3D structure and dynamics of filaments in turbulence simulations of WEST diverted plasmas

International audienceWe study the effect of a diverted magnetic geometry on edge plasma turbulence, focusing on the three-dimensional structure and dynamics of filaments, also called blobs, in simulations of the WEST tokamak, featuring a primary and secondary X-point. For this purpose, in addition to classical analysis techniques, we apply here a novel fully 3D Blob Recognition And Tracking (BRAT) algorithm, allowing for the first time to resolve the three-dimensional structure and dynamics of the blobs in a turbulent 3D plasma featuring a realistic magnetic geometry. The results are tested against existing theoretical scalings of blob velocity [Myra et al, Physics of Plasmas 2006]. The complementary analysis of the 3D structure of the filaments shows how they disconnect from the divertor plate in the vicinity of the X-points, leading to a transition from a sheath-connected regime to the ideal-interchange one. Furthermore, the numerical results show non-negligible effects of the turbulent background plasma: approximately half of the detected filaments are involved in mutual interactions, eventually resulting in negative radial velocities, and a fraction of the filaments is generated by turbulence directly below the X-point

Thermographic study of heat load asymmetries during MAST L-mode discharges

Abstract. A long wavelength range infrared camera (LWIR) has been installed on MAST to compliment the existing medium wave infrared system. Simultaneous LWIR/MWIR temperature measurements have been made in the lower and upper divertors of MAST. As expected, the LWIR system is less sensitive to disturbances from hot spots on the surface. A thorough correction of the surface effects using both systems has improved the reliability of the heat flux calculations in MAST. A careful assessment of the heat load asymmetries as a function of the magnetic geometry has been carried out during a variety of L-mode discharges (single and double null, reversed and forward field). In all cases, most of the energy arriving in the SOL goes to the outer divertor. The in/out power ratio is found to be different for lower and upper single null discharges with more power going to the outer divertor in the latter case. In addition, it is found that the heat flux profile width is different in the upper and lower divertor. The heat flux profile width at the secondary strike point increases with increasing δr sep

Étude expérimentale et théorique de la production de nuclides légers rapides dans les interactions proton-noyau à haute énergie

Nous donnons la description d'une expérience réalisée au CERN et concernant la production de 1H, 2H, 3H, 3He, 4He lors des interactions proton-noyau (12C, 27Al, 197Au) à des angles variés (30°, 45°, 75°, 105°). Nous présentons également une théorie thermodynamique permettant d'interpréter les résultats expérimentaux obtenus

Charge and current-sensitive preamplifiers for pulse shape discrimination techniques with silicon detectors

New charge and current-sensitive preamplifiers coupled to silicon detectors and devoted to studies in nuclear structure and dynamics have been developed and tested. For the first time shapes of current pulses from light charged particles and carbon ions are presented. Capabilities for pulse shape discrimination techniques are demonstrated.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, to be published in Nucl. Inst. Meth.

Pion radii in nonlocal chiral quark model

The electromagnetic radius of the charged pion and the transition radius of the neutral pion are calculated in the framework of the nonlocal chiral quark model. It is shown in this model that the contributions of vector mesons to the pion radii are noticeably suppressed in comparison with a similar contribution in the local Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model. The form-factor for the process gamma*pi+pi- is calculated for the -1 GeV^2<q^2<1.6 GeV^2. Our results are in satisfactory agreement with experimental data.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Influence of Neutron Enrichment on Disintegration Modes of Compound Nuclei

Cross sections, kinetic energy and angular distributions of fragments with charge 6$\le$Z$\le$28 emitted in 78,82Kr+40C at 5.5 MeV/A reactions were measured at the GANIL facility using the INDRA apparatus. This experiment aims to investigate the influence of the neutron enrichment on the decay mechanism of excited nuclei. Data are discussed in comparison with predictions of transition state and Hauser-Feshbach models.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, paper presented at the First Workshop on "State of the Art in Nuclear Cluster Physics" 13-16 May, 2008, at Strasbourg, France (SOTANCP2008) and accepted for publication at International Journal of Modern Physics E (Special Issue), Proceedings of SOTANCP2008 (to be published

Multiplicity correlations of intermediate-mass fragments with pions and fast protons in 12C + 197Au

Low-energy pi+ (E < 35 MeV) from 12C+197Au collisions at incident energies from 300 to 1800 MeV per nucleon were detected with the Si-Si(Li)-CsI(Tl) calibration telescopes of the INDRA multidetector. The inclusive angular distributions are approximately isotropic, consistent with multiple rescattering in the target spectator. The multiplicity correlations of the low-energy pions and of energetic protons (E > 150 MeV) with intermediate-mass fragments were determined from the measured coincidence data. The deduced correlation functions 1 + R \approx 1.3 for inclusive event samples reflect the strong correlations evident from the common impact-parameter dependence of the considered multiplicities. For narrow impact-parameter bins (based on charged-particle multiplicity), the correlation functions are close to unity and do not indicate strong additional correlations. Only for pions at high particle multiplicities (central collisions) a weak anticorrelation is observed, probably due to a limited competition between these emissions. Overall, the results are consistent with the equilibrium assumption made in statistical multifragmentation scenarios. Predictions obtained with intranuclear cascade models coupled to the Statistical Multifragmentation Model are in good agreement with the experimental data.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, subm. to EPJ

Extracorporeal photopheresis for the treatment of graft rejection in 33 adult kidney transplant recipients

Background - Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has shown encouraging results in the prevention of allograft rejection in heart transplantation. However, the role of ECP in kidney transplant (KT) rejection needs to be determined. Methods - This multicentre retrospective study included 33 KT recipients who were treated with ECP for allograft rejection (23 acute antibody-mediated rejections (AMRs), 2 chronic AMRs and 8 acute cellular rejections (ACRs)). The ECP indications were KT rejection in patients who were resistant to standard therapies (n = 18) or in patients for whom standard therapies were contraindicated because of concomitant infections or cancers (n = 15). Results - At 12 months (M12) post-ECP, 11 patients (33%) had a stabilization of kidney function with a graft survival rate of 61%. The Banff AMR score (g + ptc + v) was a risk factor for graft loss at M12 (HR 1.44 [1.01-2.05], p &lt; 0.05). The factorial mixed data analysis identified 2 clusters. Patients with a functional graft at M12 tended to have cellular and/or chronic rejections. Patients with graft loss at M12 tended to have acute rejections and/or AMR; higher serum creatinine levels; DSA levels and histologic scores of AMR; and a longer delay between the rejection and ECP start than those of patients with functional grafts. Conclusions - ECP may be helpful to control ACR or moderate AMR in KT recipients presenting concomitant opportunistic infections or malignancies when it is initiated early