Effective collecting area of a cylindrical Langmuir probe in magnetized plasma

International audienceLangmuir probe diagnostic on magnetic plasma devices often encounters more challenges in data processing than in non-magnetized plasmas, the latest itself being far from simple. In this paper, a theory of particle collection by a probe at the plasma potential in collisionless weakly ionized plasmas is constructed, accounting for velocities distributed according to the Maxwell equation and different mechanisms of particle collection depending on their speed. Experimental validation of the presented theory has been done with 2 cylindrical probes (rpr = 75 mum and Lpr = 1 cm and rpr = 0.5 mm and Lpr = 1 cm) parallel to B --> on a linear plasma device Aline, with magnetic fields of 0.0024-0.1 T and plasma densities of 1015-1017 m-3 in helium. Cylindrical probe measurements are compared to data from a planar probe perpendicular to the magnetic field, and the results for electron density, temperature, and plasma potential are presented. The introduced theory is initially constructed for a cylindrical probe but is applicable to various probe sizes, shapes, and orientations. Alongside the main subject, a number of associated issues are addressed with different details: a probe design issue relative to the magnetized environment, the "intersection" method of plasma potential evaluation, and the robustness of the conventional "1st derivative" method, a current bump near the plasma potential, lower limit for electron temperature estimation, and self-consistent calculation of electron temperature and density

Copy Number Variation in Patients with Disorders of Sex Development Due to 46,XY Gonadal Dysgenesis

Disorders of sex development (DSD), ranging in severity from mild genital abnormalities to complete sex reversal, represent a major concern for patients and their families. DSD are often due to disruption of the genetic programs that regulate gonad development. Although some genes have been identified in these developmental pathways, the causative mutations have not been identified in more than 50% 46,XY DSD cases. We used the Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0 to analyse copy number variation in 23 individuals with unexplained 46,XY DSD due to gonadal dysgenesis (GD). Here we describe three discrete changes in copy number that are the likely cause of the GD. Firstly, we identified a large duplication on the X chromosome that included DAX1 (NR0B1). Secondly, we identified a rearrangement that appears to affect a novel gonad-specific regulatory region in a known testis gene, SOX9. Surprisingly this patient lacked any signs of campomelic dysplasia, suggesting that the deletion affected expression of SOX9 only in the gonad. Functional analysis of potential SRY binding sites within this deleted region identified five putative enhancers, suggesting that sequences additional to the known SRY-binding TES enhancer influence human testis-specific SOX9 expression. Thirdly, we identified a small deletion immediately downstream of GATA4, supporting a role for GATA4 in gonad development in humans. These CNV analyses give new insights into the pathways involved in human gonad development and dysfunction, and suggest that rearrangements of non-coding sequences disturbing gene regulation may account for significant proportion of DSD cases

Study of current and potential structures around a radiofrequency antenna in a magnetized plasma

