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IAP 2006 Activities by Sponsor

Plasma Science and Fusion Center

Advanced Vacuum Technology Seminar
Johan De Rijke Varian Vacuum Technologies, Bob Childs
Wed Jan 25, 10am-02:00pm, NW17-218, Lunch provided

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 23-Jan-2006
Limited to 50 participants.
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: None but Basic Seminar is helpful

This seminar is an follow on to the Basic Seminar offered for the last three years and the day prior this year. It will focus on a review of vacuum concepts, rough and high vacuum calculations, conductance and pumping speed calculations and various vacuum formulas and techniques useful in the design and construction of vacuum systems.
Contact: Bob Childs, NW21-109, x3-1751, rchilds@psfc.mit.edu

Out of Gas - The End of the Age of Oil
David Goodstein California Institute of Technology
Thu Jan 12, 02-03:30pm, 4-370

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up

The world will start to run out of cheap, conventionally-produced oil much sooner than most people expect, possibly within this decade. This talk will discuss the reasoning that leads to that conclusion and the likely consequences if it is correct. It may be possible, with considerable difficulty, to substitute other fossil fuels for the missing oil, but if we do that we may do irreparable damage to Earth's climate. And even then we would start to run out of all fossil fuels, including coal, probably within this century. Can civilization survive if that happens? We will consider the possibilities.
Web: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~dg/
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, x3-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu
Cosponsor: Physics

Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: c

Out of Gas - The End of the Age of Oil


David Goodstein
Thu Jan 12, 02-03:30pm, 4-370

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

The world will start to run out of cheap, conventionally-produced oil much sooner than most people expect, possibly within this decade. This talk will discuss the reasoning that leads to that conclusion and the likely consequences if it is correct. It may be possible, with considerable difficulty, to substitute other fossil fuels for the missing oil, but if we do that we may do irreparable damage to Earth's climate. And even then we would start to run out of all fossil fuels, including coal, probably within this century. Can civilization survive if that happens? We will consider the possibilities.
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, 253-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu
Cosponsor: Physics

Plasma Science and Fusion Center IAP Series
Jeffrey Freidberg, Peter Catto, Steve Wukitch
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

This series introduces plasma physics research and areas of related interest at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. See URL below.
Web: http://www.psfc.mit.edu/
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, x3-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu

Star Trek: Magnetic Fusion's New Journey
Miklos Porkolab
In Cadarache, France, the world is about to embark on the largest international science project ever undertaken, building the International Tokamak Experimental Fusion Reactor (ITER), a high temperature, self-heated “burning” plasma experiment. This talk will present recent advances in high temperature plasma physics research on existing tokamak facilities and discuss some of the remaining physics issues surrounding ITER.
Tue Jan 10, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218

The Future Prospects of Fusion Plants
Farrokh Najmabadi UC San Diego
Tue Jan 10, 02-03:00pm, NW17-218

America the Powerless: Facing our Nuclear Energy Dilemma
Alan Waltar Director of Energy, DOE Pacific Northwest National Lab
America once provided clear global leadership in the development of civilian nuclear power. However, a set of concerns--including a fear of radiation, waste disposal, nuclear proliferation, risk phobia and the environmentalist movement--essentially stopped nuclear power growth in the U.S. during the 1980s and 1990s. The tide is now turning and the prospects for a nuclear renaissance appear to be quite strong.
Wed Jan 11, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218, Sponsored by NSE

Hydrodynamic Instabilities in Astrophysics and at High Energy Density
Paul Drake Laboratory for Astrophysical Simulations
In the evolution of both astrophysical systems and high-energy-density laboratory systems, hydrodynamic instabilities naturally evolve. The speaker will discuss the instabilities that appear in both environments, using examples taken from experiments aimed at Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF), from astrophysical systems, and from experiments using high-energy-density systems to address issues in astrophysics.
Wed Jan 11, 02-03:00pm, NW17-218

Radiation and Modern Life: Fulfilling Marie Curie's Dream
Alan Waltar Director of Energy, DOE Pacific Northwest National Lab
Radiation has been harnessed over the past hundred years to provide an astonishing array of benefits to modern life. Agriculture, medicine, industry, transportation, space exploration, public safety, environmental protection and electrical production have all been affected. In the U.S. alone, well over $400 billion is added to our economy annually from the applications of radiation, as well as over 4 million jobs.
Thu Jan 12, 10-11:00am, NW17-218, Sponsored by NSE

Out of Gas - The End of the Age of Oil
David Goodstein California Institute of Technology
The world will start to run out of cheap, conventionally-produced oil much sooner than most people expect, possibly within this decade. This talk will discuss the reasoning that leads to that conclusion and the likely consequences if it is correct. Cosponsored with the PSFC by Physics Department and the Energy Council.
Thu Jan 12, 02-03:30pm, 4-370

ITER-Relevant Research on Alcator C-Mod Tokamak
Bob Granetz
Despite its compact size, many of Alcator C-Mod's engineering and plasma parameters are comparable to those planned for ITER. This enables C-Mod to address a number of the physics issues relevant to ITER and to provide valuable input to ITER's design.
Fri Jan 13, 10-11:00am, NW17-218

Stable under Pressure: High Beta Plasmas in the (Almost) Levitated Dipole Experiment
Darren Garnier Columbia University
In its first year of operation, the Levitated Dipole Experiment has routinely produced stable high beta (the ratio of plasma to magnetic energy) plasmas with the dipole suspended by small supports. LDX is the first experiment to show such high beta plasma that is stabilized by compressibility. This talk will discuss the current challenges facing LDX, and the plans for levitation of the dipole.
Fri Jan 13, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218

Tour of PSFC Fusion Experiments
Tour guide to be announced
The PSFC is exploring fusion through two different devices. The Alcator C-Mod tokamak is a well tested approach that has produced decades of progress towards achieving fusion energy. The Levitated Dipole Experiment is a brand new approach, only been in operation since August. Come see what makes these experiments unique.
Fri Jan 13, 01-02:00pm, NW17-218 and NW21

Vacuum Technology Seminar
Johan DeRijke Varian Vacuum Technologies, Bob Childs
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 23-Jan-2006
Limited to 50 participants.
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: none

Intensive Two-day noncommercial class on vacuum fundamentals for graduate students and other vacuum users. See individual sessions for specifics. Taught by a vacuum engineer with 35 years experience in vacuum Technology and numerous patents to his credit. Seminar is co-hosted by Varian Vacuum Technologies and includes a free manual. Sign up for one or both of the seminars. The Basic seminar is not a prerequisite for the Advanced seminar but will help.
Contact: Bob Childs, NW21-109, x3-1751, rchilds@psfc.mit.edu

Basic Vacuum Technology
Johan DeRijke Varian Vacuum Technologies, Bob Childs
Some of the topics that will be discussed on the first day include high vacuum, ultra high vacuum, system pressure, total gas load, material selection, system pumping speed, vacuum pumps, system operation, and system troubleshooting.
Tue Jan 24, 10am-02:00pm, NW17-218, Lunch provided

Advanced Vacuum Technology
Johan DeRijke Varian Vacuum Technologies, Bob Childs
The second day will include a review of the vacuum technology concepts building on the subject with various vacuum formulas to include rough and high vacuum calculations, conductance and pumping speed calculations and techniques used in successful design and construction of vacuum systems.
Wed Jan 25, 10am-02:00pm, NW16-213, Lunch provided


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