion devices. Unlike traditional magnetic diagnostics, which face material and radiation limitations in future Fusion Pilot Plants (FPPs), the dual-ECE approach provides a non-invasive, microwave-based solution using two toroidally separated ECE systems.

Experiments on DIII-D demonstrate that dual-ECE accurately identifies the onset and structure of locked modes and resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs), enabling disruption-free real-time control. Simulations further indicate that small magnetic islands (width > 2 cm) can be detected in ITER plasmas, showing strong potential for improving stability monitoring and control in next-generation reactors.

This work was carried out through a collaboration between University of California, Davis; Institute of Energy, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center (China); Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory; General Atomics; University of Texas – Austin; University of California, Irvine; Auburn University; University of California, San Diego; and Princeton University.

Read the accepted manuscript here: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6587/ae163d

October 21, 2025

Error Field Measurements with Rotating RMP Fields for DIII-D H-mode

Our collaborative paper, “Error Field Measurements with Rotating RMP Fields for DIII-D H-mode”, led by Yanzheng Jiang (General Atomics) with contributions from Edward J. Strait, Qiming Hu, Nikolas C. Logan, SeongMoo Yang, Colin Chrystal, Daisuke Shiraki, Jeremy Hanson, Shengyu Shi, Dmitri M. Orlov, and Wilkie Choi, has been accepted for publication in Nuclear Fusion.

The study presents a torque balance technique using 3D magnetic sensors to identify the amplitude and toroidal phase of intrinsic error fields (EFs) in DIII-D plasmas. This method enables disruption-free EF measurements using only magnetic diagnostics—without requiring plasma rotation data. The analysis demonstrates that including viscous torque is essential for accurate fitting in H-mode plasmas, and that L- and H-mode plasmas exhibit distinct EF configurations. The technique shows strong robustness across operating conditions, providing a pathway toward optimized error field correction and improved plasma stability in future fusion devices.

Read the accepted manuscript here: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1741-4326/ae151c

October 19, 2025

Plasma Confinement State Classification via FPP-Relevant Microwave Diagnostics

Our latest manuscript, “Plasma Confinement State Classification via FPP-Relevant Microwave Diagnostics”, by Randall Clark, Vacslav Glukhov, Georgy Subbotin, Maxim Nurgaliev, Aleksandr Kachkin, Max Austin, and Dmitri M. Orlov, has been posted on arXiv.

This work presents a minimalist and robust machine learning framework for identifying plasma confinement states — L-mode and H-mode — under the diagnostic constraints expected in future Fusion Power Plants (FPPs). Using only electron cyclotron emission (ECE) signals, the approach achieves 96% accuracy in classification, demonstrating that reliable confinement state detection can be accomplished without complex or invasive diagnostics. The study highlights ECE as a resilient, FPP-ready diagnostic and outlines a path toward simplified yet dependable plasma control architectures.

Read the full preprint here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.14078

September 11, 2025

Understanding Plasma Turbulence through Exact Coherent Spacetime Structures

Our work, “Understanding Plasma Turbulence Through Exact Coherent Spacetime Structures”, by Sidney D. V. Williams, Matthew N. Gudorf, and Dmitri M. Orlov, was published in Physics of Plasmas 32, 092302 (2025).

The paper addresses one of the central challenges in fusion research: plasma turbulence and its role in cross-field transport. It introduces a framework based on nonlinear dynamics and periodic orbit theory to analyze turbulence in terms of exact coherent spacetime structures—recurrent patterns that form the underlying skeleton of turbulent dynamics.

Using the Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation as a reduced model, the study identifies a catalog of these recurrent solutions and shows that statistical averages such as energy, dissipation, and transport properties can be reconstructed from them. This approach demonstrates how seemingly chaotic turbulence can be decomposed into predictable building blocks, opening a pathway toward more physically grounded models of plasma transport.

Read the full article here: https://pubs.aip.org/aip/pop/article/32/9/092302/3362849/Understanding-plasma-turbulence-through-exact

September 6, 2025

Our latest article, “MHD, disruptions and control physics: Chapter 4 of the special issue on the path to tokamak burning plasma operation”, has been published in Nuclear Fusion.

