A new class of indicators for the model selection of scaling laws in nuclear fusion

The development of computationally efficient model selection strategies represents an important problem facing the analysis of Nuclear Fusion experimental data, in particular in the field of scaling laws for the extrapolation to future machines, and image processing. In this paper, a new model selection indicator, named Model Falsification Criterion (MFC), will be presented and applied to the problem of choosing the most generalizable scaling laws for the power threshold to access the H-mode of confinement in Tokamaks. The proposed indicator is based on the properties of the model residuals, their entropy and an implementation of the data falsification principle. The model selection ability of the proposed criterion will be demonstrated in comparison with the most widely used frequentist (Akaike Information Criterion) and bayesian (Bayesian Information Criterion) indicators.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Real-time identification of the current density profile in the JET Tokamak: method and validation

International audienceThe real-time reconstruction of the plasma magnetic equilibrium in a Tokamak is a key point to access high performance regimes. Indeed, the shape of the plasma current density profile is a direct output of the reconstruction and has a leading effect for reaching a steady-state high performance regime of operation. In this paper we present the methodology followed to identify numerically the plasma current density in a Tokamak and its equilibrium. In order to meet the real-time requirements a C++ software has been developed using the combination of a finite element method, a nonlinear fixed point algorithm associated to a least square optimization procedure. The experimental measurements that enable the identification are the magnetics on the vacuum vessel, the interferometric and polarimetric measurements on several chords and the motional Stark effect. Details are given about the validation of the reconstruction on the JET tokamak, either by comparison with 'off-line' equilibrium codes or real time software computing global quantities

Synthetic SXR diagnostic using GEM detectors on WEST: development in the prospect of tungsten monitoring

International audienceWEST (Tungsten Environment in Steady-State Tokamak) will be operating by the end of 2016 as a test bed for the ITER divertor components in long pulse operation. In this context, radiative cooling of highly ionized impurities like tungsten (W) sputtered from Plasma Facing Components (PFC) into the plasma core is a critical issue since even small impurity concentrations below 10-4 degrade significantly plasma performances and can lead to radiative collapse. In the plasma core, tungsten emission is dominant in the Soft X-ray (SXR) range 0.1 keV – 15 keV with complex contributions from line transition, radiative recombination and Bremsstrahlung emission.This paper presents the recent development of a synthetic SXR diagnostic using GEM (Gas Electron Multiplier) detectors. This diagnostic will be used on WEST for W transport studies and will be equipped with two new GEM based poloidal cameras allowing 2D tomographic reconstructions with spectral resolution in energy bands. Thus once GEM response to plasma emissivity is characterized thanks to synthetic diagnostic, it offers new possibilities to disentangle the different SXR contributions in harsh fusion environments like e.g. WEST or ITER with respect to conventional semiconductor diodes working in current mode. Emitted SXR spectrum from the plasma is modelled thanks to ADAS database from given WEST scenario. The synthetic diagnostic includes Lines of Sight (LoS) etendues of the two cameras as well as probability of photoabsorption through filters, photoionization in the detection gas mixture (Ar-CO2), and transport of electron avalanches in the gas through GEM foils as computed with Magboltz. Local SXR emissivity is then retrieved from tomographic inversion using a Minimum Fisher Information (MFI) algorithm

Tomographic capabilities of the new GEM based SXR diagnostic of WEST

International audienceThe tokamak WEST (Tungsten Environment in Steady-State Tokamak) will start operating by the end of 2016 as a test bed for the ITER divertor components in long pulse operation. In this context, radiative cooling of heavy impurities like tungsten (W) in the Soft X-ray (SXR) range [0.1 keV; 20 keV] is a critical issue for the plasma core performances. Thus reliable tools are required to monitor the local impurity density and avoid W accumulation. The WEST SXR diagnostic will be equipped with two new GEM (Gas Electron Multiplier) based poloidal cameras allowing to perform 2D tomographic reconstructions in tunable energy bands. In this paper tomographic capabilities of the Minimum Fisher Information (MFI) algorithm developed for Tore Supra and upgraded for WEST are investigated, in particular through a set of emissivity phantoms and the standard WEST scenario including reconstruction errors, influence of noise as well as computational time

3rd harmonic ECRH absorption enhancement by 2nd harmonic heating at the same frequency in a tokamak

