The high-luminosity upgrade of the LHC (HL-LHC) brings unprecedented requirements for real-time and precision bunch-by-bunch luminosity measurement and beam-induced background monitoring. A key component of the CMS Beam Radiation Instrumentation and Luminosity (BRIL) system is a stand-alone luminometer, the Fast Beam Condition Monitor (FBCM), which is fully independent of the CMS central timing and control distribution, as well as data acquisition services and able to operate at all times with a triggerless readout. In addition, BRIL exploits measurements from the front-end of various CMS subsystems for luminometry. A brief overview of the BRIL Phase-2 strategy, the instrumentation and approaches to achieve 1% offline precision for luminosity measurements is given.

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).

The fusion reaction between deuterium and tritium, D(T,n)4 He is the main source of energy in future thermonuclear reactors. Alpha-particles (4 He-ions) born with an average energy of 3.5 MeV transferring energy to the thermal plasma during their slowing down, should provide the self-sustained D-T plasma burn. The adequate confinement of alpha-particles is essential to provide efficient heating of the bulk plasma and steady burning of a reactor plasma. That is why the fusion-born alpha-particle studies have been a priority task in the second D-T experiments (DTE2) on the Joint European Torus (JET) to understand the main mechanisms of their slowing down, redistribution and losses and to develop optimal plasma scenarios. JET with Be-wall and W-divertor, enhanced auxiliary heating systems and improved energetic-particle diagnostic capabilities, producing significant population of alpha-particles, provided the possibility for comprehensive studying of the alpha-particle behaviour. Selected results of the confined and lost alpha-particle measurements, evidence of alpha-particle self-heating and assessments of the fusion performance are presented in this paper giving an opportunity for further modelling and extrapolation to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and burning plasma reactors.

The ITER Radial Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (RGRS) consists of three gamma-ray detectors observing the plasma through three collimated, coplanar, radial lines of sight (LoS). The system was initially designed to monitor the runaway electron emission and the alpha-particle density profile [Nocente et al., Nucl. Fusion 57, 076016 (2017)]. This work presents a novel technique for measuring the fusion power during D-T operation using the RGRS. This method is based on the absolute measurement of the 17 MeV fusion gamma-rays and a semi-analytical computation of their transport from the plasma source to the detectors. This approach was initially developed and tested at JET during the second D-T campaign (DTE2) on a single LoS diagnostic [Dal Molin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. (submitted) (2024); Rebai et al., Phys. Rev. C (submitted) (2024); and Marcer et al., Nucl. Fusion (unpublished) (2024)]. This work exploits the multiple LoS of the RGRS to create a combined virtual diagnostic whose detected fraction of the total plasma emission is less affected by variations in the plasma emission profile, reducing systematic uncertainties on the estimated total emission, compared to the individual detectors.

The spectral 𝛾 ray emission from the reaction 3H⁡(2H,𝛾)⁢5He has been measured for the first time in a magnetic confinement deuterium-tritium plasma experiment at the Joint European Torus. A custom developed gamma ray spectrometer system based on a La⁢Br3 scintillator combined to a LiH neutron attenuator and a zero dead time fast digital data acquisition allowed to measure the weak 𝛾 ray emission under the ≈105 more intense 14MeV neutron field. The 𝑅-matrix analysis of the 5He nucleus has been used to predict the expected gamma ray spectrum which has been compared with the measurement, but cannot predict the relative intensity of the 𝛾 lines. The data analysis has identified the energy and width of the known 16.75 MeV 𝛾 ray emission (𝛾0), from the second excited state to the ground state of the formed 5He nucleus, and confirmed the presence of a second emission (𝛾1) at ≈14⁢MeV due to the transition from the second to the first excited state. The analysis has shown that the 𝛾1 emission is broad and has assessed for the first time in a magnetic confinement experiment the relative yield 𝛾1 to 𝛾0 equal to 1.09±0.25.Received 2 January 2024Accepted 20 March 2024DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.110.014625©2024 American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasElectromagnetic transitionsFusion productsGamma-ray generation in plasmasMagnetic confinement fusionNuclear fusionPlasma fusionResonance reactionsPhysical SystemsFusion reactorsMagnetically confined plasmasTokamaksPropertiesA ≤ 5TechniquesGamma ray spectroscopyRadiation detectorsX-ray & gamma ray plasma measurementsNuclear PhysicsEnergy Science & TechnologyPlasma Physics

