Newsgroups: sci.physics.plasma
From IRBY@CMOD2.PFC.MIT.EDU Thu Mar 14 20:18:16 1996
From: IRBY@CMOD2.PFC.MIT.EDU
Organization: MIT
Subject: Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights

Alcator C-MOD Weekly Highlights
March 14, 1996


Alcator C-Mod is now up-to-air, and undergoing safety checks for diborane,
and neutron activation. In-vessel work will begin as soon as these checks
are complete. Following the end of the run campaign on March 1st,
the cryo system was shut down, and the machine was allowed to warm up to
room temperature. The vessel was brought up-to-air on March 8th, and a
single point neutron calibration was performed with a Californium
source inserted in-vessel.

This maintenance period will be used to make changes to the outer divertor
support structure, install the cryopump prototype (which is now in house),
do an extensive alternator inspection, continue installation of the
new transmitters, and implement selected diagnostic upgrades. As an ITER
support activity, we will also collect dust from the machine down to
the 2 micron level. The dust will be analyzed for size distribution
and composition. These issues are of great concern in fusion reactors
where the dust would be tritiated, and in some cases chemically
reactive.

On March 6th and 7th talks were given to our newly formed Program
Advisory Committee on status and plans for C-Mod. Included as part of
the presentation were talks given by several of our collaborators
on their current work and near term plans. Panel members able to attend
were Stewart Prager (University of Wisconsin), Richard
Hazeltine (University of Texas), David Hill (LLNL), Ted Strait (General
Atomics), Joel Hosea (PPPL), and Rip Perkins (ITER). Collaborators
presenting talks were Dave Johnson, Steve Jardin, and Randy Wilson
(all from PPPL), Ben Welch (University of Maryland), and Bill Rowan
(University of Texas). John Willis and Don Priester (OFES), and
Alan Wooten (University of Texas) also attended.