In 2021 JET exploited its unique capabilities to operate with T and D-T fuel with an ITER-like Be/W wall (JET-ILW). This second major JET D-T campaign (DTE2), after DTE1 in 1997, represented the culmination of a series of JET enhancements-new fusion diagnostics, new T injection capabilities, refurbishment of the T plant, increased auxiliary heating, in-vessel calibration of 14 MeV neutron yield monitors-as well as significant advances in plasma theory and modelling in the fusion community. DTE2 was complemented by a sequence of isotope physics campaigns encompassing operation in pure tritium at high T-NBI power. Carefully conducted for safe operation with tritium, the new T and D-T experiments used 1 kg of T (vs 100 g in DTE1), yielding the most fusion reactor relevant D-T plasmas to date and expanding our understanding of isotopes and D-T mixture physics. Furthermore, since the JET T and DTE2 campaigns occurred almost 25 years after the last major D-T tokamak experiment, it was also a strategic goal of the European fusion programme to refresh operational experience of a nuclear tokamak to prepare staff for ITER operation. The key physics results of the JET T and DTE2 experiments, carried out within the EUROfusion JET1 work package, are reported in this paper. Progress in the technological exploitation of JET D-T operations, development and validation of nuclear codes, neutronic tools and techniques for ITER operations carried out by EUROfusion (started within the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme and continuing under the Horizon Europe FP) are reported in (Litaudon et al Nucl. Fusion accepted), while JET experience on T and D-T operations is presented in (King et al Nucl. Fusion submitted).

JET, the world’s largest operating tokamak with unique Be/W wall and tritium handling capability, completed a Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) campaign in 2021 (Maggi et al 29th Fusion Energy Conf. ) following a decade of preparatory experiments, dedicated enhancements, technical rehearsals and training (Horton et al 2016 Fusion Eng. Des. 109–111 925). Operation with tritium raises significant technical, safety and scientific challenges not encountered in standard protium or deuterium operation. This contribution describes the tritium operational requirements, pulses and technical preparations, new operating procedures, lessons learned and details on the achieved operational availability and performance. The preparation and execution of the recent JET tritium experiments benefitted from the previous experience in 1991 (Preliminary Tritium Experiment), 1997 (DTE1 campaign) and 2003 (Trace Tritium Campaigns) and consisted of the following five phases: technical rehearsals and scenario preparation, tritium commissioning, 100% tritium campaign, D-T campaign (DTE2), tritium clean-up. Following the clean-up JET resumed normal operation and is currently undertaking a further D-T campaign (DTE3).

Transport modelling of Joint European Torus (JET) dimensionless collisionality scaling experiments in various operational scenarios is presented. Interpretative simulations at a fixed radial position are combined with predictive JETTO simulations of temperatures and densities, using the TGLF transport model. The model includes electromagnetic effects and collisions as well as E ⃗ × B ⃗ shear in Miller geometry. Focus is on particle transport and the role of the neutral beam injection (NBI) particle source for the density peaking. The experimental 3-point collisionality scans include L-mode, and H-mode (D and H and higher beta D plasma) plasmas in a total of 12 discharges. Experimental results presented in (Tala et al 2017 44th EPS Conf. ) indicate that for the H-mode scans, the NBI particle source plays an important role for the density peaking, whereas for the L-mode scan, the influence of the particle source is small. In general, both the interpretative and predictive transport simulations support the experimental conclusions on the role of the NBI particle source for the 12 JET discharges.

A novel multiphysics methodology for the computation of realistic plasma neutron sources has been developed. The method is based on state-of-the-art plasma transport and neutron spectrum calculations, coupled with a Monte Carlo neutron transport code, bridging the gap between plasma physics and neutronics. In the paper two JET neutronics tokamak models are used to demonstrate the application of the developed plasma neutron sources and validate them. Diagnostic data for the record JET D discharge 92436 are used as input for the TRANSP code, modelling neutron emission in two external plasma heating scenarios, namely using only neutral beam injection and a combination of the latter and ion cyclotron resonance heating. Neutron spectra, based on plasma transport results, are computed using the DRESS code. The developed PLANET code package is employed to generate plasma neutron source descriptions and couple them with the MCNP code. The effects of using the developed sources in neutron transport calculations on the response of JET neutron diagnostic systems is studied and compared to the results obtained with a generic plasma neutron source. It is shown that, although there are significant differences in the emissivity profiles, spectra shape and anisotropy between the neutron sources, the integral response of the time-resolved ex-vessel neutron detectors is largely insensitive to source changes, with major relative deviations of up to several percent. However it is calculated that, due to the broadening of neutron spectra as a consequence of external plasma heating, larger differences may occur in activation of materials which have threshold reactions located at DD neutron peak energies. The PLANET plasma neutron source computational methodology is demonstrated to be suitable for detailed neutron source effect studies on JET during DT experiments and can be applied to ITER analyses.

