From: irby@PSFC.MIT.EDU
Reply-To: IRBY@PSFC.MIT.EDU
Subject: Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
Organization: MIT
Newsgroups: sci.physics.plasma


Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
May 3, 2002



We are moving forward with the assembly of Alcator C-Mod and invessel work.
Work on ICRF, LH MIE, and DNB systems continued.


Physics
_______

J. Snipes gave a preview, at the C-Mod Weekly Physics meeting, of the talk he
will present in Garching on May 7 to the W7-AS and ASDEX-Upgrade groups on EDA
H-mode. It was an overview of C-Mod results focusing on the Quasi-Coherent
Mode and EDA. The talk is intended to give the W7-AS scientists an idea of
what we have found experimentally in EDA H-mode to compare with their own
results on Improved Confinement (IC) mode with their new divertor
configuration.


Operations
----------

All horizontal ports are now installed and diagnostics and instrumentation
are being installed where possible. The rf feedthroughs for the J-Port
antenna have been installed and are ready to be leak checked. Installation
of the antenna will proceed as soon as the feeds are proved to be leaktight.

All curved bus has been installed on the cylinder and nearly all connections
from the bus to the ef/oh coax extensions are complete. All cooling lines
have been installed. Following a series of inspections next week, we will
begin installation of the cryostat.


ICRF Systems
------------

We continued to test and calibrate new rf instrumentation. All the new
fault detection boards have been tested. The response time for these
boards is less than 200 ns. We continue to build up the instrumentation
racks with the new diagnostic, control, and fault electronics.

Work on the PLC control of the phaseshifters and stub tuners continued.


Lower Hybrid MIE Project
------------------------

We continued work on the TPS Optical Interface boards. Components are being
specified and ordered for the diode detectors that we have just received from
PPPL.


RFX DNB
-------

A layout design and a vendor have been chosen for the new LN2 feedline
for the cell. Work continued on PLC control software.


Diagnostics
-----------

Work continued on invessel installations and alignments of MSE, CXRS, fast
imaging fluctuation telescope, MHD antennas, the bolometer array, Penning
gauges, and new divertor thermocouples.

At PPPL, modification of the image bisector for the C-Mod MSE diagnostic
has been completed by the outside vendor, and the unit is back onsite.
To allow for the image bisector to be focused, external parts from C-Mod
were sent back to PPPL for modification as well. These reworks should
be done by the end of next week. The fiber optic ferrules are already at
MIT for fiber installation and polishing. A major goal of these reworks
was to make the internal optics mounts more robust against disruption forces.


Travel and Visits
-----------------

Catherine Fiore made a visit to the University of Iowa to attend the Committee
on the Status of Women in Physics of the APS meeting (funded by U of Iowa).

David Mikkelsen, PPPL, spent the week with the C-Mod group discussing and
evaluating methods of measuring the electron temperature gradient.