La fusion thermonucléaire contrôlée est une solution envisageable pour la production d’une énergie propre quasi inépuisable pour les générations à venir. Cependant, les températures requises pour procéder à la fusion des noyaux sont de l’ordre de la centaine de millions de degrés. À ces températures la matière se trouve dans l’état de plasma, un gaz ionisé, ce qui nous permet de le confiner dans des champs magnétiques puissants. Parmi les moyens de chauffage utilisés dans les réacteurs à fusion magnétique (les Tokamaks et les Stellarator), nous nous intéresserons au chauffage par résonance cyclotron ionique via des antennes émettant un champ électromagnétique dans la gamme des radio-fréquences. La compréhension du comportement du plasma autour de ces antennes ICRH ou plus généralement en présence d’ondes RF et d’un champ magnétique est un enjeu majeur pour minimiser les flux de particules accélérées dans les gaines RF au contact d’une antenne ou d’une électrode. Le réacteur expérimental ALINE (a linear experiment) a été justement conçu dans le but d’étudier les gaines RF et les structures se générant autour des antennes. Cette thèse présente les résultats expérimentaux obtenus dans ALINE par le biais de mesures de sonde de Langmuir. Un bras manipulateur permet de bouger automatiquement la sonde dans toute l’enceinte, et de dresser une cartographie des paramètres du plasma. Après avoir étudié en profondeur le problème des mesures de sonde sous champ (surface effective de collection électronique, caractéristiques bossues), la mise au point d’un algorithme itératif d’exploitation du courant ionique de saturation des caractéristiques de sonde a permis d’exploiter automatiquement toutes les données acquises. Les mesures sont confrontées à plusieurs théories et simulations, afin de modéliser et de comprendre au mieux les structures de paramètres plasma en face d’une électrode RF inclinée par rapport aux lignes de champ magnétique.Controlled thermonuclear fusion is a possible solution for the production of almost inexhaustible clean energy for future generations. However, the temperatures required to carry out the fusion of the nuclei are of the order of one hundred million degrees. At these temperatures matter is in the state of plasma, an ionized gas, which allows us to confine it in strong magnetic fields. Among the heating means used in magnetic fusion reactors (Tokamaks and Stellarators), we will be interested in ion cyclotron resonance heating via antennas emitting an electromagnetic field in the radio frequencies range. Understanding the behavior of plasma around these ICRH antennas or more generally in the presence of RF waves and a magnetic field is a major issue to minimize the flow of accelerated particles in RF sheaths in contact with an antenna or an electrode. The ALINE experimental reactor (a linear experiment) was precisely designed with the aim of studying the RF sheaths and the structures generated around the antennas. This thesis presents the experimental results obtained in ALINE by means of Langmuir probe measurements. A manipulator arm makes allows us to automatically move the probe within the wole device, and to draw up a map of the plasma parameters. After having studied in depth the problem of probe measurements under field (effective surface of electronic collection, bumped characteristics), the development of an iterative algorithm of exploitation only using the ionic saturation current of the probe characteristics made it possible to exploit automatically all acquired data. The measurements are confronted with several theories and simulations, in order to model and to better understand the plasma parameter structures in front of an RF electrode inclined with respect to the magnetic field lines

Surface fortement émissive face au plasma en régime limité par charge d'espace : application aux sondes émissives

International audienceA quasi-static theoretical 1D model is developed to describe the sheath structure of a strongly emissive plasma-facing material and is subsequently applied to emissive probes experimental data-which are usually supposed to be an efficient tool to directly measure plasma potential fluctuations. The model is derived following the space-charge limited emission current model developed in [S. Takamura, N. Ohno, M.Y. Ye, and T. Kuwabara. Contribution to Plasma Physics, 44(1-3):126–137, 2004.], adding the contribution of secondary emission due to back-diffusion of plasma electrons at the emitting surface. From this theory, current-voltage characteristics of emissive probes are derived. A theoretical relation between the floating potential of an emissive probe and plasma parameters is obtained and a criterion is derived to determine the threshold between thermoemission limited current regime and space-charge limited current regime. In the space-charge limited regime, a first order expansion is then applied to the quasi-static relation to study the effect of plasma fluctuations on emissive probe measurements. Both the mean values and the fluctuations of the floating potential of an emissive probe predicted by the model, as well as the potential value at which the transition between emission current regimes occurs, are compared to three sets of experimental data obtained in two different plasma devices. 2Un modèle 1D quasi-statique est dérivé pour décrire la structure de la gaine d'une surface fortement émissive face à un plasma. Ce modèle est ensuite confronté à des données expérimentales comprenant des signaux de sondes émissives, qui sont supposées être un instrument efficace pour mesurer directement les fluctuations du potentiel électrique du plasma (potentiel plasma). Ce modèle est obtenu en suivant la démarche développé par l'équipe de Takamura [S. Takamura, N. Ohno, M.Y. Ye, and T. Kuwabara. Contribution to Plasma Physics, 44(1-3):126–137, 2004.], tout en ajoutant la contribution de l'émission secondaire due à la rétrodiffusion des électrons issus du plasma sur la surface émissive. Ce modèle permet d'accéder à la caractéristique courant-tension des sondes émissives, ainsi qu'à une relation entre le potentiel flottant de la sonde émissive et les paramètres du plasma et à un critère déterminant le seuil entre le régime de courant limité par thermoémission et le régime de courant limité par charge d'espace. Le modèle décrivant ce dernier régime fait ensuite l'objet d'un développement à l'ordre 1 pour donner une idée de l'effet de la variation des différents paramètres du plasma sur le potentiel flottant d'une sonde émissive. Tant les valeurs moyennes que les fluctuations du potentiel flottant prévues par le modèle ainsi que la transition entre les deux régimes de courant sont confrontés à des mesures expérimentales issues de deux machines à plasma distinctes

