| 1. |
- Lorenzini, R., et al.
(författare)
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Self-organized helical equilibria as a new paradigm for ohmically heated fusion plasmas
- 2009
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Ingår i: Nature Physics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1745-2473 .- 1745-2481. ; 5:8, s. 570-574
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the quest for new energy sources, the research on controlled thermonuclear fusion has been boosted by the start of the construction phase of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). ITER is based on the tokamak magnetic configuration, which is the best performing one in terms of energy confinement. Alternative concepts are however actively researched, which in the long term could be considered for a second generation of reactors. Here, we show results concerning one of these configurations, the reversed-field pinch (RFP). By increasing the plasma current, a spontaneous transition to a helical equilibrium occurs, with a change of magnetic topology. Partially conserved magnetic flux surfaces emerge within residual magnetic chaos, resulting in the onset of a transport barrier. This is a structural change and sheds new light on the potential of the RFP as the basis for a low-magnetic-field ohmic fusion reactor.
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| 2. |
- Martin, P., et al.
(författare)
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Overview of RFX-mod results
- 2009
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Ingår i: Nuclear Fusion. - : IOP Publishing. - 0029-5515 .- 1741-4326. ; 49:10, s. 104019-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With the exploration of the MA plasma current regime in up to 0.5 s long discharges, RFX-mod has opened new and very promising perspectives for the reversed field pinch (RFP) magnetic configuration, and has made significant progress in understanding and improving confinement and in controlling plasma stability. A big leap with respect to previous knowledge and expectations on RFP physics and performance has been made by RFX-mod since the last 2006 IAEA Fusion Energy Conference. A new self-organized helical equilibrium has been experimentally achieved ( the Single Helical Axis-SHAx-state), which is the preferred state at high current. Strong core electron transport barriers characterize this regime, with electron temperature gradients comparable to those achieved in tokamaks, and by a factor of 4 improvement in confinement time with respect to the standard RFP. RFX-mod is also providing leading edge results on real-time feedback control of MHD instabilities, of general interest for the fusion community.
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| 3. |
- Tuccillo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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Overview of the FTU results
- 2009
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Ingår i: Nuclear Fusion. - : IOP Publishing. - 0029-5515 .- 1741-4326. ; 49:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spontaneous increases in plasma density, up to similar to 1.6 times the Greenwald value, are observed in FTU with lithized walls. These plasmas are characterized by profile peaking up to the highest obtained densities. The transport analysis of these discharges shows a 20% enhancement of the energy confinement time, with respect to the ITER97 L-mode scaling, correlated with a threshold in the peaking factor. It has been found that 0.4 MW of ECRH power, coupled at q = 2 surface, are sufficient to avoid disruptions in 0.5 MA discharges. Direct heating of magnetic islands produced by MHD modes determines current quench delay or avoidance. Supra-thermal electrons generated by 0.5 MW of lower hybrid power are sufficient to trigger precursors of the electron-fishbone instability. Evidence of spatial redistribution of fast electrons, on the similar to 100 mu s typical mode timescale, is shown by the fast electrons bremsstrahlung diagnostic. From the presence of new magnetic island induced accumulation points in the continuous spectrum of the shear Alfven wave spectrum, the existence of new magnetic island induced Alfven eigenmodes (MiAE) is suggested. Due to the frequency dependence on the magnetic island size, the feasibility of utilizing MiAE continuum effects as a novel magnetic island diagnostic is also discussed. Langmuir probes have been used on FTU to identify hypervelocity (10 km s(-1)), micrometre size, dust grains. The Thomson scattering diagnostic was also used to characterize the dust grains, present in the FTU vacuum chamber, following a disruption. Analysis of the broad emitted light spectrum was carried out and a model taking into account the particle vaporization is compared with the data. A new oblique ECE diagnostic has been installed and the first results, both in the presence of lower hybrid or electron cyclotron waves, are being compared with code predictions. A time-of-flight refractometer at 60 GHz, which could be a good candidate for the ITER density feedback control system, has also been tested.
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| 4. |
- Annibaldi, S. V., et al.