This comprehensive review, prepared by the ITPA MHD, Disruptions and Control Topical Group, surveys major progress in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability, plasma disruptions, and control over the past decade and a half. The paper revisits fundamental issues first outlined in the ITER Physics Basis (2007) and highlights advances that are critical for ITER and future reactor-grade devices such as DEMO.

Key topics include robust control of sawtooth oscillations, improved understanding and suppression of neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) and resistive wall modes (RWMs), and detailed exploration of error field physics. The review also examines the rapid evolution of disruption prediction using artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as advances in mitigation strategies such as shattered pellet injection. Finally, it provides an in-depth discussion of plasma magnetic control in ITER and its implications for long-pulse, disruption-resilient operation.

This article is part of the Nuclear Fusion Special Issue: On the Path to Tokamak Burning Plasma Operation, a collection of papers by ITPA Topical Physics Groups.

Read the full article here – https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/ade7a0

July 27, 2025

Sean Lyons Joins Orlov Lab as UCSD MAE Graduate Student

We are pleased to welcome Sean Lyons to the Orlov Lab as a new graduate student in the UC San Diego Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Sean joins us from Carleton College, bringing with him hands-on experience from two SULI internships at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, where he conducted research in both the summer of 2024 and 2025. We are excited to have Sean on board and look forward to his contributions to our fusion energy research efforts.

July 11, 2025

Orlov Lab Launches New Logo, Mission, and Vision Statements

We are excited to announce that Orlov Lab has unveiled a new logo, along with official Mission and Vision statements that reflect the identity and values of our group. The new logo symbolizes our focus on plasma physics and fusion energy, while aiming to create a recognizable and unifying brand for our research team. Our Mission and Vision statements highlight our commitment to advancing fusion science through theory, simulations, and experiments, and to training the next generation of scientists. You can find the logo, Mission, and Vision on the Orlov Lab Research page of this website.

February 11, 2025

Our latest article, “MagNetUS: a magnetized plasma research ecosystem,” has been published today in the Journal of Plasma Physics.

MagNetUS is a network of scientists and research groups dedicated to advancing fundamental magnetized plasma research in the United States. The network aims to unite a broad research community, integrating experimental and numerical tools to foster collaboration, resource sharing, and joint scientific efforts.

This article outlines the motivation behind MagNetUS, its goals, and its organizational structure, providing insights into its formation and evolution. It also highlights the network’s associated experimental facilities and numerical projects, showcasing key scientific topics being explored. Looking ahead, we discuss the vision for the future of MagNetUS and its role in shaping the field of magnetized plasma research.

Read the full article here - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-plasma-physics/article/magnetus-a-magnetized-plasma-research-ecosystem/97FC37030122B0A92D4B407A8F547220

January 9, 2025

Our paper, “Conceptual Design of ELM Control Coils for the TCABR Tokamak,” by F.M. Salvador et al., has been published in Fusion Engineering and Design. This work details the conceptual design of an innovative upgrade to the Tokamak à Chauffage Alfvén Brésilien (TCABR), aimed at enabling a highly controlled environment to study the impact of resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) fields on edge-localized modes (ELMs). The upgrade includes a unique set of in-vessel RMP coils, consisting of three toroidal arrays on both the low-field side and high-field side, each with 18 coils, allowing for the generation of RMP fields with toroidal mode numbers and enhanced control over the poloidal mode number spectrum. These 108 coils are independently powered by high-performance power supplies, capable of delivering up to 4 kV and 2 kA with continuously variable frequencies between 0 Hz and 10 kHz, enabling the simultaneous rotation of RMP fields with different toroidal mode numbers and velocities. To optimize performance, the coil geometry and number of turns were carefully determined based on physical criteria to minimize operational currents and voltages. The design process incorporated both the vacuum approach and the single-fluid response approach using the M3D-C1 code, accounting for linear plasma response. This publication represents a significant step in advancing the study and control of plasma behavior in tokamaks.

The full article is available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920379624006380.

