53 research outputs found
Overview of the JET results in support to ITER
The 2014–2016 JET results are reviewed in the light of their significance for optimising
the ITER research plan for the active and non-active operation. More than 60 h of plasma
operation with ITER first wall materials successfully took place since its installation in
2011. New multi-machine scaling of the type I-ELM divertor energy flux density to ITER
is supported by first principle modelling. ITER relevant disruption experiments and first
principle modelling are reported with a set of three disruption mitigation valves mimicking
the ITER setup. Insights of the L–H power threshold in Deuterium and Hydrogen are given,
stressing the importance of the magnetic configurations and the recent measurements of
fine-scale structures in the edge radial electric. Dimensionless scans of the core and pedestal
confinement provide new information to elucidate the importance of the first wall material on
the fusion performance. H-mode plasmas at ITER triangularity (H = 1 at βN ~ 1.8 and n/nGW
~ 0.6) have been sustained at 2 MA during 5 s. The ITER neutronics codes have been validated
on high performance experiments. Prospects for the coming D–T campaign and 14 MeV
neutron calibration strategy are reviewed.European Commission (EUROfusion 633053
Beam-Ion Acceleration during Edge Localized Modes in the ASDEX Upgrade Tokamak
The acceleration of beam ions during edge localized modes (ELMs) in a tokamak is observed for the first
time through direct measurements of fast-ion losses in low collisionality plasmas. The accelerated beamion
population exhibits well-localized velocity-space structures which are revealed by means of tomographic
inversion of the measurement, showing energy gains of the order of tens of keV. This suggests that
the ion acceleration results from a resonant interaction between the beam ions and parallel electric fields
arising during the ELM. Orbit simulations are carried out to identify the mode-particle resonances
responsible for the energy gain in the particle phase space. The observation motivates the incorporation of a
kinetic description of fast particles in ELM models and may contribute to a better understanding of the
mechanisms responsible for particle acceleration, ubiquitous in astrophysical and space plasmas.H2020 Marie- Sklodowska Curie programme (Grant No. 708257)Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. FIS2015-69362-
Overview of progress in European medium sized tokamaks towards an integrated plasma-edge/wall solution
Integrating the plasma core performance with an edge and scrape-off layer (SOL) that leads
to tolerable heat and particle loads on the wall is a major challenge. The new European
medium size tokamak task force (EU-MST) coordinates research on ASDEX Upgrade
(AUG), MAST and TCV. This multi-machine approach within EU-MST, covering a wide
parameter range, is instrumental to progress in the field, as ITER and DEMO core/pedestal
and SOL parameters are not achievable simultaneously in present day devices. A two prong
approach is adopted. On the one hand, scenarios with tolerable transient heat and particle
loads, including active edge localised mode (ELM) control are developed. On the other hand,
divertor solutions including advanced magnetic configurations are studied. Considerable
progress has been made on both approaches, in particular in the fields of: ELM control with
resonant magnetic perturbations (RMP), small ELM regimes, detachment onset and control,
as well as filamentary scrape-off-layer transport. For example full ELM suppression has now
been achieved on AUG at low collisionality with n = 2 RMP maintaining good confinement
HH(98,y2) 0.95. Advances have been made with respect to detachment onset and control.
