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Our response includes the background and objectives for the proposed campus trial as well as responses to information requested in the CFP.
Background and Objective (Why we want to participate in a campus trial)
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Objectives
MIT's PSFC operates the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, one of three major
facilities in the U.S. magnetic confinement fusion program. This
experiment involves a large on-site team (~100 people) and significant
off-site collaborations. Fusion experiments, by their nature, require
considerable near-real-time interactions among the experimental team.
Plasma pulses are produced at approximately 15 minute intervals
throughout a run day, with each shot costing approximately $2,000
incrementally (and $10,000 averaged over the year) creating strong
incentives for the team to analyze, display and assimilate data in
support of between shot decision making. To support remote
participation, the U.S. fusion program has done some pioneering work;
operating diagnostics remotely over the internet as far back as 1991
and demonstrating full remote control of a major experiment in 1995 (The
MIT experiment was operated by a joint team working from Livermore,
California). Recently we have begun testing various technologies to
enhance and integrate ad-hoc interpersonal communications with the aim
of enhancing the experience of off-site participants and improving the
overall efficiency of decision making and problem solving. Looking to
the future, the next major step in the fusion program will be the
construction of ITER, a 10 billion dollar international experiment.
While this machine will not be built in the U.S., there is the
expectation that remote participation will be an integral part of its
operation. Experience gained now, should reap significant dividends in
enhancing the U.S. involvement in that project.
Objectives:
- enhance the levels of the considerable near real-time ad-hoc communication needed to support a fusion run and facilitate the ease of interactiona and participation of the necessary decision makers
- to increase operational efficiency and to minimize experiment rescheduling costs
- Ability to include ability to provide interoperable tools and facilitate communication with remote collaborators
- OTHER?
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