Experiments on ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) in 2021 and 2022 have addressed a number of critical issues for ITER and EU DEMO. A major objective of the AUG programme is to shed light on the underlying physics of confinement, stability, and plasma exhaust in order to allow reliable extrapolation of results obtained on present day machines to these reactor-grade devices. Concerning pedestal physics, the mitigation of edge localised modes (ELMs) using resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) was found to be consistent with a reduction of the linear peeling-ballooning stability threshold due to the helical deformation of the plasma. Conversely, ELM suppression by RMPs is ascribed to an increased pedestal transport that keeps the plasma away from this boundary. Candidates for this increased transport are locally enhanced turbulence and a locked magnetic island in the pedestal. The enhanced D-alpha (EDA) and quasi-continuous exhaust (QCE) regimes have been established as promising ELM-free scenarios. Here, the pressure gradient at the foot of the H-mode pedestal is reduced by a quasi-coherent mode, consistent with violation of the high-n ballooning mode stability limit there. This is suggestive that the EDA and QCE regimes have a common underlying physics origin. In the area of transport physics, full radius models for both L- and H-modes have been developed. These models predict energy confinement in AUG better than the commonly used global scaling laws, representing a large step towards the goal of predictive capability. A new momentum transport analysis framework has been developed that provides access to the intrinsic torque in the plasma core. In the field of exhaust, the X-Point Radiator (XPR), a cold and dense plasma region on closed flux surfaces close to the X-point, was described by an analytical model that provides an understanding of its formation as well as its stability, i.e., the conditions under which it transitions into a deleterious MARFE with the potential to result in a disruptive termination. With the XPR close to the divertor target, a new detached divertor concept, the compact radiative divertor, was developed. Here, the exhaust power is radiated before reaching the target, allowing close proximity of the X-point to the target. No limitations by the shallow field line angle due to the large flux expansion were observed, and sufficient compression of neutral density was demonstrated. With respect to the pumping of non-recycling impurities, the divertor enrichment was found to mainly depend on the ionisation energy of the impurity under consideration. In the area of MHD physics, analysis of the hot plasma core motion in sawtooth crashes showed good agreement with nonlinear 2-fluid simulations. This indicates that the fast reconnection observed in these events is adequately described including the pressure gradient and the electron inertia in the parallel Ohm’s law. Concerning disruption physics, a shattered pellet injection system was installed in collaboration with the ITER International Organisation. Thanks to the ability to vary the shard size distribution independently of the injection velocity, as well as its impurity admixture, it was possible to tailor the current quench rate, which is an important requirement for future large devices such as ITER. Progress was also made modelling the force reduction of VDEs induced by massive gas injection on AUG. The H-mode density limit was characterised in terms of safe operational space with a newly developed active feedback control method that allowed the stability boundary to be probed several times within a single discharge without inducing a disruptive termination. Regarding integrated operation scenarios, the role of density peaking in the confinement of the ITER baseline scenario (high plasma current) was clarified. The usual energy confinement scaling ITER98( p,y ) does not capture this effect, but the more recent H20 scaling does, highlighting again the importance of developing adequate physics based models. Advanced tokamak scenarios, aiming at large non-inductive current fraction due to non-standard profiles of the safety factor in combination with high normalised plasma pressure were studied with a focus on their access conditions. A method to guide the approach of the targeted safety factor profiles was developed, and the conditions for achieving good confinement were clarified. Based on this, two types of advanced scenarios (‘hybrid’ and ‘elevated’ q -profile) were established on AUG and characterised concerning their plasma performance.

The paper discusses the results of the calibration of two corona neutron counters used to measure the total neutron yield from the plasma of the Globus-M2 tokamak. The calibration was carried out in the experimental hall of the Globus-M2 facility using an AmBe source. During the calibration, the source moved at a constant speed around the central solenoid in the equatorial plane of the vacuum chamber, and one of the detectors was gradually moved away from the tokamak along a line with a constant toroidal angle. The dependence of the calibration coefficient obtained depending distance of the detector from the tokamak is presented. The calibration technique made it possible to separate the contributions from the direct neutron flux emitted by the plasma and from the flux of neutrons scattered on the elements of the experimental hall in the detector signal.

With an increase of magnetic field up to 0.8 T and plasma currentto 400 kA, fast ion losses rate in the discharges with toroidal Alfveneigenmodes decreased in tokamak Globus-M2 comparing with Globus-M tokamakdischarges. Taking into account the data on the discharges with increasedmagnetic field and plasma current, the regression fit of neutral particleanalyzer flux drop in energy channel close to neutral beam energy onrelative eigenmode magnitude, the value of magnetic field and plasma currentwas analyzed. The power of flux drop dependence on TAE magnitude was foundto be ~0.5 and inverse proportional on the value of product of magneticfield and plasma current, which is highly likely is determined only byplasma current due to weak dependence on magnetic field. The resultobtained indicates that fast ion losses in Globus-M2, stimulated by toroidalAlfven eigenmodes are mostly determined by the shift of passing orbits tothe plasma edge. With the increase of plasma current and magnetic field,neutron flux drops arising in the moments of toroidal mode bursts have alsodecreased. Keywords: TAE, NPA, spherical tokamak, fast ion losses\

