Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
           June 9, 2008

FY2008 weeks of research operations:
   Target: 15 weeks
   Completed:  15.7 weeks


Operations
----------

We continued removal of equipment and diagnostics from the C-Mod cell
last week.  Disassembly of the magnet bus-work was begun, as was
removal of the boots that seal the cryostat to the vacuum flanges.
Machine instrumentation and heater cabling was prepared for removal by
checking for damaged labeling and re-labeling as required.

Diagnostic calibrations last week included those for the Lithium
Pellet Injector imaging system and the Hard X-Ray Camera.

First entry into the vacuum vessel occurred last Friday.  In
collaboration with INEEL (Idaho National Engineering and Environmental
Laboratory), dust samples at over twenty invessel locations were
collected.  These samples will be analyzed for composition and size
distribution.  This work was done as soon as the radiation survey
cleared the vessel for entry to minimize the impact of in-vessel
activity on the results.  Following the dust collection, an extensive
set of survey pictures documenting the distribution of boron in the
machine was taken.


ICRF Systems
------------

Racks and cabling associated with the ICRF control system have been
removed from the cell to make room for machine disassembly.  Design of
a new phase lock system for the J-Port antenna continued as did
modeling of the new 4-strap antenna strip lines and the antenna
radiation patterns.


Lower Hybrid System
-------------------

The lower hybrid launcher has been prepared for removal from the
vessel.

Work continued on the new Coupler Protection System boards with
successful testing of the reflected power fault detectors.  Work also
continued on upgrades to the phase and amplitude control system.
Fabrication of the 4th cart, which will provide space for four
additional klystrons, proceeded.


Travel and Visitors
-------------------

Earl Marmar traveled to San Diego this week to participate at General
Atomics in joint meetings of the Executive Committees of two IEA
Implementing Agreements: The Large Tokamak IA and The Poloidal
Divertor IA. Dr. Marmar attended as a member of the Poloidal Divertor
Executive Committee and as an alternate member of the Large Tokamak
Executive Committee. During the meetings he also made two
presentations. The first was a summary of recent C-Mod results and
plans, and the second was on the topic of experience in C-Mod with
high-Z metal plasma facing components. Following these meetings,
Dr. Marmar also participated in a meeting of representatives of the
Fusion Facilities Coordinating Committee, the main purpose of which
was to discuss potential joint experimental research JOULE milestones
for FY2010.

Debby Bruhn, INEEL, visited on Thursday and Friday of last week to
direct dust collection from the C-Mod vacuum vessel.

Paul Bonoli attended the annual SciDAC Advisory Committee Meeting at
PPPL on June 5-6, 2008. As Principal Investigator of the RF SciDAC
Center he gave a talk titled "Scientific Progress in the SciDAC Center
for Simulation of Wave Plasma Interactions"


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