Studies of the plasma flow velocity in the edge and scrape off layer of tokamaks

世界各国在聚变研究方面的努力在名为ITER(国际热核实验反应堆)的下一次大规模实验中迈出了重要的一步，这是一种燃烧等离子体实验，致力于证明热核聚变作为动力源的可行性。即使如此大规模的项目正在进行中，基本的物理问题仍然存在，并可以在现有的托卡马克中解决，托卡马克是ITER的磁性几何结构。本研究计划的目的是研究托卡马克刮脱层(SOL)中主要等离子体组分的流动。据推测，这种等离子体流可能是反应堆内氚扩散的原因。因此，从技术角度来看，如果不能更好地了解和控制这些流动，由于捕获氚而导致的激活可能会缩短聚变反应堆的使用寿命。从更基本的物理观点来看，这些流动现在被引用为托卡马克禁闭制度中潜在机制的一部分。因此，更好地了解导致它们控制的这些流动将带来对热核炉更有效的控制。

The world effort in fusion research has initiated a major step forward in the next large scale experiment called ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), a burning plasma experiment dedicated to demonstrate de feasibility of thermonuclear fusion as a power source. Even if such a large scale project is underway, fundamental physics issues remain and can be addressed in existing tokamaks, the magnetic geometry of ITER. The objective of the present research program is to study the flow of the main species of the plasma in the scrape off layer (SOL) of tokamaks. It is speculated that such plasma flows may be responsible for the spread of tritium inside the reactor. Therefore, from a technical standpoint, if these flows are not better understood and controlled, activation resulting from the trapping of tritium may shorten the useful life of the fusion reactor. From a more fundamental physics standpoint, these flows are now being invoked as being part of the underlying mechanisms in the confinement regimes in tokamaks. Consequently, a better understanding of these flows leading to their control will bring about a more efficient control of the thermonuclear furnace.