Studies in advanced divertor configurations (Snowflake, Super-X and X-point target divertor)
shed new light on SOL physics. Cross field filamentary transport has been characterised in a
wide parameter regime on AUG, MAST and TCV progressing the theoretical and experimental
understanding crucial for predicting first wall loads in ITER and DEMO. Conditions in the
SOL also play a crucial role for ELM stability and access to small ELM regimes.European Commission (EUROfusion 633053
Physics and operation oriented activities in preparation of the JT-60SA tokamak exploitation
The JT-60SA tokamak, being built under the Broader Approach agreement jointly by Europe
and Japan, is due to start operation in 2020 and is expected to give substantial contributions
to both ITER and DEMO scenario optimisation. A broad set of preparation activities for
an efficient start of the experiments on JT-60SA is being carried out, involving elaboration
of the Research Plan, advanced modelling in various domains, feasibility and conception
studies of diagnostics and other sub-systems in connection with the priorities of the scientific
programme, development and validation of operation tools. The logic and coherence of this
approach, as well as the most significant results of the main activities undertaken are presented
and summarised.EURATOM 63305
Exploring CP Violation with Decays
We point out that the pure ``tree'' decays are
particularly well suited to extract the CKM angle through amplitude
relations. In contrast to conceptually similar strategies using or decays, the advantage of the approach is that
the corresponding triangles have three sides of comparable length and do not
involve small amplitudes. Decays of the type -- the
-spin counterparts of -- can be added to the
analysis, as well as channels, where the - and -mesons are
replaced by higher resonances.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX, 3 figures, reference adde
Implementation of synthetic fast-ion loss detector and imaging heavy ion beam probe diagnostics in the 3D hybrid kinetic-MHD code MEGA
A synthetic fast-ion loss (FIL) detector and an imaging Heavy Ion Beam Probe (i-HIBP) have been implemented in the 3D hybrid kinetic-magnetohydrodynamic code MEGA. First synthetic measurements from these two diagnostics have been obtained for neutral beam injection-driven Alfvén Eigenmode (AE) simulated with MEGA. The synthetic FILs show a strong correlation with the AE amplitude. This correlation is observed in the phase-space, represented in coordinates (P, E), being toroidal canonical momentum and energy, respectively. FILs and the energy exchange diagrams of the confined population are connected with lines of constant E, a linear combination of E and P. First i-HIBP synthetic signals also have been computed for the simulated AE, showing displacements in the strike line of the order of ∼1 mm, above the expected resolution in the i-HIBP scintillator of ∼100 μm.This work received funding from the European Starting Grant (ERC) from project 3D-FIREFLUC and from the Spanish Ministry of Science under Grant No. FPU19/02267. This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 and 2019-2020 under grant agreement No 633053. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission
On the optimal measuring area for pointwise rainfall estimation: a dedicated experiment with 14 laser disdrometers
Laser disdrometers measure the particle size distribution (PSD) of hydrometeors through a small cross-sectional (tens of square centimeters) surface. Such a limited area induces a sampling effect in the estimates of the PSD, which translates to error in the reflectivity–rain-rate (Z–R) relationship used for ground radar estimates of rainfall, estimates of kinetic energy of precipitation, and any other hydrometeorological application relying on particle size information. Here, the results of a dedicated experiment to estimate the extent of the effect of limited area sampling of rainfall are presented. Using 14 Parsivel, version 1 (Parsivel-1), disdrometers placed within 6 m2, it was found that the combined area of at least seven disdrometers is required for the estimates to start converging to a stable value. The results can be used to quantify the degree of over-/underestimation of precipitation parameters for a single instrument due to the limited collecting area effect. It has been found that a single disdrometer may underestimate instantaneous rain rate by 70%.Funding from projects CGL2013-
48367-P, CGL2016-80609-R (Ministerio de Economía y
Competitividad), UNCM08-1E-086 (Ministerio de
Ciencia e Innovacion), and CYTEMA (UCLM) is
gratefully acknowledged
Characterization of scintillator screens under irradiation of low energy 133Cs ions
