The Plasma-CCP Network

Completed

Nuclear Fission and Fusion(Nuclear Fusion)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics)

Not Cross-cutting

Prof TD Arber
Physics
University of Warwick

Standard

EPSRC

01 July 2015

30 July 2021

73 months

£125,995

Plasma physics

West Midlands

NC : Infrastructure

Prof TD Arber, Physics, University of Warwick

Dr M Barnes, Oxford Physics, University of Oxford
Professor J Chittenden, Department of Physics (the Blackett Laboratory), Imperial College London
Dr BD Dudson, Physics, University of York
Dr P McKenna, Physics, University of Strathclyde
Dr BF McMillan, Physics, University of Warwick
Professor PA Norreys, Oxford Physics, University of Oxford
Dr CM Roach, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, EURATOM/CCFE
Dr KM Zepf, Mathematics & Physics, Queen's University Belfast

Plasma is the dominant state of matter in the observable universe, and modern research in basic plasma physics is largely underpinned by computational plasma physics. Computational plasma physics is pivotal in efforts to develop a range of practical plasma based applications. The Plasma-CCP brings together computational plasma physicists with expertise in two major plasma application areas: magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) and laser-plasma interactions (LPI). Plasma physics lies at the heart of both application areas, but scientists tend to operate in separate communities owing to significant differences in geometrical constraints and in the physical regimes of interest. Plasma-CCP's main activity is built around core codes that are crucial for the future development of both MCF and LPI, but we note that these codes are by their very natures rather specific to each sub-discipline. The Plasma-CCP adds considerable value to the whole of plasma physics by fostering the exchange of ideas, algorithms and computer science expertise between sub-disciplines.Specific science addressed by the MCF side of Plasma-CCP includes:- Developing high fidelity models of plasma turbulence in the core and edge of MCF devices- Comparing HPC simulations using state-of-the-art models against data from MCF experiments- Exploiting turbulence models to optimise design/predict fusion performance in future devices- Understand the transport of heat and charged particles along and across magnetic fields, interaction between plasmas, neutral gas and material surfaces.- Modelling how the edge plasma, nearest the reactor walls, impacts on reactor performanceThe LPI side of Plasma-CCP addresses a wide range of basic science and fusion related research including:- Optimising LPI parameters for next generation hadron accelerators for cancer treatment- Laser driven electron acceleration with applications to novel light sources- High-field LPI of interested to high-energy density physics- QED-plasmas as expected from the next generation of high power lasers, e.g. the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) and Vulcan 20PW.- Laser drive and plasma compression for inertial confinement fusion energy

03/08/15