The fundamental mechanisms responsible for the interplay and synergy between the absorption dynamics of extraordinary-mode electron cyclotron waves at two different harmonic resonances (the 2nd and 3rd) are investigated in the TCV tokamak. An enhanced 3rd harmonic absorption in the presence of suprathermal electrons generated by 2nd harmonic heating is predicted by Fokker-Planck simulations, subject to complex alignment requirements in both physical space and momentum space. The experimental signature for the 2nd/3rd harmonic synergy is sought through the suprathermal bremsstrahlung emission in the hard x-ray range of photon energy. Using a synthetic diagnostic, the emission variation due to synergy is calculated as a function of the injected power and of the radial transport of suprathermal electrons. It is concluded that in the present experimental setup a synergy signature has not been unambiguously detected. The detectability of the synergy is then discussed with respect to variations and uncertainties in the plasma density and effective charge in view of future optimized experiments

Aspects of participatory plant breeding for quinoa in marginal areas of Ecuador

Field trials were carried out in Ecuador with two indigenous communities, Ninín Cachipata and La Esperanza, to determine farmers¿ preferences for quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) cultivars and to improve PPB processes. More women than men participated, reflecting that quinoa, a primarily subsistence crop, is mainly managed by women. Farmers¿ field selection criteria for quinoa in the field were mostly based on yield, earliness and plant colour; however only breeders¿ measurements of yield and panicle height significantly correlated to farmer selection scores. Older women gave higher scores than younger women or men, apparently due to a concept of no cultivar being without value. Working in same gender pairs improved evaluation richness. INIAP technicians were more discriminating in their evaluations than farmers. They also used additional selection criteria of disease resistance and uniformity. At seed selection, farmers from Ninín Cachipata, where food security is not assured, chose lines based on yield, while farmers from La Esperanza, where resources are less limiting, also considered seed size, colour, saponin content and marketability. Field characteristics were not taken into consideration at seed selection, signifying that farmers are less interested in those characteristics, or that it was difficult for them to correlate field data when presented in tabular form with seed characteristics. Future trials with small farmers should have fewer lines or replications to avoid farmer fatigue during evaluation. Farmers who grow primarily for subsistence in semi-arid environments have more interest in growing quinoa, and more to gain from having improved cultivars; therefore future participatory efforts should focus on the

Laboratory verification of a new high flow differential mobility particle sizer, and field measurements in Hyytiälä

Measurement of atmospheric sub-10 nm nanoparticle number concentrations has been of substantial interest recently, which, however, is subject to considerable uncertainty. We report a laboratory characterization of a high flow differential mobility particle sizer (HFDMPS), which is based on the Half-mini type differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and nano condensation nuclei counter (A11), and show the first results from atmospheric observations. The HFDMPS utilizes the state-of-the-art aerosol technology, and is optimized for sub-10 nm particle size distribution measurements by a moderate resolution DMA, optimized and characterized low-loss particle sampling line and minimal dilution in the detector. We present an exhaustive laboratory calibration to the HFDMPS and compare the measured size data to the Hyytiala long-term DMPS and Neutral cluster and ion spectrometer. The HFDMPS detects about two times higher 3-10 nm particle concentrations than the long-term DMPS, and the counting uncertainties are halved as compared to the long-term DMPS. The HFDMPS did not observe any sub-2.5 nm particles in Hyytiala, and the reason for that was shown to be the inability of diethylene glycol to condense on such small biogenic particles. Last, we discuss the general implications of our results to the sub-10 nm DMPS based measurements.Peer reviewe

Developement of real time diagnostics and feedback algorithms for JET in view of the next step

Real time control of many plasma parameters will be an essential aspect in the development of reliable high performance operation of Next Step Tokamaks. The main prerequisites for any feedback scheme are the precise real-time determination of the quantities to be controlled, requiring top quality and highly reliable diagnostics, and the availability of robust control algorithms. A new set of real time diagnostics was recently implemented on JET to prove the feasibility of determining, with high accuracy and time resolution, the most important plasma quantities. With regard to feedback algorithms, new model–based controllers were developed to allow a more robust control of several plasma parameters. Both diagnostics and algorithms were successfully used in several experiments, ranging from H-mode plasmas to configuration with ITBs. Since elaboration of computationally heavy measurements is often required, significant attention was devoted to non-algorithmic methods like Digital or Cellular Neural/Nonlinear Networks. The real time hardware and software adopted architectures are also described with particular attention to their relevance to ITER.Comment: 12th International Congress on Plasma Physics, 25-29 October 2004, Nice (France