Mechanisms and dynamics of unipolar arcs in magnetized plasmas

International audiencePost-mortem analyses suggest that arcs in contact with metallic walls are the main cause of impurities and dust formation in tokamaks [1,2]. Such dust and impurities represent important operational and safety issues for next-step fusion devices like ITER and DEMO. If dipolar arcs, which occur in between adjacent Plasma Facing Components (PFCs), are well known and can in most of the cases be avoided by adapting the design of the PFCs, it is not the case for unipolar arcs taking place in between PFCs and the plasma. On addition to dust production, unipolar arcs also damage mirrors required by many diagnostics used for studying the plasmas as well as for ensuring a safe operation of the fusion device. Several models for explaining the triggering of unipolar arcs have been developed, but these models are based on assumptions which are difficult to assess experimentally, mainly due to the spatial and temporal scales involved (a few µm to <1mm and ~1ns for the triggering and few µs for the lifetime, respectively). As a result, defining the right threshold required for triggering the arcs is a tricky operation due to the uncertainties in the relative importance of the numerous input parameters which also influence the arc dynamics: surface roughness, secondary electron emission, thermionic emission, desorption of gas trapped in thick deposits, sheath modifications induced by ELMs… With the aim to provide more reliable input parameters and to assess the validity of the models, an experimental setup making possible highly resolved measurements in the linear low-beta ALINE plasma device has been developed. Stereoscopic fast camera measurements are performed and analyzed with the TRACK software, which enables a statistical investigation of the influence of various parameters on the triggering and dynamics of unipolar arcs

Mechanisms and dynamics of unipolar arcs in magnetized plasmas

International audiencePost-mortem analyses suggest that arcs in contact with metallic walls are the main cause of impurities and dust formation in tokamaks [1,2]. Such dust and impurities represent important operational and safety issues for next-step fusion devices like ITER and DEMO. If dipolar arcs, which occur in between adjacent Plasma Facing Components (PFCs), are well known and can in most of the cases be avoided by adapting the design of the PFCs, it is not the case for unipolar arcs taking place in between PFCs and the plasma. On addition to dust production, unipolar arcs also damage mirrors required by many diagnostics used for studying the plasmas as well as for ensuring a safe operation of the fusion device. Several models for explaining the triggering of unipolar arcs have been developed, but these models are based on assumptions which are difficult to assess experimentally, mainly due to the spatial and temporal scales involved (a few µm to <1mm and ~1ns for the triggering and few µs for the lifetime, respectively). As a result, defining the right threshold required for triggering the arcs is a tricky operation due to the uncertainties in the relative importance of the numerous input parameters which also influence the arc dynamics: surface roughness, secondary electron emission, thermionic emission, desorption of gas trapped in thick deposits, sheath modifications induced by ELMs… With the aim to provide more reliable input parameters and to assess the validity of the models, an experimental setup making possible highly resolved measurements in the linear low-beta ALINE plasma device has been developed. Stereoscopic fast camera measurements are performed and analyzed with the TRACK software, which enables a statistical investigation of the influence of various parameters on the triggering and dynamics of unipolar arcs

Sources of Variation in Growth, Form, and Survival in Dwarf and Normal-Stature Pitch Pines (Pinus rigida, Pinaceae) in Long-Term Transplant Experiments

Determining the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to phenotypic variation is critical for understanding the evolutionary ecology of plant species, but few studies have examined the sources of phenotypic differentiation between nearby populations of woody plants. We conducted reciprocal transplant experiments to examine sources of variation in growth rate, form, survival, and maturation in a globally rare dwarf population of pitch pine (Pinus rigida) and in surrounding populations of normal-stature pitch pines on Long Island, New York. Transplants were monitored over a 6-yr period. The influence of seedling origin on height, growth rate, survival, and form (single-stemmed vs. multi-stemmed growth habit) was much smaller than the effect of transplanting location. Both planting site and seed origin were important factors in determining time to reproduction; seedlings originating from dwarf populations and seedlings planted at the normal-stature site reproduced earliest. These results suggest that many of the differences between dwarf and normal-stature pitch pines may be due more to plastic responses to environmental factors than to genetic differentiation among populations. Therefore, preservation of the dwarf pine habitat is essential for preserving dwarf pine communities; the dwarf pines cannot be preserved ex situ