The present paper offers an overview of the potential of ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) or radio frequency heating for the DEMO machine. It is found that various suitable heating schemes are available. Similar to ITER and in view of the limited bandwidth of about 10 MHz that can be achieved to ensure optimal functioning of the launcher, it is proposed to make core second harmonic tritium heating the key ion heating scheme, assisted by fundamental cyclotron heating He-3 in the early phase of the discharge; for the present design of DEMO-with a static magnetic field strength of B-o = 5.855 T-that places the T and 3He layers in the core for f = 60 MHz and suggests centering the bandwidth around that main operating frequency. In line with earlier studies for hot, dense plasmas in large-size magnetic confinement machines, it is shown that good single pass absorption is achieved but that the size as well as the operating density and temperature of the machine cause the electrons to absorb a non-negligible fraction of the power away from the core when core ion heating is aimed at. Current drive and alternative heating options are briefly discussed and a dedicated computation is done for the traveling wave antenna, proposed for DEMO in view of its compatibility with substantial antenna-plasma distances. The various tasks that ICRH can fulfill are briefly listed. Finally, the impact of transport and the sensitivity of the obtained results to changes in the machine parameters is commented on.

This paper presents results of JET ITER-like wall L-mode experiments in hydrogen and deuterium (D) plasmas, dedicated to the study of the isotope dependence of ion heat transport by determination of the ion critical gradient and stiffness by varying the ion cyclotron resonance heating power deposition. When no strong role of fast ions in the plasma core is expected, the main difference between the two isotope plasmas is determined by the plasma edge and the core behavior is consistent with a gyro-Bohm scaling. When the heating power (and the fast ion pressure) is increased, in addition to the difference in the edge region, also the plasma core shows substantial changes. The stabilization of ion heat transport by fast ions, clearly visible in D plasmas, appears to be weaker in H plasmas, resulting in a higher ion heat flux in H with apparent anti-gyro-Bohm mass scaling. The difference is found to be caused by the different fast ion pressure between H and D plasmas, related to the heating power settings and to the different fast ion slowing down time, and is completely accounted for in non-linear gyrokinetic simulations. The application of the TGLF quasi-linear model to this set of data is also discussed.

A synthetic diagnostic has been developed for the JET lost alpha scintillator probe, based on the ASCOT fast ion orbit following code and the AFSI fusion source code. The synthetic diagnostic models the velocity space distribution of lost fusion products in the scintillator probe. Validation with experimental measurements is presented, where the synthetic diagnostic is shown to predict the gyroradius and pitch angle of lost DD protons and tritons. Additionally, the synthetic diagnostic reproduces relative differences in total loss rates in multiple phases of the discharge, which can be used as a basis for total loss rate predictions.

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have found applications in many image processing tasks, such as feature extraction, image classification, and object recognition. It has also been shown that the inverse of CNNs, so-called deconvolutional neural networks, can be used for inverse problems such as plasma tomography. In essence, plasma tomography consists in reconstructing the 2D plasma profile on a poloidal cross-section of a fusion device, based on line-integrated measurements from multiple radiation detectors. Since the reconstruction process is computationally intensive, a deconvolutional neural network trained to produce the same results will yield a significant computational speedup, at the expense of a small error which can be assessed using different metrics. In this work, we discuss the design principles behind such networks, including the use of multiple layers, how they can be stacked, and how their dimensions can be tuned according to the number of detectors and the desired tomographic resolution for a given fusion device. We describe the application of such networks at JET and COMPASS, where at JET we use the bolometer system, and at COMPASS we use the soft X-ray diagnostic based on photodiode arrays.