News - 2024

December 17, 2024

We are pleased to announce that our paper, “Gyrokinetic simulations of the effects of magnetic islands on microturbulence in KSTAR”, has been accepted for publication in Nuclear Fusion. This work, authored by Xishuo Wei, Javier Hernandez-Nicolau, PhD, Gyungjin Choi, Zhihong Lin, SeongMoo Yang, SangKyeun Kim, WooChang Lee, Chen Zhao, Tyler Cote, JongKyu Park, and Dmitri Orlov, investigates how magnetic islands influence ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence in the KSTAR tokamak under resonant magnetic perturbations.

Using advanced gyrokinetic simulations, we uncover critical insights into the nonlinear interactions that control turbulent transport. Specifically, we find that self-generated vortex flows and zonal flows interact with ITG turbulence to form anisotropic structures of fluctuations and transport across poloidal and toroidal planes. Our results show that magnetic islands significantly enhance the turbulent transport of particles and heat, with transport varying toroidally and peaking near the island X-point when located at the outer mid-plane.

Importantly, our simulations demonstrate strong quantitative agreement with KSTAR experimental observations, particularly in terms of time frequency and perpendicular wavevector spectra. These findings offer a deeper understanding of turbulence and transport processes in tokamak plasmas, contributing to ongoing efforts in the development of fusion energy.

The preprint is now available on arXiv. This work reflects the collaborative effort of an outstanding team and marks an important step forward in plasma turbulence research.

December 4, 2024

Our paper, “Validation of NSFsim as a Grad-Shafranov Equilibrium Solver at DIII-D”, has been accepted for publication in the journal Fusion Engineering and Design. Authored by Randall Clark, Maxim Nurgaliev, Eduard Khairutdinov, Georgy Subbotin, Anders Welander, and Dmitri Orlov, this work validates NSFsim—a new simulator developed from the DINA code—for modeling plasma shape and transport.

The study demonstrates NSFsim’s capability to replicate plasma shapes, poloidal flux distributions, and diagnostic signals at DIII-D across five configurations: Lower Single Null (LSN), Upper Single Null (USN), Double Null (DN), Inner Wall Limited (IWL), and Negative Triangularity (NT). Comparisons with EFIT reconstructions and GSevolve simulations underscore NSFsim’s robustness in advancing fusion research.

The preprint is available on arXiv.

Nov 27, 2024.

Reminder: 2024 MagNetUS Joint Call for Runtime Proposals

The 2024 MagNetUS Joint Call for Runtime Proposals is open! Submit your proposal to access runtime at top plasma research facilities: BaPSF, WiPPL, MPRL, DIII-D Frontier Science, and PHASMA.

• Deadline: December 15, 2024

• Eligibility: Open to all, including students and early-career scientists

• Details: Outline scientific goals, runtime needs, and facility requirements

Learn more and apply: MagNetUS Joint Call 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity—submit today!

Aug 30, 2024.

Zachary Yam graduated from UC San Diego in June 2024 and was accepted into the UC Santa Barbara Department of Chemical Engineering graduate school.

Aug 25, 2024.

Mark Prince spent this summer with our research team as a SULI student. Mark worked on the expansion of the EPED-NN database for DIII-D RMP ELM suppressed discharges. He will present this work at the APS DPP annual meeting in Atlanta (October 2024).

Aug 20, 2024.

Sidney Williams joined our research team as a UC San Diego Physics graduate student. Sidney's research project is focused on the near scrape-off layer physics and the periodic orbit theory.

Aug 17, 2024.

Our paper "DIII-D research to provide solutions for ITER and fusion energy" by Chris Holcomb et al. was published in the Nuclear Fusion journal under Open Access (DOI 10.1088/1741-4326/ad2fe9).

The DIII-D tokamak research program utilizes a favourable combination of fusion-relevant size, flexible and varied actuators, and outstanding diagnostics to provide scientific solutions for ITER and FPPs. Program achievements in the last two years discussed in the paper range from focused and detailed physics model validation studies to broad scope integrated operational scenario development, and address processes from the core plasma to divertor surfaces and the main chamber walls. Results fall into three general categories that are the organizational basis for the paper: section 2 highlights investigations of requirements for high core plasma performance, including transport, confinement, stability, and disruption mitigation; section 3 covers boundary heat and particle transport studies, including understanding and optimizing the pedestal, fuelling, divertors, and impurity influx; and section 4 reports integrated operational scenarios for ITER and FPPs, including ELM control solutions, burn control, high-performance steady states, and NT. Conclusions and discussion of future possibilities for research on DIII-D are discussed in section 5.

