Plasma Science and Fusion Center IAP Series
Jeffrey Freidberg, Peter Catto, Joseph Snipes
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
Sponsor: Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Three Mile Island - Colossal Failure or Colossal Success?
Andrew Kadak
The Three Mile Island accident in 1979 was a significant turning point for the future of nuclear power in the United States. The seminar will discuss what happened and why, and will ask whether this was a colossal failure or a success. The seminar will be broken into two sessions - one just before lunch and one after lunch to ponder the points raised.
Mon Jan 22, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
Three Mile Island Communications – Good, Bad or Ugly?
Andrew Kadak
What can you believe about how events are reported? Prof. Kadak will discuss the impact ofThree Mile Island as it relates to how the event was managed and described to the public. Videos from the period highlight the drama of the event and the critical communications issues that shaped the public’s opinion about nuclear energy then and now.
Mon Jan 22, 01:30-02:30pm, NW17-218
A Superconducting Path to Electric Power Efficiency
Joseph Minervini
Superconductivity and cryogenics technologies can be used to increase the cost effectiveness, efficiency, stability, power quality and capacity of the electrical power grid. Looking beyond their potential impact on our present portfolio of power sources, these technologies may also be needed for large scale implementation of renewable sources, such as wind and solar.
Tue Jan 23, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
Carbon Free Electricity: Can Technology Beat Global Warming?
Brendan McNamara Leabrook Computing
An optimistic view of how Coal, Wind, and Nuclear Energy can stay within emissions limits to provide affordable electricity for thousands of years. It will be shown how technology developments can keep pace with the speed of climate change if society can agree on the requirements.
Tue Jan 23, 02-03:30pm, NW17-218
Magnetic Reconnection; A Celestial Phenomenon in the Laboratory
Jan Egedal
What do Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) from the Sun, the occurrence of Auroras (Northern light) and the VTF experiment at MIT have in common? VTF simulates the magnetic field explosions in the solar coronal and the Earth's magnetosphere, unlocking the secretes of the most violent phenomena in our solar system.
Mon Jan 29, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
Living on the Edge: Materials & Fusion Plasmas
Dennnis Whyte
Life isn't easy for materials at the edge region of fusion experiments and reactors. The required exhaust of heat through the material is like placing it at the surface of the sun, while at the same time the plasma is bombarding the material with enormous quantities of damaging high-energy particles. Advances and challenges in edge plasma and materials research for fusion research will be described.
Mon Jan 29, 02-03:00pm, NW17-218
Alcator C-Mod: Tokamak Science for ITER and Beyond
Earl Marmar
Alcator C-Mod is a high field, high performance divertor tokamak, operating with ITER magnetic field and plasma pressure, at about 1/10 ITER size. Current experiments and plans will be described in the context of R&D needs for ITER and for fusion reactors
Tue Jan 30, 02-03:00pm, 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, inspired by observing space plasmas around planets. Come see what makes these experiments unique.
Tue Jan 30, 03-04:00pm, NW17-218
Latest update: 06-Dec-2006
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