(författare)
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Dust-acoustic dispersion relation in three-dimensional complex plasmas under microgravity
- 2007
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Ingår i: New Journal of Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 1367-2630. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A series of dedicated experiments with the Plasma Kristal Experiment ( PKE)-Nefedov ( Nefedov et al 2003 New J. Phys. 5 33) set-up were performed on board the International Space Station to measure the dispersion relation ( DR) for the longitudinal dust-acoustic ( DA) waves in quasi-isotropic three-dimensional ( 3D) complex plasmas. The waves were excited by applying ac electric modulation of variable frequency to the radio frequency ( rf) electrodes. The amplitude of excitation was varied with frequency to ensure a 'sufficiently linear' regime of the dust density perturbations. The DR was obtained by measuring the induced density perturbations, revealing fairly good agreement with a simple multispecies theory of DA waves.
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| 5. |
- Illuminati, S., et al.
(författare)
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In-situ trace metal (Cd, Pb, Cu) speciation along the Po River plume (Northern Adriatic Sea) using submersible systems
- 2019
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Ingår i: Marine Chemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0304-4203. ; 212, s. 47-63
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Information on the distribution and speciation of trace metals is of critical importance for our ability to interpret the links between the bioavailability and uptake of an element, and its biogeochemical cycle in coastal environments. Within the framework of the European Project "In-situ automated Monitoring of Trace metal speciation in Estuaries and Coastal zones in relation with the biogeochemical processes (IMTEC)", the chemical speciation of Cd, Pb and Cu was carried out along the Po River plume in the period 27 October - 2 November 2002. During the cruise, five Voltammetric In-situ Profiling systems and one Multi Physical Chemical Profiler, as well as conventional voltammetric instruments, were successfully applied in order to evaluate the distribution of Cd, Pb and Cu between different fractions (free ion, dynamic, colloidal, dissolved and particulate fractions) and to assess the evolution of these fractions during estuarine mixing and in the water column. Dynamic concentrations were 0.05-0.2 nmol L-1 Cd, 0.02-0.2 nmol L-1 Pb, and 0.15-4.0 nmol L-1 Cu. Cd was mainly present as dynamic fraction (40-100% of the dissolved Cd). High proportions of Pb (similar to 70%) and Cu (similar to 80%) were present as colloids probably of biogenic origin. Principal components analysis reveals a strong influence of the Po River discharge on the spatial and vertical distributions of metal species. Almost all the metal fractions globally decreased following the salinity gradient. Metal concentrations are far below (at least one order of magnitude lower) the Environmental Quality Standard established by the Italian law. However, the Cu dynamic fraction showed concentrations likely to be toxic to sensitive phytoplankton community and to have negative effects on larva development of coastal macroinvertebrate species (toxicity data extracted from literature).
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| 6. |
- Alfier, A., et al.
(författare)
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Energy confinement in high current RFX-mod plasmas
- 2007
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Ingår i: 34th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2007, EPS 2007 - Europhysics Conference Abstracts. - 9781622763344 ; , s. 415-418
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)
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| 7. |
- Annibaldi, Silvia Valeria, et al.
(författare)
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Strong transport reduction in the helical core of the reversed-field pinch
- 2007
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Ingår i: Physics of Plasmas. - : AIP Publishing. - 1070-664X .- 1089-7674. ; 14:11, s. 112515-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An explanation of the strong heating observed in the core of a reversed-field pinch in the quasi-single-helicity state is presented. A magnetic island is formed, in which the heat transport coefficient is much smaller than in the surrounding chaotic sea, because of the formation of well defined magnetic surfaces. The values of the thermal conductivity obtained with the M1TEV [F. Porcelli , Phys. Rev. Lett 82, 1458 (1999)] two-dimensional transport code are in very good agreement with the estimates of the ion diffusion coefficient inside the island, given by a Hamiltonian guiding center code. Moreover, the values of thermal conductivity are in the tokamak range, and are consistent with the peak temperatures measured in the Reversed Field eXperiment [P. Sonato , Fusion Eng. Des. 66-68, 161 (2003)] at Consorzio RFX, Padova, Italy. The effect of the island width and the different powers deposited inside the island on the final temperature peak are also investigated.
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