Apr 19, 2024.

Dr. Dmitri M. Orlov was elected as the Vice-Chair of the US Transport Task Force.

Mar 28, 2024.

DIII-D National Fusion Facility now has a new User Guide. The User Guide is the gateway to seamless navigation and integration with DIII-D’s features and tools. It aism to deliver valuable information for productive research to potential DIII-D users and collaborators and to be part of a vibrant, global community.

Feb 17, 2024.

From my colleagues:

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of the PNET24 Organizing Committee, we invite you to fill out a survey that aims to assess the community needs related to plasma-focused, formal and informal education, public engagement, DEIA, and related broader impact activities.

The results from the survey will be presented at the 2024 PlasmaNET workshop on Plasma Communication and Engagement in UCLA, April 12-14 and summarized in a publicly available report after the meeting.

Meeting website.

On behalf of the PNET24 Organizing Committee

Evdokiya (Eva) Kostadinova (Auburn)

Shannon Greco (PPPL)

Arturo Dominguez (PPPL)

Jan 16, 2024.

The 11th International Workshop on Stochasticity in Fusion Plasmas (SFP) is all set to continue its successful series of meetings. This event marks a significant gathering for experts and enthusiasts in the field of fusion plasma research.

The official website for SFP11 is now live! Explore more details and updates at: http://www.iek-yig.de/SFP11/index.htm

Important Dates:

Abstract Submission Deadline: February 29th, 2024

Selection Decision Announcement: March 11th, 2024

Registration & Fee Payment Deadline: March 31st, 2024

Workshop: April 15-17, 2024

Workshop Sessions Include:

- Long-pulse Operation and Detachment with 3D Boundary

- 3D Interaction Between Topology and Plasma Transport

- Magnetic Perturbations and ELM Control

- 3D MHD Equilibrium and Core MHD Instabilities

- Integrated Diagnostic Development and Mapping Technology

Venue: The workshop will be held at the Physikzentrum Bad Honnef (PBH) in Bad Honnef, Germany. Nestled by the beautiful Rhine River and close to Bonn, PBH has been a hub for scientific exchange since 1976, offering an ideal and stimulating environment for research conferences.

Jan 15, 2024.

Our paper "Progress Towards Edge-Localized Mode Suppression via Magnetic Perturbations in Hydrogen Plasmas" by Nils Leuthold et al. was published in the Nuclear Fusion journal under Open Access (DOI 10.1088/1741-4326/ad1625).

Edge-localized modes (ELMs) suppression in low collisionality deuterium plasmas using resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) is known for reducing divertor heat loads. However, its effectiveness in hydrogen and hydrogen + helium mixtures, planned for use in ITER's pre-fusion power operation (PFPO) phase, remains unproven. Recent experiments at DIII-D and ASDEX Upgrade aimed to achieve ELM suppression with RMPs in ITER-like hydrogen plasmas. DIII-D's experiments, simulating ITER PFPO's expected conditions, encountered H–L backtransitions which were mitigated by helium dilution. However, challenges like higher hydrogen neutral density hindered achieving the necessary density for RMP-ELM suppression. At ASDEX Upgrade, full ELM suppression in hydrogen plasmas was not achieved, with significant mitigation observed above certain hydrogen concentrations. These experiments indicate potential barriers to RMP-ELM suppression in ITER PFPO phase and point to gaps in our understanding, particularly regarding turbulence's role in the pedestal gradient region.

News - 2023

Dec 20, 2023.

SAVE THE DATE:

US-EU Transport Task Force

April 8-12, 2024 | Asheville, North Carolina

Upcoming Deadlines:

Registration Opens: Thursday, January 18

Oral & Plenary Abstracts Due: Thursday, February 23

Poster Abstracts Due: Friday, March 15

The US-EU Transport Task Force (TTF) aims to develop a physics-based understanding of particle, momentum, and heat transport in magnetically confined fusion plasmas. This understanding should be of sufficient depth that it allows the development of predictive models of plasma transport that can be validated against experiments and then used to simulate the future performance of burning plasmas and aid the design and optimization of next-step fusion energy reactors. To succeed in transport science, it is essential to characterize local fluctuations and transport in fusion-grade plasmas, understand the basic mechanisms responsible for transport, and ultimately control these transport processes. These goals must be pursued in multiple research thrusts, and the TTF workshop focus topics evolve to reflect emerging advances in understanding physics.

