Towards laser based improved experimental schemes for multiphoton e+ e- pair production from vacuum

Numerical estimates for pair production from vacuum in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields are derived, for two experimental schemes : the First concerns a laser based X-FEL and the other imitates the E144 experiment. The approximation adopted in this work is that of two level multiphoton on resonance. Utilizing achievable values of laser beam parameters, an enhancedproduction efficiency of up to 10^11 and 10^15 pairs can be obtained, for the two schemes respectively.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

On electron-positron pair production using a two level on resonant multiphoton approximation

We present an indepth investigation of certain aspects of the two level on resonant multiphoton approximation to pair production from vacuum in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields. Numerical computations strongly suggest that a viable experimental verification of this approach using modern optical laser technology can be achieved. It is shown that use of higher harmonic within the presently available range of laser intensities can lead to multiphoton processes offering up to 10^12 pairs per laser shot. Finally the range of applicability of this approximation is examined from the point of view of admissible values of electric field strength and energy spectrum of the created pairs.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Real-time plasma state monitoring and supervisory control on TCV

In ITER and DEMO, various control objectives related to plasma control must be simultaneously achieved by the plasma control system (PCS), in both normal operation as well as off-normal conditions. The PCS must act on off-normal events and deviations from the target scenario, since certain sequences (chains) of events can precede disruptions. It is important that these decisions are made while maintaining a coherent prioritization between the real-time control tasks to ensure high-performance operation. In this paper, a generic architecture for task-based integrated plasma control is proposed. The architecture is characterized by the separation of state estimation, event detection, decisions and task execution among different algorithms, with standardized signal interfaces. Central to the architecture are a plasma state monitor and supervisory controller. In the plasma state monitor, discrete events in the continuous-valued plasma state are modeled using finite state machines. This provides a high-level representation of the plasma state. The supervisory controller coordinates the execution of multiple plasma control tasks by assigning task priorities, based on the finite states of the plasma and the pulse schedule. These algorithms were implemented on the TCV digital control system and integrated with actuator resource management and existing state estimation algorithms and controllers. The plasma state monitor on TCV can track a multitude of plasma events, related to plasma current, rotating and locked neoclassical tearing modes, and position displacements. In TCV experiments on simultaneous control of plasma pressure, safety factor profile and NTMs using electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and current drive (ECCD), the supervisory controller assigns priorities to the relevant control tasks. The tasks are then executed by feedback controllers and actuator allocation management. This work forms a significant step forward in the ongoing integration of control capabilities in experiments on TCV, in support of tokamak reactor operation

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 ${{H}_{\text{H}\left(98,\text{y}2\right)}}\approx 0.95$ . 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

Numerical investigation and potential tunability scheme on e+e- and φ+φ- stimulated pair creation from vacuum using high intensity laser beams

Numerical estimates for electrons and mesons particle-Antiparticle creation from vacuum in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields are derived, using the complete probability density relation of Popov's imaginary time method (Popov, JETP Lett. 13, 185 (1971); Sov. Phys. JETP 34, 709 (1972); Sov. Phys. JETP 35, 659 (1972); Popov and Marinov, Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. 16, 449 (1973); JETP Lett. 18, 255 (1974); Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. 19, 584 (1974)); (Popov, Phys. Let. A 298, 83 (2002)), and within the framework of an experimental setup like the E144 (Burke et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 1626 (1997)). The existence of crossing point among pair creation efficiency curves of different photon energies and the role of odd/even multiphoton orders in the production rates are discussed. Finally a kind of tunability process between the two creation processes is discussed. © The Author(s) 2016

Overview of progress in European medium sized tokamaks towards an integrated plasma-edge/wall solution

International audienceIntegrating 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 {{H}\text{H</SUB

Overview of progress in European medium sized tokamaks towards an integrated plasma-edge/wall solution

International audienceIntegrating 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 {{H}\text{H</SUB

Overview of progress in European medium sized tokamaks towards an integrated plasma-edge/wall solution

International audienceIntegrating 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 {{H}\text{H</SUB