Abhay Ram, Principal Research Scientist, Paul Rivenberg, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, Martin Greenwald, Deputy Director, PSFC
Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
This series introduces plasma physics research and areas of related interest at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. See URL below. http://www.psfc.mit.edu/
Sponsor(s): Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, 617 253-8101, RIVENBERG@PSFC.MIT.EDU
| Jan/11 | Wed | 02:00PM-03:00PM | 1-190 |
MIT's pathway for accelerated demonstration with high-magnetic field tokamaks
An intro to key concepts of producing clean, safe, and carbon-free electricity from magnetic fusion energy, this talk will review current fusion energy research, and introduce MIT's proposed path to using high-field superconducting magnets to achieve fusion energy at smaller unit size, lower cost, and on a timescale relevant to climate change.
Zach Hartwig - Assistant Professor
| Jan/11 | Wed | 04:00PM-05:00PM | NW17-218 |
Visit the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, a major fusion energy experiment that recently completed its final fun with breakthrough results. Alcator C- Mod is the third in a series of tokamak devices at MIT that use very high magnetic fields to confine plasmas operating near 100,000,000 degrees.
Session Leaders TBD
| Jan/13 | Fri | 11:00AM-12:00PM | NW17-218 |
Exploring high-energy-density science at OMEGA and the NIF using MIT-developed nuclear diagnostics
This overview of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and High-Energy-Density (HED) science, highlights MIT¿s High-Energy-Density Division work at two major US ICF facilities: Omega and the NIF.
Hong Weng Sio - Graduate Student
| Jan/13 | Fri | 01:00PM-02:00PM | NW17-218 |
This tour showcases Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) research at MIT. The PSFC High-Energy-Density Physics group has developed and/or calibrated a number of nuclear diagnostics installed on the OMEGA laser at the University of Rochester, NY, and on the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, CA, to study nuclear products generated in fusion reactions.
Cody Parker - Postdoctoral Associate, Graeme Sutcliffe - Graduate Student
| Jan/13 | Fri | 02:00PM-03:00PM | NW17-218 |
NIF is the most energetic laser in the world, allowing access to high energy densities ranging from Mbars in solid state to Gbars in implosions. This enables the study of relevant physics spanning planetary cores, inertial confinement fusion, and supernovae. A summary of experiments and future capabilities will be presented.
Warren Hsing - Program Director, High Energy Density S&T, NIF
| Jan/23 | Mon | 02:00PM-03:00PM | NW17-218 |
One of the biggest hurdles to fusion energy is lack of funding. However, the recent announcement by Softbank of a $100 billion technology fund suggests that there *is* money available if we can create a financially attractive investment vehicle to commercialize fusion technology. In this talk, Prof. Lo will describe some of the necessary financial ingredients for launching such a fund.
Andrew Lo - Charles E. and Susan T. Harris Professor
| Jan/25 | Wed | 02:00PM-03:00PM | 1-190 |
It is reasonably well established that magnetic fields were not created in the Big Bang. A question naturally arises as to where they come from. Understanding cosmic magnetogenesis, as the problem is usually called, is plasma physics at its very best. Learn about these processes at an introductory level, and their role in magnetic field generation, amplification and dynamics.
Nuno Loureiro - Assistant Professor, NSE
| Feb/02 | Thu | 02:00PM-03:00PM | NW17-218 |
What tools exist, or could reasonably be developed, to directly alter the Earth's climate? What are the limits to solar geoengineering? What are the ethics might apply to the development of such tools?
David Keith - Gordon McKay Prof. of Applied Physics