Learn More on our website: https://conferences.union.wisc.edu/ttf/

Contact Conference Management: TTF-2024@union.wisc.edu or (608) 265-6534

Dec 15, 2023.

Our paper "Progress Towards Edge-Localized Mode Suppression via Magnetic Perturbations in Hydrogen Plasmas" by Nils Leuthold et al. was accepted for publication in the Nuclear Fusion journal.

Nov 30, 2023.

WHAT – 2023 Call for Runtime Proposals: Frontier Science at BaPSF, DIII-D, MPRL, and WiPPL

WHERE – http://callforruntimeproposals.org/

WHEN – Proposals are due Jan 5, 2024.

Dependent on the availability of congressional appropriations and Frontier Plasma Science Collaborative Research Facilities (CRF) operations and resources, we are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to explore the frontiers of plasma science using the Basic Plasma Science Facility (University of California Los Angeles), Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory (University of Wisconsin - Madison), Magnetized Plasma Research Laboratory (Auburn University) and DIII-D National Fusion Facility at General Atomics, San Diego.

Proposals are invited for runtime beginning in 2024 on topics that advance the frontiers of plasma science and engineering. Recent reports, such as the NASEM Plasma 2020 Decadal Report and the DOE FESAC Long Range Planning Report (2021), provide guidance on frontier topics in plasma science and engineering.

Proposals will be selected based on:

- Intellectual Merit

- Technical Approach

- Team and Facility readiness

- Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plan

More details about the facilities, application process, past awardees, and necessary document templates, as well as a list of contacts at each facility, are located at the http://callforruntimeproposals.org/ website. Applicants are encouraged to engage relevant experts from the DIII-D, BaPSF, WiPPL, and MPRL programs to assist in developing proposals and carrying out experiments. If you have questions about this 2023 Call for Runtime Proposals, you can send them to Joseph Olson (joseph.olson@wisc.edu).

Proposals are due by Jan 5, 2024. Proposers are expected to be notified in February 2024.

Oct 30, 2023.

Dr. Dmitri M. Orlov was elected as the Vice-Chair of the MagNetUS organization.

Oct 12, 2023.

Randall Clark will be joining our research team as a postdoc. Randall will work on the tokamak plasma control system simulations using DINA code and verification in the DIII-D tokamak.

Oct 10, 2023.

Vasilii Khavin joined our research group as a UC San Diego MAE graduate student. His research will focus on the nonlinear plasma response modeling of RMP ELM suppression.

Oct 5, 2023.

Our letter "Experimental Validation of a Kinetic Ballooning Mode in High-Performance High-Bootstrap Current Fraction Fusion Plasmas" was published in the Physical Review Letters. You can view the letter at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.145101.

Fusion tokamak reactors are desired to operate in a fully noninductive high-performance state. Creating an internal transport barrier (ITB) can strongly elevate the plasma performance and facilitate steady-state operation by increasing the so-called “bootstrap current” fraction. The pressure gradient spontaneously generates the bootstrap current due to a toroidal geometry effect in tokamaks. In this letter, we report the observation of a set of coherent high-frequency electromagnetic fluctuations that leads to a turbulence-induced self-regulating phenomenon in the DIII-D high bootstrap current fraction plasma. The fluctuations are located in the internal transport barrier region at a large radius and are experimentally validated to be kinetic ballooning modes. Quasilinear estimation predicts the KBM to be able to drive experimental particle flux and non-negligible thermal flux, suggesting its significant role in regulating ITB saturation.

Sept 29, 2023.

Dr. Dmitri M. Orlov was elected to the Sherwood Fusion Theory Executive Committee (2023-2026).

Sept 4, 2023.