Predictability of burning plasmas is a key issue for designing and building credible future fusion devices. In this context, an important effort of physics understanding and guidance is being carried out in parallel to JET experimental campaigns in H and D by performing analyses and modelling towards an improvement of the understanding of DT physics for the optimization of the JET-DT neutron yield and fusion born alpha particle physics. Extrapolations to JET-DT from recent experiments using the maximum power available have been performed including some of the most sophisticated codes and a broad selection of models. There is a general agreement that 11–15 MW of fusion power can be expected in DT for the hybrid and baseline scenarios. On the other hand, in high beta, torque and fast ion fraction conditions, isotope effects could be favourable leading to higher fusion yield. It is shown that alpha particles related physics, such as TAE destabilization or fusion power electron heating, could be studied in ITER relevant JET-DT plasmas.

For many years, machine learning tools have proved to be very powerful disruption predictors in tokamaks.On the other hand, the vast majority of the techniques deployed assume that the input data is independent and is sampled from exactly the same probability distribution for the training set, the test set and the final real time deployment.This hypothesis is certainly not verified in practice, since the experimental programmes evolve quite rapidly, resulting typically in ageing of the predictors and consequent suboptimal performance.This paper describes various adaptive training strategies that have been tested to maintain the performance of disruption predictors in non-stationary conditions.The proposed approaches have been implemented using new ensembles of classifiers, explicitly developed for the present application.The improvements in performance are unquestionable and, given the difficulties encountered so far in translating predictors from one device to another, the proposed adaptive methods from scratch can therefore be considered a useful option in the arsenal of alternatives envisaged for the next generation of devices, particularly at the very beginning of their operation.

Alfven eigenmodes driven by energetic particles are routinely observed in tokamak plasmas. These modes consist of poloidal harmonics of shear Alfven waves coupled by inhomogeneity in the magnetic field. Further coupling is introduced by 3D inhomogeneities in the ion density during the assimilation of injected pellets. This additional coupling modifies the Alfven continuum and discrete eigenmode spectrum. The frequencies of Alfven eigenmodes drop dramatically when a pellet is injected in JET. From these observations, information about the changes in the ion density caused by a pellet can be inferred. To use Alfven eigenmodes for MHD spectroscopy of pellet injected plasmas, the 3D MILD codes Stellgap and AE3D were generalised to incorporate 3D density profiles. A model for the expansion of the ionised pellet plasmoid along a magnetic field line was derived from the fluid equations. Thereby, the time evolution of the Alfven eigenfrequency is reproduced. By comparing the numerical frequency drop of a toroidal Alfven eigenmode (TAE) to experimental observations, the initial ion density of a cigar-shaped ablation region of length 4cm is estimated to be n(*) = 6.8 x 10(22) m(-3) at the TAE location (r/a approximate to 0.75). The frequency sweeping of an Alfven eigenmode ends when the ion density homogenises poloidally. Modelling suggests that the time for poloidal homogenisation of the ion density at the TAE position is tau(h) = 18 +/- 4 ms for inboard pellet injection, and tau(h) = 26 +/- 2 ms for outboard pellet injection. By reproducing the frequency evolution of the elliptical Alfven eigemnode (EAE), the initial ion density at the EAE location (r/a approximate to 0.9) can be estimated to be n(*) = 4.8 x 10(22) m(-3). Poloidal homogenisation of the ion density takes 2.7 times longer at the EAE location than at the TAE location for both inboard and outboard pellet injection.

Two high performance JET-ILW pulses, pertaining to the 2016 experimental campaign, have been numerically simulated with the self-consistent code COREDIV with the aim of predicting the ELM-averaged power load to the target when extrapolated to DT plasmas. The input power of about 33 MW as well as the total radiated power and the average density are similar in the two pulses, but for one of them the density is provided by combined low gas puff and pellet injection, characterized by low SOL density, for the other one by gas fuelling only, at higher SOT. density. Considering the magnetic configuration of theses pulses and the presence of a significant amount of Ni (not included in the version of the code used for these simulations), a number of assumptions are made in order to reproduce numerically the main core and SOL experimental data. The extrapolation to DT plasmas at the original input power of 33 MW, and taking into account only the thermal component of the alpha-power, does not show any significant difference regarding the power to the target with respect to the DD case. In contrast, the simulations at auxiliary power 40 MW, both at the original I-p = 3 MA and at I-p = 4 MA, show that the power to the target for both pulses is possibly too high to be sustained for about 5 s by strike-point sweeping alone without any control by Ne seeding. Even though the target power load may decrease to about 13-15 MW with substantial Ne seeding for both pulses, as from numerical predictions, there are indications suggesting that the control of the power load may be more critical for the pulse with pellet injection, due to the reduced SOL radiation.

