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


Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
June 7, 2002



All power tests were completed this week with successful operation of the
TF and OH supplies. Commissioning of the lower hybrid high voltage
power supply has been completed. We continue to prepare ICRF and
diagnostic systems for plasma operation.


Operations
----------

Power tests of Alcator C-Mod continued on Thursday with successful tests
of the TF and OH supplies and magnets. Following these tests, the machine
was operated successfully with all supplies under hybrid control. On
Friday, plasma operation was regained with a 500 kA discharge. Conditioning
of the vessel will continue over the next 10 days while many staff
physicists attend the National Tokamak Workshop in San Diego.


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

Following an extensive period of testing, the lower hybrid high voltage
supply commissioning was completed this week. Acceptance tests have
also been completed successfully. Tests of the klystrons using the
new supply will begin within the next two weeks. Water loads are being
added to the klystrons that will be used for the tests.


ICRF
----

We continue to work on re-installation of rf transmission line hardware.
Work also continues on the new control system, which we expect to begin
installing in the cell and power room next week.


RFX DNB
-------

The beam has been operated for three days this week to condition it.
Typical parameters were 50 kV acceleration voltage with 4 amps of
unneutralized current. The beam has been fired into C-Mod
in synchronization with a shot. The optical monitors in the duct for
the reionization and component mix were installed and are being aligned and
calibrated. The LN2 level monitors for the cryo pump were completed and
tested in preparation for installation of the automatic fill system.


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

Miklos Porkolab attended the PPPL 50 year anniversary celebrations and
gave an invited talk entitled "Waves in High Temperature Plasmas:
A Perspective on 50 Years of Science and the Promise of Applications".

J. Terry, C.S. Pitcher, B. Lipschultz, and B. LaBombard
attended the 15th Plasma-Surface Interaction Conference in
Controlled Fusion Devices in Gifu, Japan, May 27-31.
Two oral and seven poster presentations where made by MIT personnel
and collaborators. Three papers where submitting for publication in J.
Nucl Mater. The poster: "Toroidal rotation as an explanation for plasma
flow observations in the Alcator C" received an "excellent
poster" award. The next PSI conference (May 2004) will be
held in Portland, ME, hosted by the MIT PSFC with B. Lipschultz
as conference chairman.

Gerd Schilling, PPPL, was at MIT this week to help with the preparations for
the US Tokamak Planning Workshop and for discussions on ICRF progress.


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