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Research Projects

The following is a partial list of topics being researched by the members of the UM Plasma Physics Group along with a brief explanation of some of the topics. For a more basic discussion of what is a plasma and fusion energy, see the educational web sites of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and General Atomics.

• The Quasi-Poloidal Stellarator Project
  
  
  This project is a collaboration with scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It involves the design and study of a magnetic fusion energy experiment with a near symmetry in the magnetic field. For more information on QPS, follow the link above to the official QPS page.
  
  

  Ideal MHD Stability of High-Beta Compact Stellarators
  
  

  Plasma physicists measure the plasma pressure in terms of the plasma beta, which is defined as the ratio of the pressure to the magnetic field strength squared. As the plasma beta is increased, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities arise in the plasma. We do numerical calculations of the equilibrium and stability properties of compact magnetic confinement devices at high plasma beta.
  
  

  Development of Optimization Algorithms for Stellarators
  
  

  The optimization of three-dimensional magnetic confinement devices is numerically intensive and more effective and efficient optimization algorithms can be useful in the search for improved designs. The most commonly used optimization algorithm has been a nonlinear least-squares method, the Levenberg-Marquardt method. In the past we have examined using a Broyden update variant of the Levenberg-Marquardt method and are currently investigating the development of a hybrid optimization algorithm which combines the Levenberg-Marquardt method with a genetic optimization algorithm.
  
  

  Cross Phase Dynamics in Plasma Turbulence
  

  
  

  Constituent Transport in Stratospheric Flows
  

  
  

  RF Current Drive in a Reverse Field Pinch