Our article "Energetic electron transport in magnetic fields with island chains and stochastic regions" was published in the Journal of Plasma Physics. This work reports on DIII-D experiments that help us understand fundamental questions of solar physics and space weather. You can view the article at https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377823000879 (Open Access).

This work reports on DIII-D experiments that help us understand fundamental questions of solar physics and space weather. We investigate energetic electron transport in magnetized toroidal plasmas with magnetic fields characterized by island chains and regions of stochastic field lines produced by coil perturbations. In these DIII-D experiments, we utilize electron cyclotron heating and current drive pulses to ‘tag’ electron populations within different locations across the discharge. The cross-field transport of these populations is then inferred from electron cyclotron emission measurements and gamma emission signals from scintillator detectors.

Aug 30, 2023.

Our article, "Development of compact tokamak fusion reactor use cases to inform future transport studies", has now been published in Journal of Plasma Physics. You can view your article at https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377823000843 (Open Access).

We used the OMFIT STEP workflow has been used to develop inductive and steady-state H-mode core plasma scenario use cases for a B0 =8T, R0 =4m machine to help guide and inform future higher-fidelity studies of core transport and confinement in compact tokamak reactors. We presented an extensive characterization of core transport in both scenarios, the most important feature of which is the extreme sensitivity of the results to the quantitative stiffness level of the transport model used and the predicted critical gradients. We also showed that although heating in both plasmas is predominantly to the electrons and collisionality was low, the plasmas remained sufficiently well coupled for the ions to carry a significant fraction of the thermal transport. As neoclassical transport is negligible in these conditions, this situation inherently requires long-wavelength ion gyroradius-scale turbulence to be the dominant transport mechanism in both plasmas. In this paper, we combined these results with other basic considerations to propose a simple heuristic model of transport in reactor-relevant plasmas, along with simple metrics to quantify coupling and core transport properties across burning and non-burning plasmas.

Aug 23, 2023.

Our letter "First Experimental Validation of a Kinetic Ballooning Mode in High Performance High Bootstrap Current Fraction Fusion Plasmas" was accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters.

We report the observation of a set of coherent high frequency electromagnetic fluctuations that leads to a turbulence induced self-regulating phenomenon in the DIII-D high bootstrap current fraction plasma. The fluctuations have frequency of 130~ 220kHz, the poloidal wave length and phase velocity are 16~ 30 m−1 and ~ 30 km/s, respectively in the outboard midplane with the estimated toroidal mode number n~ 5-9. The fluctuations are located in the internal transport barrier (ITB) region at large radius and are experimentally validated to be kinetic ballooning modes (KBM). Quasi-linear estimation predicts the KBM to be able to drive experimental particle flux and non-negligible thermal flux, suggesting its significant role in regulating the ITB saturation.

Aug 8, 2023.

Dr. Dmitri Orlov is now an Affiliate Professor at the Department of Physics (COSAM) at Auburn University. This position will allow him to co-mentor Physics graduate students at Auburn, and be a member of Ph.D. committees.

June 6, 2023.

Our latest article “Summary Report from the Mini-Conference on Workforce Development Through Research-Based, Plasma-Focused Activities,” was published online on 06-01-2023 in Physics of Plasmas (Vol.30, Issue 6). The article includes many actionable recommendations, such as pursuing collaboration with Next Generation Science Standards to include the word “plasma” in K-12 curriculum and establishing a national plasma training program to support the growing workforce needs of the fusion energy sector, the semiconductor industry, and the breadth of plasma-enabled technologies.

For those, participating in the MagNetUS meeting, we will have a session where the findings of the report will be presented and discussed.

Apr 27, 2023.

Evan Bursch (University of Notre Dame) will join our team this summer. Evan will be a Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Internship student at DIII-D. He will work on understanding the error fields resulting from toroidal field coil bending during DIII-D plasma discharges.

Jan 21, 2023.

Zachary Yam (UC San Diego, Chemical Engineering) will join our team. He will work on the post-experimental analysis for the experiment "Formation of Organic Compounds through Meteoritic Atmospheric Shock."

Jan 06, 2023.

Our recent work on testing the spacecraft heat shield carbon ablation models using DIII-D plasmas was highlighted by the US DoE Office of Science - https://science.osti.gov/fes/Highlights/2023/FES-2023-01-a

News - 2022

Nov 22, 2022.