Developing successful tokamak operation scenarios, as well as confident extrapolation of present-day knowledge requires a rigorous understanding of plasma turbulence, which largely determines the quality of the confinement. In particular, accurate particle transport predictions are essential due to the strong dependence of fusion power or bootstrap current on the particle density details. Here, gyrokinetic turbulence simulations are performed with physics inputs taken from a JET power scan, for which a relatively weak degradation of energy confinement and a significant density peaking is obtained with increasing input power. This way physics parameters that lead to such increase in the density peaking shall be elucidated. While well-known candidates, such as the collisionality, previously found in other studies are also recovered in this study, it is furthermore found that edge E × B shearing may adopt a crucial role by enhancing the inward pinch. These results may indicate that a plasma with rotational shear could develop a stronger density peaking as compared to a non-rotating one, because its inward convection is increased compared to the outward diffusive particle flux as long as this rotation has a significant on E × B flow shear stabilization. The possibly significant implications for future devices, which will exhibit much less torque compared to present day experiments, are discussed.

For the past several years, the JET scientific programme (Pamela et al 2007 Fusion Eng. Des . 82 590) has been engaged in a multi-campaign effort, including experiments in D, H and T, leading up to 2020 and the first experiments with 50%/50% D–T mixtures since 1997 and the first ever D–T plasmas with the ITER mix of plasma-facing component materials. For this purpose, a concerted physics and technology programme was launched with a view to prepare the D–T campaign (DTE2). This paper addresses the key elements developed by the JET programme directly contributing to the D–T preparation. This intense preparation includes the review of the physics basis for the D–T operational scenarios, including the fusion power predictions through first principle and integrated modelling, and the impact of isotopes in the operation and physics of D–T plasmas (thermal and particle transport, high confinement mode (H-mode) access, Be and W erosion, fuel recovery, etc). This effort also requires improving several aspects of plasma operation for DTE2, such as real time control schemes, heat load control, disruption avoidance and a mitigation system (including the installation of a new shattered pellet injector), novel ion cyclotron resonance heating schemes (such as the three-ions scheme), new diagnostics (neutron camera and spectrometer, active Alfvèn eigenmode antennas, neutral gauges, radiation hard imaging systems…) and the calibration of the JET neutron diagnostics at 14 MeV for accurate fusion power measurement. The active preparation of JET for the 2020 D–T campaign provides an incomparable source of information and a basis for the future D–T operation of ITER, and it is also foreseen that a large number of key physics issues will be addressed in support of burning plasmas.

Deuterium pellets are injected into an initially pure hydrogen H-mode plasma in order to control the hydrogen: deuterium (H:D) isotope mixture. The pellets are deposited in the outer 20% of the minor radius, similar to that expected in ITER, creating transiently hollow electron density profiles. A H: D isotope mixture of approximately 45%:55% is obtained in the core with a pellet fuelling throughput of Phi(pel) = 0.045P(aux)/T-e,T-ped similar to previous pellet fuelling experiments in pure deuterium. Evolution of the H: D mix in the core is reproduced using a simple model, although deuterium transport could be higher at the beginning of the pellet train compared with the flat-top phase.

The self-consistent core-pedestal prediction model of a combination of EPED1 type pedestal prediction and a simple stiff core transport model is able to predict Type I ELMy (edge localized mode) pedestals of a large JET-ILW (ITER-like wall) database at the similar accuracy as is obtained when the experimental global plasma β is used as input. The neutral penetration model [R. J. Groebner et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 2134 (2002)] with corrections that take into account variations due to gas fueling and plasma triangularity is able to predict the pedestal density with an average error of 15%. The prediction of the pedestal pressure in hydrogen plasma that has higher core heat diffusivity compared to a deuterium plasma with similar heating and fueling agrees with the experiment when the isotope effect on the stability, the increased diffusivity, and outward radial shift of the pedestal are included in the prediction. However, the neutral penetration model that successfully predicts the deuterium pedestal densities fails to predict the isotope effect on the pedestal density in hydrogen plasmas.