Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
                November 3, 2008


FY2009 weeks of research operations:
   Target: TBD
   Completed:  0 weeks



Physics
-------

Two theories for flow drive in LHCD plasmas are being analyzed by Matt
Reinke, a C-Mod graduate student.  A change in flow caused by a change
in the induced parallel electric field was discounted due to the
observed changes in poloidal rotation being much smaller than predicted.
In order to test the theory of a LH-induced pinch of fast electrons, the
non-ambipolar radial flux was determined using the time rate of change
of the radial electric field calculated from HIREXSR spectra.
Discussions with Peter Catto, Ron Parker and Paul Bonoli have resulted
in a technique to compare these results to theory.


DoE Quarterly Review
--------------------

The FY08 4'th quarter C-Mod DoE review was held on Monday, October 27th,
at MIT. Presentations were given by Earl Marmar, Jim Irby, Steve
Wukitch, Bob Granetz, Rui Vieira, John Rice, and Bruce Lipschulz.
Rostom Dagazian represented OFES.  Randy Wilson and Chuck Kessel, PPPL,
and Bill Rowan and Perry Phillips, U. Tx, participated remotely.  Links
to the viewgraphs from the presentations can be found at:

http://www.psfc.mit.edu/research/alcator/pubs/quarterlies.html.


Operations
----------

An internal review of the procedures and fixturing required to silver
plate the tf core and arm fingers was held last Tuesday.  We expect to
begin plating activities this week.  All forty or the horizontal TF arms
and twelve of twenty vertical TF legs have now been successfully fitted
with new feltmetal.  New heaters have been installed on the inner vessel
wall and are undergoing bake cycles to cure the adhesive.  Springplates
that provide the force and compliance needed at the finger joints are
being fabricated and prepared for installation.


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

We continued design work on the rf probes for the lower hybrid coupler.
These probes will provide measurements of the coupling to the plasma and
should be useful for fault protection.


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

We continued work on the new IPA system with changes to the control
system needed to properly interface the new solid-state amplifier.


Travel and Visits
-----------------

Catherine Fiore attended the semi-annual meeting of the APS Committee on
the Status of Women in Physics, held in Chicago on 10/28/2008.

On Monday Vikas Gupta and Dr. Don McCann of ReGENco LLC made a site
visit to discuss the MIT Alternator.  Their company specializes in
analyzing ultrasonic and other NDE data from generator rotors, and
determining their integrity and estimating their service lifetime.

Peter Milne, D-Tacq Systems, visited last week to discuss new data
acquisition boards with Willy Burke, Atma Kanojia, and Josh Stillerman.

Catherine Fiore met with Jim Drake, U. of Maryland, to discuss ion
heating events at sawtooth reconnection on C-Mod.  Sawteeth appear in
the neutron data, but the lack of spatial resolution would make it
difficult to discern the effect that he is seeking.  Jim also gave the
PSFC seminar last Friday and discussed "Energetic Particle Production
During Magnetic Reconnection".
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