An imaging heavy ion beam probe (i-HIBP) diagnostic, for the simultaneous measurement of plasma density, magnetic field and electrostatic potential in the plasma edge, has been installed at ASDEX Upgrade. Unlike standard heavy ion beam probes, in the i-HIBP the probing (heavy) ions are collected by a scintillator detector, creating a light pattern or strike-line, which is then imaged by a camera. Therefore, a good characterization of the scintillator response is needed. Previous works focused on the scintillator behaviour against irradiation with light ions such as hydrogen and alpha particles. In this work we present the characterization of several scintillator screens — TG-Green (SrGa2S4:Eu2+), YAG-Ce (Y3Al5O12:Ce3+) and P11 (ZnS:Ag) — against irradiation with 133Cs+ ions, in an energy range between 5 and 70 keV and ion currents between 105 and 107ions/(s·cm2). Three main properties of the scintillators have been studied: the ionolumenescence efficiency or yield, the linearity and the degradation as a function of the fluence. The highest yield was delivered by the TG-Green scintillator screen with > 8·103 photons/ion at 50 keV. All the samples showed a linear response with increasing incident ion flux. The degradation was quantified in terms of the fluence F1/2, which leads to a reduction of the emissivity by a factor of 2. TG-Green showed the lowest degradation with F1/2= 5.4·1014ions/cm2. After the irradiation the samples were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). No trace of Cs was found in the irradiated regions. These results indicate that, among the tested materials, TG-Green is the best candidate for the i-HIBP detector.European Union’s Horizon 2020 (grant agreement No. 805162)Helmholtz Association VHNG-1350Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation FJC2019-041092-I
Characterization of scintillator screens under irradiation of low energy 133Cs ions
An imaging heavy ion beam probe (i-HIBP) diagnostic, for the simultaneous measurement of plasma density, magnetic field and electrostatic potential in the plasma edge, has been installed at ASDEX Upgrade. Unlike standard heavy ion beam probes, in the i-HIBP the probing (heavy) ions are collected by a scintillator detector, creating a light pattern or strike-line, which is then imaged by a camera. Therefore, a good characterization of the scintillator response is needed. Previous works focused on the scintillator behaviour against irradiation with light ions such as hydrogen and alpha particles. In this work we present the characterization of several scintillator screens - TG-Green (SrGa2S4:Eu2+), YAG-Ce (Y3Al5O12:Ce3+) and P11 (ZnS:Ag) - against irradiation with 133Cs+ ions, in an energy range between 5 and 70 keV and ion currents between 105 and 107 ions/(s·cm2). Three main properties of the scintillators have been studied: the ionolumenescence efficiency or yield, the linearity and the degradation as a function of the fluence. The highest yield was delivered by the TG-Green scintillator screen with > 8·103 photons/ion at 50 keV. All the samples showed a linear response with increasing incident ion flux. The degradation was quantified in terms of the fluence F1/2, which leads to a reduction of the emissivity by a factor of 2. TG-Green showed the lowest degradation with F1/2= 5.4·1014 ions/cm2. After the irradiation the samples were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). No trace of Cs was found in the irradiated regions. These results indicate that, among the tested materials, TG-Green is the best candidate for the i-HIBP detector.This work received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 805162).
G. Birkenmeier acknowledges funding from the Helmholtz Association under grant no. VHNG-1350. J. Galdon-Quiroga acknowledges funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under grant no. FJC2019-041092-I
Biochemical biomarkers for multiple sclerosis
Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most frequent demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.
Although there is currently no definite cure for MS, new therapies have recently been developed based on a
continuous search for new biomarkers.
Development: MS diagnosis relies on the integration of clinical, imaging and laboratory findings as there is still no
single pathognomonic clinical feature or diagnostic laboratory biomarker. The most commonly laboratory test
used is the presence of immunoglobulin G oligoclonal bands (OCB) in cerebrospinal fluid of MS patients. This test
is now included in the 2017 McDonald criteria as a biomarker of dissemination in time. Nevertheless, there are
other biomarkers currently in use such as kappa free light chain, which has shown higher sensitivity and
specificity for MS diagnosis than OCB. In addition, other potential laboratory tests involved in neuronal damage,
demyelination and/or inflammation could be used for detecting MS.
Conclusions: CSF and serum biomarkers have been reviewed for their use in MS diagnosis and prognosis to
stablish an accurate and prompt MS diagnosis, crucial to implement an adequate treatment and to optimize
clinical outcomes over time
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