During the past year the NSO activity has focused on the design of a compact high field tokamak as a potential next step in the U.S. Magnetic Fusion program. Discussions held at Snowmass and at a series of talks throughout the community have helped to identify the mission and issues that a next step experiment should be designed to address. The present design concept is the Fusion Ignition Research Experiment (FIRE). Background material on the FIRE Physics Program and Engineering Design, burning plasma experiments and fusion can be found at the FIRE home page.
A number of physics issues have been identified that have high impact on the FIRE design and are generic to Next Step Options. These include: power and particle handling in the divertor, disruption characterization and amelioration, incorporation of AT modes, H-mode power threshold scaling, sustainment of high performance, and others to be developed during the workshop. The goal of the FIRE Physics Workshop is to understand and assess physics issues driving the FIRE design, and to develop a near term plan to address these issues. A general layout of the FIRE schedule for the next two years is aimed at being ready to start Conceptual Design of a Next Step Option at the beginning of FY 2002. We anticipate the formation of a FIRE Program Advisory Committee with a first meeting in July 2000 to lead into finalization of the the FIRE Preconceptual Engineering Design and Cost estimate in July. This to be followed by peer reviews of the engineering and costing. Note that a FESAC review of Next Step Options is also being planned for this fiscal year.
If you have any questions or comments about the agenda and technical discussions, please send email to Steve Jardin or Dale Meade. We will update the agenda and add a section on this page with additional background information for the workshop prior to the meeting. We will also post the presentations and conclusions of the workshop after the meeting.
We are posting background technical information for people to study prior to the workshop. This will be rapidly evolving. Please send suggestions for information or you contribution for posting as an email attachment to Dale Meade.
The FIRE Physics Workshop audio and video of the conference room will be broadcast using RealPlayer technology. This video lets you see only the general layout of the conference room. It does not allow you to read the VGs. The address for the RealPlayer broadcast will be fire.rm We recommend RealPlayer (version 6 or higher) and that you check it out this week. If you have difficulties and need help, call 609-243-2275 or email help@pppl.gov.
The vu-graphs will be broadcast on the B318 showstation: With a browser, connect to Fire Show Station The name is fire and the password will be fire. All lower case.
We have established an ethernet connection to simulate a real time Chat Room in the conference room. You can email comments and VGs for presentation to fire@pppl.gov. The mail will be checked every minute and relayed to the session chair or discussion leader for presentation.
A limited number of call in lines are available by which remote participants can ask questions directly. When you want to ask a question please dial 609-243-2822, wait for the beep, then enter the four digit pass code. This takes about 20 seconds, you can then ask your question, and enter the discussion. When not actively involved in the discussion, please hang up so others can call in and ask their question. This will work if people don't hang on the line. Note, this is not an 800 number. If you want to use one of the rotating call-in lines send an email to fire@pppl.gov and we will email you the pass code by early Monday morning.
If you want to send a CHIT (question or comment) to a particular speaker or individual, send an email to fire@pppl.gov. All chits will be recorded and you will be sent a response.
The Workshop will be held at PPPL in room LSB-318 (old TFTR conference room) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday May 1-3, 2000. Please contact Autumn Percival at 609-243-2653 (FAX: 609-243-3315) or email Autumn Percival if you are planning to attend.
Travel information and maps to PPPL from the Newark or Philadelphia airports
FIRE home page