Concept

Electrothermal instability

Related publications (24)

Study of kinetic effects on MHD instabilities in cylindrical geometry using a spectral hybrid kinetic-MHD code

Machine-scale instabilities in fusion devices are commonly described using magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), however kinetic effects can significantly affect MHD instabilities through kinetic compression and wave-particle interaction. We propose a new code that solves the drift-kinetic-MHD equations using a spectral method, formulated using a Case-Van Kampen approach (N. G. Van Kampen, Physica 21 , 949 (1955)). The eigenvectors of the standardised eigenvalue problem are composed of the perpendicular MHD-like disp

IOP Publishing2026

Variability of MHD instabilities in benign termination of high-current runaway electron beams in the JET and DIII-D tokamaks

Benign termination, in which magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities deconfine runaway electrons (REs) following hydrogenic injections, is a promising strategy for mitigating dangerous RE loads after disruptions. Recent experiments on the Joint European Torus (JET) have explored this scenario at higher pre-disruptive plasma currents than are achievable on other devices, revealing challenges in obtaining benign terminations at I p ≥ 2.5 MA. This work analyzes the evolution of these high-current RE beams and

IOP Publishing Ltd2026

Advances in 3D transient plasma dynamics and control through MHD and hybrid fluid-kinetic simulations with JOREK

Transient phenomena and their control are of high relevance in magnetic confinement fusion plasmas to guarantee a stable and safe plasma operation. Interpretative simulations can maximize the insights gained from experiments on present machines and predictive simulations can help in the preparation of design, mitigation techniques and operational scenarios for future devices. In this article, we provide an overview of recent advances and novel scientific results obtained with the 3D non-linear hybrid fluid-

IOP Publishing Ltd2026

The Divertor Tokamak Test facility research plan

The Divertor Tokamak Test facility (DTT) is a device presently under construction at the ENEA site in Frascati (Italy) in the framework of a joint public/private partnership. It has been designed as a superconducting tokamak with breakeven class performance, with the main objective of developing credible solutions for heat and particle exhaust, a key challenge in view of future fusion reactors. This needs to be addressed in a core-edge integrated approach, to assess the compatibility of exhaust solutions wi

2026

Spherical Tokamak Physics Research in Preparation for the Operation of Nstx-u

The National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) is preparing to resume operation, representing a crucial step toward realizing compact, cost-effective fusion pilot plants. In advance of this, extensive modeling and data analysis have been conducted to advance the physics basis for low-aspect-ratio, high-performance plasma regimes, focusing on three core objectives: confinement and stability, power and particle handling, and steady-state operation. Significant progress has been made in understanding

IOP Publishing Ltd2026

ELM suppression and confinement in negativetriangularity with stronger shaping in ASDEXUpgrade

Recent experiments conducted during the 2025 campaign in ASDEX Upgrade have pushed the limits of negative triangularity shaping, achieving top triangularity values of δ top ∼-0.55 while keeping bottom triangularity around 0 in diverted plasmas. Guided by ideal-MHD stability calculations using the linear MHD BALOO solver and supported by TCV results, these experiments have demonstrated a transition to an edge that is more stable against peeling-ballooning modes, leading to ELM-free pl

IOP Publishing2026

A new kinetic-MHD code based on the Case-Van Kampen approach for studying magnetic fusion relevant instabilities

Kinetic effects of bulk and fast particles in tokamaks can significantly impact the stability predictions of Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes. Hybrid kinetic-MHD models are typically used to estimate these effects. Many such existing codes compute the kinetic effects by solving a reduced drift-kinetic or gyrokinetic equation semi-analytically, which often involves approximations limiting the type of orbits that can be accurately reproduced. Others solve particle orbits as a time evolution problem, requiring

EPFL2026

MHD, disruptions and control physics: Chapter 4 of the special issue: on the path to tokamak burning plasma operation

Olivier Sauter, Timothy Goodman, Holger Reimerdes

In this chapter, we review the progress in MHD stability, disruptions and control in magnetic fusion research that has occurred over the past (more than) one and a half decades since the publication by Hender et al in 2007 on the same topic as part of the update of ITER Physics Basis. During this period, remarkable progress has been achieved in the understanding of the basic physics and overall control of MHD instabilities through a wide spectrum of dedicated experiments, theory and modeling. The sawtooth a

IOP Publishing Ltd2025

The Properties of Resistive Mhd Modes and Unstable Spectra in Advanced Tokamak Regimes

Advanced tokamak regimes, featuring extended regions of low magnetic shear, are promising candidates for future fusion reactors but are also more prone to specific kinds of MHD instabilities. The proximity to a rational surface in a very low shear region weakens field line bending stabilisation and amplifies the effects of toroidal coupling between modes, leading to the emergence of long-wavelength resistive infernal modes. These modes can grow collectively as a discrete spectrum, leading to a cascade of di

IOP Publishing Ltd2025

Integrated Modeling of Alpha Particle Losses in Jet Dt Plasmas

Alpha particle confinement is crucial for sustaining burning plasmas and designing future reactor concepts. Along with classical/prompt losses, various magnetohydrodynamic instabilities can lead to wave-particle interactions which can transport alpha particles outward from the plasma. This can result in a reduction in plasma heating/performance, and, at worst, damage in-vessel components. Joint European Torus's recent deuterium-tritium campaigns in 2021-2023 have produced numerous alpha particle loss measur