The 2022 Frontier Plasma Science Collaborative Research Facilities Call for Runtime Proposals deadline has been extended. The proposals are now due by Dec 16, 2022. If you haven’t yet contacted the facilities to discuss your proposal ideas, please do so ASAP.

Nov 16, 2022.

Congratulations to Michael O. Hanson on successfully defending his Master's Thesis "A 0-D Scaling Approach to the DIII-D L-H Power Threshold in the Presence of Resonant Magnetic Perturbations."

Nov 1, 2022.

The manuscript "Misalignment of magnetic field in DIII-D assessed by post-mortem analysis of divertor targets" by Rebecca Masline et al. was accepted for publication in the Nuclear Fusion journal.

Oct 25, 2022.

2022 CALL FOR RUNTIME PROPOSALS: FRONTIER SCIENCE AT BaPSF, DIII-D, MPRL, AND WIPPL

Dependent on the availability of congressional appropriations and Frontier Plasma Science Collaborative Research Facilities (CRF) operations and resources, we are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to explore the frontiers of plasma science using the Basic Plasma Science Facility (University of California Los Angeles), Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Magnetized Plasma Research Laboratory (Auburn University) and DIII-D National Fusion Facility at General Atomics, San Diego.

More details about the facilities, application process, past awardees, and necessary document templates, as well as a list of contacts at each facility, are located at the www.callforruntimeproposals.org website (https://sites.google.com/view/crfcallforruntimeproposals/). Questions regarding this 2022 Call for Runtime Proposals may be sent to Dmitri Orlov (orlov@fusion.gat.com). Applicants are encouraged to engage relevant experts from the DIII-D, BaPSF, WiPPL, and MPRL programs to assist in developing proposals and carrying out experiments.

A panel of plasma scientists will review proposals to recommend selections to Frontier Plasma Science CRF directors. Proposals are due by Nov 30, 2022. Proposers are expected to be notified in January 2023.

July 12, 2022.

The Bylaws Ad-hoc committee has finalized a draft of the proposed bylaws and is ready for the community to review and vote on adoption. The ad-hoc committee will give a short overview of the articles in the bylaws as written giving some background and rationale for how the committee incorporated the diverse feedback received from the community into the wording. The presentation will also introduce how the voting process will proceed. This presentation will be held on Thursday, July 21st at 2 pm ET / 11 am PT via Zoom. All interested MagNetUS stakeholders are encouraged to participate and a link will be sent out closer to the presentation date. A short Q&A session will be held, but note that this will not be an opportunity to make suggested changes. The vote of adoption will be held on the document as is.

Thanks,
MagNetUS Bylaws Ad-Hoc Committee: Mel Abler, Noah Hurst, Joe Olson, Dmitri Orlov, Derek Schaeffer, David Schaffner

June 23, 2022.

Joshua Abbatiello (U of South Florida) is joining our team as a UCSD Visiting Graduate student this summer. He will work on the activity coefficient calculations for urea and ammonia under different atmospheres (i.e. Hadean Earth atmosphere).

June 14, 2022.

The second annual meeting of the MagNetUS organization was held at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA on June 7 - 10, 2022, with virtual attendance options for those who wished to participate remotely. MagNetUS is a network of magnetized plasma experimental facilities with the shared goal of studying basic plasma science in a collaborative, inclusive environment.

April 21, 2022.

11th ITER International School at UC San Diego July 25-29, 2022

Dear Colleagues,

The US Burning Plasma Organization, along with the ITER Organization, UC San Diego, and General Atomics, will be hosting the 11th ITER International School (IIS) at UC San Diego July 25-29, 2022. This year’s topic is “ITER Plasma Scenarios and Control.” The school will bring together experts in these areas to present lectures at a level suitable for graduate students, post-docs, and early-career research faculty and staff. Attendees should be engaged in a fusion field, but will benefit from this program regardless of whether they are specializing in the scenarios and/or control subfields.

Students (that includes post-docs and early career research faculty and staff) are invited to present a poster of their research (in any fusion subfield) during the school.

For more information or to register for the IIS please visit https://iis2022.burningplasma.org/

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