Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
                  October 24, 2011


FY2012 weeks of research operations
Target: TBD
Completed: 0
Plasma Shots: 0


Operations
----------

Testing of the individual components of the new C-Mod gas puff system
has been completed and installation in the C-Mod cell will begin this
week.

Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) documentation of magnetic coil
positions and diagnostic locations in-vessel were completed last week.


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

Final in-vessel installation of the ARRA funded rotated antenna was
begun last week. The backplates were installed, and CMM measurements
were obtained to confirm proper location of the plates.  The vacuum
flange for the antenna was installed and successfully leakchecked. The
rf feedthroughs and coax components were then installed, which allowed
installation of the antenna strip lines and current straps to be
completed.  Two of the four Faraday screens (#1 and #4) are also now in
position.  Instrumentation for the antenna is being installed and
connected to signal cables.


Lower Hybrid Systems
--------------------

Installation of new wiring and fiber optic runs for the Transmitter
Protection System moved forward last week.

A detailed FEA model of the klystron water cooling design developed from
the vendor's drawings has been completed.  This model will be used to
document collector heating under a wide range of operating conditions,
and to make estimates of klystron lifetime.


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

We have taken delivery of the Thomson Scattering Upgrade lasers and are
making preparations to install them in early November. The new lasers
will increase the maximum rep rate of Thomson measurements from 60Hz to
100Hz, while providing an equal or greater numbers of photons per
pulse. The older units will be relocated to an auxiliary lab and will be
available for off-line uses.


Remote Participation, Travel, and Visitors
------------------------------------------

Greg Wallace was at the ITPA Integrated Operating Scenarios in Kyoto,
Japan last week. He gave presentations on the status of C-Mod and on
IOS-5.3, "LHCD at High Density".

Bruce Lipschultz traveled to Oxford, UK to attend the H-mode workshop
October 10-12. He then spent 2 days at JET in meetings with colleagues
with discussions centered around charge exchange measurements, impurity
seeding techniques and experiments, imaging of H_alpha across the plasma
cross-section for neutral density, radial transport and plasma wall
interaction analysis, and finally discussions of tungsten influx
measurements (WI and WII lines).

John Howard, Australian National University, visited last week and gave
a seminar on "MSE imaging on the KSTAR tokamak, and future prospects".
He also met with C-Mod scientists and graduate students and toured
C-Mod.

Greg Hanson, ORNL, visited last week to work with Cornwall Lau on the
reflectometer electronics. A new circuit was installed to correct for
phase drift errors. Greg Hanson also met with Yijun Lin and Steve
Wukitch to discuss reflectometer results and future plans.

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