Department of Energy Grant: Advancing Theoretical Research in Magnetic Fusion Energy Science

The Magnetic Fusion Energy Sciences (MFES) theory program focuses on advancing the scientific understanding of the fundamental physical processes governing the behavior of magnetically confined plasmas. An important objective of the MFES theory program is to develop the predictive capability needed for a sustainable fusion energy source. The early-stage research supported by this FOA has the potential of creating significant public good by contributing to American energy dominance. The efforts supported by this program range from analytical work to the development and application of simulation codes capable of exploiting the potential of next generation high performance computers. In addition to its scientific discovery mission, the MFES theory program provides the scientific grounding for the physics models implemented in the advanced simulation codes developed under the FES Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) portfolio.

Applications responsive to this FOA should address one or more of the following areas:
1. Macroscopic Stability: This area focuses on the macroscopic (device-scale) equilibrium and stability of magnetically confined plasmas, including the prediction, avoidance, control, and mitigation of deleterious or performance-limiting instabilities such as plasma disruptions and other transient events.
2. Confinement and Transport: This area focuses on the understanding, prediction, and control of the collisional and turbulent physical processes responsible for the loss of heat, momentum and particles from the core of magnetically confined plasmas. Work focused on theory-based predictive transport modeling using first-principles or advanced reduced models will also be considered.
3. Boundary Physics: This area focuses on the physical processes dominant in the edge region of magnetically confined plasmas, defined as the region from the top of the pedestal just inside the last closed flux surface to the material walls, including the scrape-off layer (SOL). This topical area includes research focusing on the properties and characteristics of the pedestal as well as research focusing on transitions to enhanced confinement regimes. Work focusing on the physical processes inside the plasma facing materials is not responsive to this FOA.
4. Plasma Heating & Non-inductive Current Drive: This area focuses on the physical mechanisms involved in the interaction of radiofrequency (RF) waves and other external mechanisms used to heat and drive non-inductive current in magnetically confined plasmas, including the interaction of the launching structures with the surrounding plasma.
5. Energetic Particles: This area focuses on the nonlinear interaction and coupling between background plasma, instabilities, and energetic particle populations—including the alpha particles generated by the fusion reactions—and the impact of this interaction on the confinement of the energetic particles and the overall plasma performance.

Priority will be given to applications that address the FES strategic priorities described in the “Fusion Energy Sciences, a Ten-Year Perspective (2015-2025)” plan, as well as the critical issues identified in recent community workshops. Applications that address the needs of the advanced simulation efforts supported under the SciDAC program, which is focused on integration and Whole-Device Modeling (WDM), are also strongly encouraged. Applications that are configuration-specific should focus on the tokamak (including spherical torus) and stellarator concepts. Applications focused on other toroidal magnetic confinement configurations may be considered if the proposed research is highly relevant to tokamaks or stellarators. Verification and validation (V&V) work will be considered, provided it has a strong theory component and it is not predominantly a data analysis or evaluation effort, which is normally supported by research at the major fusion facilities. Research focused on theoretical aspects of plasma diagnostics, including synthetic diagnostics, and work supporting enabling science, such as atomic physics, are not supported under this FOA. Efforts focused on crosscutting areas, such as magnetic reconnection or plasma turbulence, are eligible provided they address issues of direct relevance to the plasma science of magnetic confinement.