High-Fidelity Gyrokinetic Simulation of Tokamak and ITER Edge Physics

PI Choongseock Chang, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Co-PI Mark Adams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Luis Chacon, Los Alamos National Laboratory
R. Michael Churchill, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Stéphane Ethier, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Robert Hager, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Scott Klasky, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Seung-Hoe Ku, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Scott Parker, University of Colorado
Aaron Scheinberg, Jubilee Development
Mark Shephard, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Sarat Sreepathi, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Benjamin Sturdevant, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Award INCITE
Hours 1,440,000 Node-Hours
Year
Domain Physics
Chang Grahpic

Poincare plot of the magnetic field structure at quasi-saturation, which shows island structures around the mode rational surfaces. Around q=1 surface (inner most island formation area), the m/n=1/1 mode experiences fast periodic crash,

Project Summary

This INCITE project uses use the gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code XGC to study the fundamental edge physics issues critical to the success of ITER and the magnetic fusion energy programs. 

Project Description

This project uses  use the gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code XGC to study two fundamental edge physics issues critical to the success of ITER and the magnetic fusion energy programs: (1) understanding and thus promoting innovative ways to achieve the transition from low- to high-confinement mode operation; and (2) a high-enough plasma edge pedestal in the high-mode with a wall heat-flux density below the material limit.

Achieving ITER’s goal of a 10-fold energy gain depends critically on resolving these two issues. The nonlocal, multiscale, nonlinear plasma physics across the open and closed magnetic field geometries, which demand unstructured triangular mesh and neutral particle recycling, make the problem an extremely large one that requires trillions of marker particles for ITER.

Based on previous INCITE allocations, for physics the project will focus on the large-size effect (compared to the ion gyroradius) in the Fusion Power Operation phase (FPO) of ITER and in future magnetic-fusion reactors.

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