High-Fidelity Gyrokinetic Simulation of Tokamak and ITER Edge Physics

PI Choongseock Chang, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Co-PI Mark Adams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Luis Chacon, Los Alamos National Laboratory
R. Michael Churchill, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Michael Cole, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Stéphane Ethier, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Robert Hager, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Scott Klasky, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Seung-Hoe Ku, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Scott Parker, University of Colorado
Aaron Scheinberg, Jubilee Development
Mark Shephard, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Sarat Sreepathi, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Benjamin Sturdevant, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Award INCITE
Hours 1,300,000 Million Node-Hours
Total Hours 2,200,000 Million Node-Hours
Year
Domain Physics
Chang_INCITE 2021

Figure 1: A typical edge electrostatic turbulence in a tokamak plasma simulated by XGC. Independent blobby structure around the magnetic separatrix and in the scrape-off layer can be seen. Visualization is by D. Pugmire of ORNL.

Project Summary

This project uses the gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code XGC to study fundamental edge physics issues critical to the success of ITER and the magnetic fusion energy programs.

Project Description

This project uses the gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code XGC to study two fundamental edge physics issues critical to the success of ITER and the magnetic fusion energy programs: (1) understanding and thus promoting innovative ways to achieve the transition from low-to high-confinement mode operation; and (2) a high-enough plasma edge pedestal in the high-mode with a wall heat-flux density below the material limit.

Achieving ITER's goal of a 10-fold energy gain depends critically on resolving these two issues. The nonlocal, multiscale, nonlinear plasma physics across the open and closed magnetic field geometries, which demand unstructured triangular mesh and neutral particle recycling, make the problem an extremely large one that requires trillions of marker particles for ITER.

Based on previous INCITE allocations, for physics the project will focus on the large-size effect (compared to the ion gyroradius) in the Fusion Power Operation phase (FPO) of ITER and in future magnetic-fusion reactors.

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