Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
               December 8, 2008

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


Operations
----------

Preparations for the alternator re-inspection have been completed, and
we are ready for the arrival of the vendor's crew that will begin the
inspection this week.

Silver plating of the TF core fingers has been completed.  We continued
installation of the new TF arm insulation, and fabrication of the
spring-plates.  A new lifting fixture for the TF core is being
fabricated that will allow electrical testing of lower TF finger joints
before installation.


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

Work continued on the fabrication of the 2nd launcher.  The plates that
will make up the 4-port splitters have been sent out for machining.  We
continued to develop the rf probe design and testing procedures.  The
new data acquisition boards for the Coupler Protection System (CPS)
upgrade are in-house and undergoing testing.


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

We continued testing and calibration work on the IPA signals for the
FMIT#4 transmitter.  Work has begun preparing FMIT#3 for the new
solid-state IPA stage. The electrical power wiring has been completed
inside the driver cabinet.  The power supplies needed to power the IPA
have been installed.

Diagnostics
-----------

Perry Phillips, UT-FRC, has received the shielded box that was custom
manufactured for the FRCECE (Fusion Research Center Electron Cyclotron
Emission) diagnostic.  Assembly is underway including wiring of power
feeds with filters and controls, and installations of mounts for the RF
unit.

Igor Bespamyatnov and Bill Rowan, UT-FRC, have redesigned the BES (Beam
Emission Spectroscopy) diagnostic to provide an alternative means for
acquiring the DNB (Diagnostic Neutral Beam) density in the plasma. This
information is needed to improve the accuracy of measurements of the
boron impurity density via CXRS (Charge Exchange Recombination
Spectroscopy). A preliminary theoretical assessment of this approach was
undertaken during the last two weeks. It demonstrated that a new
mechanical/optical system is needed. This new system may be able to
piggy-back on the existing Wide View CXRS diagnostic. Simulation of the
signal and ray tracing of the proposed optical modifications were
initiated.

Following very good results from the FIR laser pressure control system
installed on one of the lasers that will be used for the Faraday
rotation polarimetry diagnostic, we are proceeding with installation of
a control system for the second laser.


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

Stewart Zweben, PPPL, visited MIT last week to discuss edge turbulence
data analysis and experimental plans.  Some final issues on the
comparison of the GEMR simulations with C-Mod data were discussed with
Jim Terry.  Plans for further GPI analysis were also discussed with
visitors Olaf Grulke (IPP) and Matteo Agostini (RFX group).

Steve Scott, PPPL, Jinseok Ko, MIT, and Syun'ichi Shiraiwa, MIT,
traveled to PPPL to discuss the engineering design of a new thermal
shield and shutter for the Motional Stark Effect diagnostic at
C-Mod. Scott and Shiraiwa presented information and analysis of the
diagnostic.  Mark Smith, Bob Ellis, and Larry Dudek, all of PPPL,
presented and discussed the progress on the engineering design.

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