Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights January 3, 2005 FY 2005 weeks of research operation planned: 14 weeks, completed: 0 weeks. We are currently up-to-air with the primary goal of installing the lower hybrid launcher. In addition, a large number of in-vessel activities are ongoing in support of ICRF and diagnostic systems. Maintenance and upgrades to diagnostic and power systems are also in progress. Physics ------- The first quarterly milestone for our FY05 level 1 target was completed on December 21, "Install molybdenum protection tiles on all RF antennas and remove boron-nitride tiles from active MHD antennas". The milestone completion report can be found at http://www.psfc.mit.edu/cmod/sciprogram/FY05_level1_targets/q1_complete.pdf Operations ---------- We continued upgrades to the PLC/PC interface software and hardware. Work has begun on the PLC control system for the new disruption mitigation Gas Jet. The new quad instrumentation boards and front panels were installed in the bus instrumentation rack. These boards, along with new power supplies, will improve the temperature and resistance measurements made on the C-Mod magnets. Work also continued on the polarimeter, tangential neutral particle analyser, MSE, Long Pulse DNB and other diagnostic systems. A picture of the outer divertor module with the first column of tungsten brush tiles attached may be seen at http://www.psfc.mit.edu/cmod/operations/EngImages/MACHINE/Divertor/DCP_0248.JPG This divertor module has been installed invessel. The remaining two columns of tiles have been attached to another outer divertor module and prepared for in-vessel installation later this week. Two engineering CPCI units have been installed, one to replace the bus Rogowski CAMAC and one to replace the Alternator CAMAC. This installation is part of our ongoing effort to replace CAMAC with CPCI hardware that is faster, higher density, and more reliable. ICRF System ----------- Six of the eight power modules for the fast ferrite tuner power supply have been repaired and successfully tested at low power. The remaining two modules are still being debugged at low power. When all eight modules are operational, high power testing into a dummy load will begin. Lower Hybrid System ------------------- The forward waveguide (fwg) with the four MIT couplers installed was placed in the vacuum test stand last week and baked for several days. The system was leak-tight throughout the entire process. The fwg assembly was moved into the cell last Thursday. On Friday installation of the C-Horizontal port extension holding the in-vessel launcher support rails was begun on C-Mod. A picture of the couplers and the six Langmuir probes for measuring edge density can be found at http://www.psfc.mit.edu/cmod/operations/EngImages/RF/lower_hybrid/IMG_0708.JPG The lower hybrid limiters were also installed in-vessel last week as can be seen at http://www.psfc.mit.edu/cmod/operations/EngImages/RF/lower_hybrid/DCP_0170.JPG Work on the upgrade modifications to the Coupler Protection System (CPS) boards has started and should be completed this week. These modifications will enhance coupler protection by sampling both forward power from directional couplers and reflected power from the new probes. Power was run to the Low Power Microwave Rack from the LH power panel. The fiber optic trigger chassis has been completed and testing has started. _______________________________________________ Cmod_weekly mailing list Cmod_weekly@lists.psfc.mit.edu http://lists.psfc.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/cmod_weekly