Toroidal effects on propagation, damping, and linear mode conversion of lower hybrid waves

A common simplifying assumption made in the consideration of radio-frequency heating of tokamaks near the lower hybrid frequency is that the wave-length imposed by the coupling device parallel to the magnetic field is not modified by gradients along the field. In the present calculation, the parallel wave-length is allowed to vary, and important effects are found on wave penetration and damping if the toroidal aspect ratio (R/sub major//r/sub minor/) is less than approx. 5. The calculation shows that heating at the center of a small aspect ratio torus is inhibited by a decrease of k/sub parallel/ if waves are launched at the outside, and that it may be possible to change the plasma current via electron Landau damping with a coupler of symmetric power spectrum by placing the coupler at the top (or bottom) of the torus

Recent progress on the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT)

This report describes work done on the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT), both at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and at other fusion laboratories in the United States. The goal of CIT is to reach ignition in a tokamak fusion device in the mid-1990's. Scientific and engineering features of the design are described, as well as projected cost and schedule

Consequences of toroidal effects in lower hybrid heating of tokamaks

The lower hybrid slow wave tends to follow magnetic field lines. Therefore, a generalization of Snell's Law modifies the wave length along the magnetic field as the wave moves inward from an exciter through regions of varying magnetic field strength. Predicting the consequences requires a numerical treatment, which has been developed in recent years by several authors. This paper searches for some general statements on the problem by analyzing many particular cases, without allowing for scattering, multiple traverses of the plasma radius, and non-linear effects. We find that the range of parameter suitable for ion heating varies from that predicted by simple estimates, and is dependent on launch position; and that electron heating including current drive is best pursued with unidirectional launching from a coupler at the top (or bottom) of the torus if the wave frequency is close to linear mode conversion condition

Ion Bernstein wave heating on the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT)

In the present plan, CIT is to be heated by power in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF), and electron cyclotron heating (ECH) may be used if suitable rf sources can be developed. We consider the option of ion Bernstein wave heating (IBWH). The key points are that a simple vacuum waveguide launcher can be well- removed from high fluxes of heat and particles and that the development of a suitable source is straightforward. A practical point is that an IBWH waveguide launcher, including transition from coaxial power feeds, fits inside the shield wall surrounding CIT. To confirm IBWH as an option for CIT, experiments are needed on a shaped, H-mode plasma at high power. Successful experiments should be followed by a tube development program to allow CIT heating at 200 - 275 MHz. 2 refs., 3 figs

The Compact Ignition Tokamak and electron cyclotron heating: Description of need; assessment of prospects

The CIT will benefit from auxiliary heating of 10 to 40 MW. The schedules of both the CIT construction project and the operating plan contain adequate time to develop and implement ECH systems based on the gyrotron and the induction free electron laser (IFEL). Each approach has advantages and is the object of R and D at the level of many millions of dollars per year. While the gyrotron is further advanced in terms of power and pulse length achieved, rapid progress is scheduled for the IFEL, including experiments on tokamaks. Plans of CIT, gyrotron, and IFEL make 1992 an appropriate time frame to commit to one or both systems. 12 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs

Feedback stabilization of magnetic islands by rf heating and current drive

Feedback stabilization of the m = 2 mode in tokamaks would be advantageous for disruption-free operation at low q-values. Stabilization of the m = 1 mode and resulting ''sawteeth'' could lead to substantial increases in the stable ..beta..-value, as well as indirect stabilization of the m = 2 mode, by permitting q(0)-values below unity. Stabilization of these modes at acceptable amplitudes appears possible by feedback-modulated heating or current drive applied to the region within the mode-induced magnetic islands. Current drive offers by far the more efficient mechanism, and it can be accomplished using lower-hybrid or electron-cyclotron radio-frequency (rf) techniques. For the lower-hybrid case, ray-tracing calculations demonstrate the needed localization of the rf power, despite long ray paths in the toroidal direction. Top-launched lower-hybrid waves are favored for localized absorption

Handling Disturbance and Awareness of Concurrent Updates in a Collaborative Editor

International audienceWhen people work collaboratively on a shared document, they have two contradictory requirements on their editors that may affect the efficiency of their work. On the one hand, they would like to know what other people are currently doing on a particular part of the document. On the other hand, they would like to focus their attention on their own current work, with as little disturbance from the concurrent activities as possible. We present some features that help the user handle disturbance and awareness of concurrent updates. While collabora-tively editing a shared document with other people, a user can create a focus region. The user can concentrate on the work in the region without being interfered with the concurrent updates of the other people. Occasionally, the user can preview the concurrent updates and select a number of these updates to be integrated into the local copy. We have implemented a collaborative editing subsystem in the GNU Emacs 5 text editor with the described features

Railway bridge structural health monitoring and fault detection: state-of-the-art methods and future challenges

Railway importance in the transportation industry is increasing continuously, due to the growing demand of both passenger travel and transportation of goods. However, more than 35% of the 300,000 railway bridges across Europe are over 100-years old, and their reliability directly impacts the reliability of the railway network. This increased demand may lead to higher risk associated with their unexpected failures, resulting safety hazards to passengers and increased whole life cycle cost of the asset. Consequently, one of the most important aspects of evaluation of the reliability of the overall railway transport system is bridge structural health monitoring, which can monitor the health state of the bridge by allowing an early detection of failures. Therefore, a fast, safe and cost-effective recovery of the optimal health state of the bridge, where the levels of element degradation or failure are maintained efficiently, can be achieved. In this article, after an introduction to the desired features of structural health monitoring, a review of the most commonly adopted bridge fault detection methods is presented. Mainly, the analysis focuses on model-based finite element updating strategies, non-model-based (data-driven) fault detection methods, such as artificial neural network, and Bayesian belief network–based structural health monitoring methods. A comparative study, which aims to discuss and compare the performance of the reviewed types of structural health monitoring methods, is then presented by analysing a short-span steel structure of a railway bridge. Opportunities and future challenges of the fault detection methods of railway bridges are highlighted

Profiling of antioxidant potential and phytoconstituents of Plantago coronopus

The halophyte species Plantago coronopus has several described ethnomedicinal uses, but few reported biological activities. This work carried out for the first time a comparative analysis of P. coronopus organs in terms of phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of organic and water extracts from roots, leaves and flowers. The leaves contents in selected nutrients, namely amino acids and minerals, are also described. Roots (ethyl acetate and methanol extracts) had the highest radical scavenging activity (RSA) towards 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radicals, while leaves (hexane extract) had higher RSA on nitric oxide radical and iron chelating ability. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis identified eighteen phenolics from which salicylic acid and epicatechin are here firstly described in Plantago species. Leaves had mineral levels similar to those of most vegetables, proving to be a good source for elements like calcium, sodium, iron and magnesium, and also for several of the essential amino acids justifying it use as food. Our results, especially those regarding the phenolics composition, can explain the main traditional uses given to this plantain and, altogether, emphasize the potential of P. coronopus as a source of bioactive molecules particularly useful for the prevention of oxidative stress-related diseases