IOP Publishing Ltd2025

Gravity-driven thin films: flow and dissolution

The present thesis deals with gravity-driven thin-film flows in various configurations. We study the late-time drainage of a fixed liquid volume on a saddle topography, where the concurrent convergent and divergent natures of the flow render the pure-drainage equation, accounting only for the driving tangential component of gravity, singular. In fact, a hydrostatic boundary layer regularises the flow in the vicinity of the saddle point. We characterise it and discuss its universality to all topographies, pr

EPFL2025

Dissipative coherent structures and satellite comb generation in dispersion-periodic Kerr microresonators

Recent developments of integrated photonic platforms have opened unique possibilities for on-chip generation of coherent and broadband frequency combs, both in normal and anomalous dispersion regimes via the generation of coherent nonlinear structures [1]. The potential role played by quasi-phase matching in dispersion engineering for this has remained an open question. As it happens, Si3N4 microresonator frequency combs typically employ waveguides with a large cross sections to reduce propagation loss and

IEEE2023

ITER baseline scenario investigations on TCV and comparison with AUG

Under the auspices of EUROfusion (WPMST1), the ITER baseline scenario (IBL, [1]) is jointly investigated on AUG and TCV. While the AUG results were presented at the last IAEA FEC [2], this contribution focuses on the recent results obtained in TCV and related integrated modelling results. Such developments in TCV were only possible with the installation of an NBI heating source [3], allowing ELMy H-modes at ITER relevant N. The IBL scenario is mainly characterized by low q95 (3.0-3.6), high positive triang

IAEA (FEC2021)2021

The JOREK non-linear extended MHD code and applications to large-scale instabilities and their control in magnetically confined fusion plasmas

Cristian Sommariva, Sun Hee Kim, Fang Liu

JOREK is a massively parallel fully implicit non-linear extended magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) code for realistic tokamak X-point plasmas. It has become a widely used versatile simulation code for studying large-scale plasma instabilities and their control an ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2021

High-power gyrotrons for electron cyclotron heating and current drive

Minh Quang Tran

In many tokamak and stellarator experiments around the globe that arc investigating energy production via controlled thermonuclear fusion, electron cyclotron heating and current drive (ECH&CD) are used for plasma start-up, heating, non-inductive current dr ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2019

Predictive control of spiral vortex breakdown

François Avellan, François Gallaire, Simon Pasche

The predictive control of the self-sustained single spiral vortex breakdown mode is addressed in the three-dimensional flow geometry of Ruith et al. (2003) for a constant swirl number S = 1.095. Based on adjoint optimization algorithms, two different contr ...

Cambridge University Press2018

Losses of runaway electrons in MHD-active plasmas of the COMPASS tokamak

Cristian Sommariva, Joan Decker

The significant role of magnetic perturbations in mitigation and losses of runaway electrons (REs) was documented in dedicated experimental studies of RE at the COMPASS tokamak. REs in COMPASS are produced both in low density quiescent discharges and in di ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2017

Generalised zonal modes in stationary axisymmetric plasmas

Jonathan Graves

The MHD model enables derivation and analysis of the rich structure of geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) and zonal modes in axisymmetric magnetic confined plasmas. The modes are identifiable from a single dispersion relation as two branches of slow magnetoson ...

IoP2017

Conceptual design of the EU DEMO EC-system: main developments and R&D achievements

Stefano Alberti, Minh Quang Tran, Falk Hans Braunmüller, Ioannis Pagonakis

For the development of a DEMOnstration Fusion Power Plant the design of auxiliary heating systems is a key activity in order to achieve controlled burning plasma. The present heating mix considers electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH), neutral beam i ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2017

Simulation of profile evolution from ramp-up to ramp-down and optimization of tokamak plasma termination with the RAPTOR code

Olivier Sauter, Federico Alberto Alfredo Felici, Antoine Pierre Emmanuel Alexis Merle, Doohyun Kim, Anna Teplukhina

The present work demonstrates the capabilities of the transport code RAPTOR as a fast and reliable simulator of plasma profiles for the entire plasma discharge, i.e. from ramp-up to ramp-down. This code focuses, at this stage, on the simulation of electron ...

2017

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Related publications (24)

Study of kinetic effects on MHD instabilities in cylindrical geometry using a spectral hybrid kinetic-MHD code

Stephan Brunner

IOP Publishing2026

Variability of MHD instabilities in benign termination of high-current runaway electron beams in the JET and DIII-D tokamaks

IOP Publishing Ltd2026

The JOREK non-linear extended MHD code and applications to large-scale instabilities and their control in magnetically confined fusion plasmas

Cristian Sommariva, Sun Hee Kim, Fang Liu

IOP Publishing Ltd2021

Simulation of profile evolution from ramp-up to ramp-down and optimization of tokamak plasma termination with the RAPTOR code

Olivier Sauter, Federico Alberto Alfredo Felici, Antoine Pierre Emmanuel Alexis Merle, Doohyun Kim, Anna Teplukhina

2017