At present, magnetic confinement fusion devices rely solely on absolute neutron counting as a direct way of measuring fusion power. Absolute counting of deuterium-tritium gamma rays could provide the secondary neutron-independent technique required for the validation of scientific results and as a licensing tool for future power plants. However, this approach necessitates an accurate determination of the gamma-ray-to-neutron branching ratio. The gamma-ray-to-neutron branching ratio for the deuterium-tritium reaction 3 H ( 2 H, gamma ) 5 He / 3 H ( 2 H, n ) 4 He was determined in magnetic confinement fusion plasmas at the Joint European Torus in predominantly deuterium beam heated plasmas. The branching ratio was found to be equal to ( 2.4 + 0.5) ) x 10-5 - 5 over the deuterium energy range of ( 80 + 20) ) keV. This accurate determination of the deuterium-tritium branching ratio paves the way for a direct and neutron-independent measurement of fusion power in magnetic confinement fusion reactors, based on the absolute counting of deuterium-tritium gamma rays.

The spectral gamma ray emission from the reaction 3 H( 2 H , gamma )5He 5 He has been measured for the first time in a magnetic confinement deuterium-tritium plasma experiment at the Joint European Torus. A custom developed gamma ray spectrometer system based on a LaBr3 3 scintillator combined to a LiH neutron attenuator and a zero dead time fast digital data acquisition allowed to measure the weak gamma ray emission under the 105 5 more intense 14 MeV neutron field. The R-matrix analysis of the 5 He nucleus has been used to predict the expected gamma ray spectrum which has been compared with the measurement, but cannot predict the relative intensity of the gamma lines. The data analysis has identified the energy and width of the known 16.75 MeV gamma ray emission (gamma 0), gamma 0 ), from the second excited state to the ground state of the formed 5 He nucleus, and confirmed the presence of a second emission (gamma 1) gamma 1 ) at 14 MeV due to the transition from the second to the first excited state. The analysis has shown that the gamma 1 emission is broad and has assessed for the first time in a magnetic confinement experiment the relative yield gamma 1 to gamma 0 equal to 1.09 . 09 +/- 0.25. . 25.

This paper highlights the most important results achieved at the spherical tokamak Globus-M2 with a high magnetic field. This paper also covers the most important topics of fusion research: thermal energy confinement in regimes with neutral beam injection, toroidal Alfvén eigenmode and correspondent fast ions confinement issues, L-H transition, turbulence suppression and edge-localized modes' behavior, experimental and theoretical study of regimes with nitrogen seeding that allow to significantly reduce thermal loads on the divertor plates, and experiments and simulations of lower hybrid current drive. The research results provide the basis for the next step toward a fusion neutron source—the development of the Globus-3 spherical tokamak.

LaCl3(Ce) scintillator is a novel solution to the task of the fast neutron spectrometry applicable primarily for the nuclear fusion experiments. In the interest of proper neutron spectrum reconstruction, the detector response function has to be studied in detail. This work is focused on the detector response measurement and modelling under fast neutrons born in the 9Be(α, n)12C reaction at Ioffe Institute cyclotron. Comparative analysis of measured spectra versus model is done, the energy resolution and the p/β ratio are estimated for neutron energies of up to 8.5 MeV. The energy resolution is calculated to be 7–8% at 5–8 MeV. The p/β coefficient is estimated, growing from ∼0.75 at 2 MeV to ∼0.85 at 8.5 MeV. These results demonstrate the usability of the LaCl3(Ce) crystal as a neutron spectrometer at DD-neutron energies under γ-ray irradiation. At higher energies, due to low cross-sections and a multitude of possible reaction channels, the suitability of this crystal as a spectrometer is lowered.

A project of a gamma-ray spectrometric system for diagnosing fast particles in the TRT tokamak plasma is described. The organizational concept of gamma spectrometric measurements is proposed. Preliminary results of calculating the intensities of gamma ray lines of hydrogen, deuterium, and deuterium–tritium plasmas are presented, which demonstrate the possibility of obtaining information about the energy and spatial distribution of fast ions with a time resolution of 1–10 s when using a multidetector system. Runaway electrons can be observed by hard X-ray emission from the tokamak plasma in the megaelectronvolt range.

