ECRH physics and technology in ITER

• Published in: Nuclear fusion 2008-05, Vol.48 (5), p.050201
• Main Author: Luce, T.C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0029-5515; 1741-4326
• DOI: 10.1088/0029-5515/48/5/050201

It is a great pleasure to introduce you to this special issue containing papers from the 4th IAEA Technical Meeting on ECRH Physics and Technology in ITER, which was held 6–8 June 2007 at the IAEA Headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The meeting was attended by more than 40 ECRH experts representing 13 countries and the IAEA. Presentations given at the meeting were placed into five separate categories EC wave physics: current understanding and extrapolation to ITER Application of EC waves to confinement and stability studies, including active control techniques for ITER Transmission systems/launchers: state of the art and ITER relevant techniques Gyrotron development towards ITER needs System integration and optimisation for ITER. It is notable that the participants took seriously the focal point of ITER, rather than simply contributing presentations on general EC physics and technology. The application of EC waves to ITER presents new challenges not faced in the current generation of experiments from both the physics and technology viewpoints. High electron temperatures and the nuclear environment have a significant impact on the application of EC waves. The needs of ITER have also strongly motivated source and launcher development. Finally, the demonstrated ability for precision control of instabilities or non-inductive current drive in addition to bulk heating to fusion burn has secured a key role for EC wave systems in ITER. All of the participants were encouraged to submit their contributions to this special issue, subject to the normal publication and technical merit standards of Nuclear Fusion . Almost half of the participants chose to do so; many of the others had been published in other publications and therefore could not be included in this special issue. The papers included here are a representative sample of the meeting. The International Advisory Committee also asked the three summary speakers from the meeting to supply brief written summaries (O. Sauter: EC wave physics and applications, M. Thumm: Source and transmission line development, and S. Cirant: ITER specific system designs). These summaries are included in this issue to give a more complete view of the technical meeting. Finally, it is appropriate to mention the future of this meeting series. With the ratification of the ITER agreement and the formation of the ITER International Organization, it was recognized that meetings conducted by outside agencies with an exclusive focus on ITER w