Fusion Science
Fusion research at NERSC is helping to expand our fundamental understanding of plasmas - highly ionized matter at very high temperatures and densities. This will help build the scientific foundations needed to develop the predictive capability required for a sustainable fusion energy source. Specific computational goals include:
- Advancing the fundamental science of magnetically confined plasmas;
- Exploring the feasibility of the inertial confinement approach as a fusion energy source, to better understand our universe, and to enhance national security and economic competitiveness;
- Supporting the development of the scientific understanding required to design and deploy the materials needed to support a burning plasma environment; and
- Increasing fundamental understanding of basic plasma science, to enhance economic competiveness and to create opportunities for a broader range of science-based applications
A New Class of Tokamak Nonlinear Plasma Instability
A Tokamak is a toroidal-shaped fusion vessel in which a plasma, which is a mixture of the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium that has been heated to extremely high temperatures, is confined inside entirely by strong magnetic fields. Many believe that the tokamak is the best candidate for producing controlled thermonuclear fusion power. Key Challenges: The confinement and stability properties of the edge of a magnetically confined fusion plasma have long resisted theoretical explanation… Read More »
Runaway Electron Confinement Modeling
Runaway electron confinement must be understood so that ITER discharges can be shut down rapidly without damaging in-vessel components. However, ITER simulation is computationally more intensive than similar simulations of existing tokamaks. Read More »
Computational Atomic Physics for Fusion Energy
There is an urgent need for reliable atomic data to help make the choice of materials for the active plasma-facing walls in future controlled fusion devices such as ITER. Massively parallel computer architectures such as those at NERSC now play a vital role in these enormously challenging computational tasks. Read More »
Heavy-Ion Fusion Science (HIFS)
NERSC simulations were vital in making the NDCX-II experiments a success, helping to pave the way towards making inertial fusion energy an affordable and environmentally attractive means of producing commercial electricity. Read More »