Two different types of MHD instabilities with rapidly chirping frequency were found to arise in the Globus-M2 spherical tokamak in substantially different frequency ranges. The first type arises at frequencies of an order of 1 MHz in ohmic plasmas at relatively low density 〈 n e 〉 < 2 × 10 19 m − 3 in a wide range of toroidal magnetic fields and plasma currents. This type of instability was identified as compressional Alfvén waves, driven by electrons, accelerated during a sawtooth crush. It was found that the mode frequency is sweeping in time, according to the Berk–Breizman hole–clump nonlinear chirping model. The second type of wave arises in a specific single-swing regime of the central solenoid current with a very narrow plasma column, when the plasma tends to decay at extremely low density 〈 n e 〉 < 2 × 10 18 m − 3 and, in fact, is an instability of the runaway electron beam. The exited modes cover the whole observed frequency range and are divided into several (two or three) frequency regions: approximately 0–30 MHz, 60–120 MHz and sometimes 30–60 MHz. Reconnection of the branches was also observed. Single chirps are more rapid than for 1 MHz Alfvén instability and follow an exponential law. This paper, to our knowledge, is the first report of frequency chirping instabilities excited by accelerated electrons at a spherical tokamak.

Runaway electron gamma-ray detection system, a novel hard x-ray (HXR) spectrometer optimized for bremsstrahlung radiation measurement from runaway electrons in fusion plasmas, has been developed. The detector is based on a 1'x1' LaBr3:Ce scintillator crystal coupled with a photomultiplier tube. The system has an energy dynamic range exceeding 20 MeV with an energy resolution of 3% at 661.7 keV. The detector gain is stable even under severe loads, with a gain shift that stays below 3% at HXR counting rates in excess of 1 MCps. The performance of the system enables unprecedented studies of the time-dependent runaway electron energy distribution function, as shown in recent runaway electron physics experiments at the ASDEX Upgrade and COMPASS tokamaks.

A multi-diagnostic study of the fast ion losses and redistribution during toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes at the Globus-M and Globus-M2 spherical tokamaks was performed. Mode amplitude and frequency evolution are discussed. Local energy-resolved spatial transport was examined using an active neutral particle analyzer. Losses and transport dependences on the mode amplitude were obtained. The change in the ion transport with the increase in plasma current and toroidal magnetic field is reported. The experimental data are compared with the modeling results.

Absorbed power of the neutral-injection beam in spherical tokamaks Globus-M/M2 is estimated numerically. Deceleration of fast particles is simulated by means of the NUBEAM code. The signal of analyzer of charge-exchange atoms is simulated by means of the FIDASIM code using the distribution function of fast ions calculated by means of the NUBEAM code. Comparison of calculated and experimental signals allowed determining the degree of influence of instabilities on confinement of fast particles along with absorbed beam power.

Hard x-ray (HXR) spectrometry in ITER can provide information about Runaway Electrons (REs) in tokamak plasmas. Non-trivial reconstruction techniques must be applied to study the Energy distribution of REs in tokamaks since the diagnostic signals are convoluted with the emission of bremsstrahlung radiation from REs reaching the detector and the detector response function. A developed tool, coupled with the PREDICT code, has been described in this report for reconstructing the Runaway Electron energy distribution function (REDF) from HXR spectrum. Bremsstrahlung emission spectra and the detector response function are utilized in a forward modelling process to generate synthetic HXR spectra for different test REDF to which artificial noise is added. These HXR spectra are utilized to reconstruct the REDFs that can provide information about the REs in the plasma. The reconstruction process has been applied to the ITER HXR Monitor configuration for the first time. The effect of reduced optical transmission efficiency is studied on the reconstruction process and the accuracy of the extracted RE parameters. The performance of the reconstruction process is also tested for different amount of photon counts to identify the minimum number of photon counts required for optimal reconstruction. Preliminary results of RE-current estimation using the reconstruction process are also presented.

Исследован нагрев плазмы одним и двумя инжекторами быстрых нейтральных атомов в сферическом токамаке Глобус-М2 при тороидальном магнитном поле 0.8–0.9 Тл и токе плазмы 0.35–0.4 МА. Измерение пространственных распределений температуры и концентрации электронов, выполненные диагностикой томсоновского рассеяния лазерного излучения, показало двукратный нагрев электронов плазмы при инжекции нейтральных частиц с энергией до 45 кэВ при мощности пучка 0.75 МВт по сравнению с омическим режимом. Дополнительное включение второго пучка с энергией частиц до 30 кэВ и мощностью до 0.5 МВт позволило получить режим с горячими ионами в диапазоне значений средней плотности плазмы 1.6–10 × 10 19 м –3 . По данным активной спектроскопии и корпускулярной диагностики температура ионов достигла величины 4 кэВ при плотности плазмы 8 × 10 19 м –3 в горячей зоне, превысив температуру электронов более чем в 2.5 раза.