A method to control and optimize memory consumption has been implemented in the JOREK MHD code. It has been documented in the manuscript titled “Implementation of matrix compression in the coupling of JOREK to realistic 3D conducting wall structures” by Federico Cipolletta and collaborators, which was accepted for publication in the Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion (PPCF) journal on 22/08/2024 and is available at this link.
The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) hosts one of the Advanced Computing Hub (ACH) that EUROfusion has created to improve fusion codes following its European Research Roadmap. These codes are essential for advancing fusion energy research, which is a promising sustainable energy source for the future.
On 11-15 March our group leader, ICREA Research Prof. Mervi Mantsinen visited the JET tokamak at Culham, United Kingdom, to take part in the Analysis and Modelling Meeting of the EUROfusion Work Package Tokamak Exploitation (WPTE). In total, approximately 85 fusion scientists from all around Europe participated in this meeting in person.
In the realm of computational research, a new tool for HTS simulation has emerged: MAGNET. MAGNET stands as a revolutionary module designed for simulating the magnetic behavior of High Temperature Superconductors (HTS). Embedded within the renowned Alya suite, a software developed by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and optimized for High-Performance Computing (HPC), MAGNET has recently undergone benchmarking that unveils its potential.
Alfvénic instabilities driven by energetic particles pose a challenge to the efficient operation of magnetic confinement fusion devices. These modes can dispel fast ions leading to the introduction of significant heat loads onto plasma facing components and degradation of overall plasma confinement. One class of Alfvénic instabilities known as reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes (RSAEs) are of particular risk in devices with reversed shear rotational transform profiles. Reversed shear configurations have recently been of interest because of their enhancement to confinement quality. With this in mind, further study of RSAEs is necessary.
A recent study examines heat transport in stochastic magnetic fields, focusing on an-isotropic temperature diffusion. This research dives into the differences between parallel and perpendicular thermal conductivity.