IAP 2001 Activity

Plasma Science and Fusion Center IAP Series Richard Temkin , Amanda Hubbard, Paul Bonoli No enrollment limit, no advance sign up Participants welcome at individual sessions (series) Prereq: none This Open House series is designed to introduce the MIT community to plasma physics research at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center, and areas of related interest. Refreshments will be available before each talk. Web: http://www.psfc.mit.edu/ Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, x3-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu Sponsor: Plasma Science and Fusion Center Combating Global Warming: Technologies for a Greenhouse Planet Martin Hoffert New York University Staunch alternative energy advocate Martin Hoffert makes a case for funding serious research and demonstrations aimed at breakthroughs in primary power technology which can transform the global energy system. These include superconducting transmission lines for terrestrial renewables; satellite solar power for developing nations; fission-fusion hybrid breeding of plutonium/thorium; proliferation-resistant fuel cycles; deuterium/helium-3 fusion reactions; and seawater, lunar and outer planet mining of fission and fusion fuels. For more information see http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/beyond/ Tue Jan 9, 10:30am-12:00pm, NW17-218 Confining a Fusion Fire - A Grand Challenge for Science and Technology Dale Meade Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory During the last decade of fusion energy research great progress has been made in raising plasma temperatures (over 300 million degrees C) and lengthening confinement times. Still, major technological and scientific challenges must be overcome to make fusion power a practical reality. The F.I.R.E. ignition experiment proposed at PPPL will be described. Fri Jan 19, 10-11:00am, NW17-218 Nature's Magnetic Bottle: An Introduction to the Levitated Dipole Experiment Darren Garnier Columbia University The PSFC's newest fusion science experiment, a collaboration with Columbia University, was inspired by observing how plasma is confined in the magnetosphere around Jupiter. This session is followed by a tour of the experiment. Fri Jan 19, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218 Tour of Levitated Dipole Experiment Darren Garnier Columbia University A tour the the Levitated Dipole Experiment will leave from NW17-218 after the 11 am talk by Darren Garnier. Fri Jan 19, 12-01:00pm, NW17-218 A Modern View of Fusion Power Plants Leslie Bromberg For more information about this mini-symposium presented in conjunction with the Nuclear Engineering Department go to http://websis.mit.edu/searchiap/iap-3290.html, or check the Nuclear Engineering IAP schedule. Mon Jan 22, 09:30am-04:00pm, NW17-218 The Tokamak Patisserie: a Gustatory Approach to Alcator C-Mod, or How to Make a Donut Appealing for Fusion Réjean Boivin This basic presentation on how tokamaks work will feature the latest questions scientists face in the quest for fusion. Torus-shaped pastries will be available for hands-on demonstration and consumption. No apron is required. Tue Jan 23, 10-11:00am, NW17-218 Tours: Alcator C-Mod and Versatile Toroidal Facility TBD Compare two experimental plasma devices: Alcator C-Mod, a high-field tokamak involved in fusion research, and the Versatile Toroidal Facility (VTF), built by MIT students and currently used to study magnetic reconnection and ionospheric plasmas. Tue Jan 23, 11am-12:00pm, Begins in NW17-218 Probing Cosmic Plasmas with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Claude Canizares Wed Jan 24, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218 Riddled Basins of Attraction of Chaotic Systems: Inevitable Uncertainties in the Outcomes of Experiments Ed Ott University of Maryland In certain situations it is possible for the dynamical behavior of chaotic systems to be such that even the qualitative character of the eventual long time motion may be uncertain. This calls into question whether even the qualitative outcomes of experiments for such systems can be repeated. This phenomenon is due to a "riddled" basin of attraction. This talk will discuss riddle basins in elementary terms, giving illustrative numerical and analytical examples. Wed Jan 24, 01-02:00pm, NW17-218 European Fusion Research: Highlights and Perspective Jean Jacquinot Association Euratom - CEA, Cadarache, France Dr. Jacquinot will discuss the European fusion research program, which encompasses strong efforts on tokamaks, stellarators and alternate concepts. The European program has already planned important new initiatives for the next decade. In the long run, Europe must decide on a commitment to the ITER project; the Cadarache Center is now preparing a bid to be the ITER site. Fri Jan 26, 11-12:00am, NW17-218 Latest update: 13-Dec-2000

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Listing generated: 31-Jan-2001