Workshop on Burning Plasma Science
Topical Group on Energetic Alpha-Particle Physics
List of Issues

This topical group will endeavor to address the five key questions underlying this workshop by exploring the following suggested list of issues:
  1. What surprises in alpha particle transport might be encountered at the reactor scale.
  2. What the effects of alpha particles will be on macrostability--e.g., sawteeth, fishbones, etc.
  3. Whether alpha diagnostics will be adequate for exploring scientific questions, and what new alpha diagnostic development might be needed.
  4. What the impact of Alfven eigenmodes (TAE, BAE) and Energetic Particle Modes will be on transport, profile evolution, etc.
  5. What new alpha physics regimes are accessible with innovative concepts, and what is the extent of commonality among various devices-e.g., ST, stellarator, FRC, RFP, tokamak, etc.
  6. How RF control of plasma and wave interaction with alphas could be useful, e.g., for current drive, transport control, etc.
  7. To what extent alpha simulation experiments could be performed in present facilities to elucidate the above physics issues.
Other issues may also be discussed, as appropriate. Please feel free to make recommendations to the topical group coordinators:
Raffi Nazikian, Princeton University, rnazikian@pppl.gov
Jim Van Dam, University of Texas, vandam@physics.utexas.edu


Overarching Questions

The preceding List of Issues is for the purpose of addressing the five key questions of the workshop. These five key questions can be reduced to two overarching questions, from the point of view of energetic alpha particle physics, as follows:

  1. What are the key issues in energetic particle physics relevant to a tokamak burning plasma experiment and how have recent developments affected our confidence in assessing these issues?
  2. What broader benefits would a tokamak burning plasma experiment provide in terms of improved understanding of energetic particle phenomena, enhanced predictive capability and assessment of issues relevant to other magnetic confinement concepts?

Abstracts from Discussion Leaders

Collective alpha-particle effects in burning plasma experiments, N. N. Gorelenkov, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Discussion of Nonlinear Energetic Particle Issues, B. Breizman, Institute for Fusion Studies

Challenges for predictive simulations of alpha particle-driven modes in burning plasma, G. Y. Fu, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

An Assessment of Phase Space Engineering, H. L. Berk, Institute for Fusion Studies

Relevance of tokamak burning plasma physics to other magnetic confinement concepts, W. Heidbrink, UC Irvine

m=1 Burning Issues, F. Porcelli, MIT/Politecnico Di Torino

Interaction of sawteeth, Alfven eigenmodes, and fast ion transport: Progress in predictive understanding and challenges for burning plasma experiments, S. Bernabei, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Kinetic Ballooning Mode: Physics Issues in a Burning Plasma Experiment, C. Z. Cheng, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Diagnostics for Burning Plasma Physics Studies: A Status Report, K.M. Young, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory


Other Contributed Documents

From Yearning to Burning: Possible broad-brush guidelines for "burning plasma" thinking, M. Rosenbluth, UCSD/General Atomics

A number of other documents relevant to burning plasmas have been conveniently archived at the FIRE web site.