On the Edge of Magnetic Fusion Devices

This book reviews the current state of understanding concerning edge plasma, which bridges hot fusion plasma, with a temperature of roughly one million degrees Kelvin with plasma-facing materials, which have melting points of only a few thousand degrees Kelvin. In a fact, edge plasma is one of the keys to solution for harnessing fusion energy in magnetic fusion devices. The physics governing the processes at work in the edge plasma involves classical and anomalous transport of multispecies plasma, neutral gas dynamics, atomic physics effects, radiation transport, plasma-material interactions, and even the transport of plasma species within the plasma-facing materials. The book starts with simple physical models, then moves on to rigorous theoretical considerations and state-of-the-art simulation tools that are capable of capturing the most important features of the edge plasma phenomena. The authors compare the conclusions arising from the theoretical and computational analysis with the available experimental data. They also discuss the remaining gaps in their models and make projections for phenomena related to edge plasma in magnetic fusion reactors. Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Edge Plasma Issues in Magnetic Fusion Devices (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 1-12 Atomic Physics Relevant to Fusion Plasmas (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 13-47 Plasma–Material Interactions in Magnetic Fusion Devices (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 49-72 Sheath Physics (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 73-87 Dust in Fusion Plasmas (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 89-113 Fluid Description of Edge Plasma Transport (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 115-137 Anomalous Cross-Field Transport in Edge Plasma (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 139-200 Computational Modeling of the Edge Plasma Transport Phenomena (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 201-227 Physics of Some Edge Plasma Phenomena (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 229-257 Conclusions and Outlook (Sergei Krasheninnikov, Andrei Smolyakov, Andrei Kukushkin)....Pages 259-261 "This book reviews the current state of understanding concerning edge plasma, which bridges hot fusion plasma, with temperature of roughly one million degrees Kelvin with plasma'facing materials, which have melting points of only a few thousand degrees Kelvin. In a fact, edge plasma is one of the keys to solution for harnessing fusion energy in magnetic fusion devices. The physics governing the processes at work in the edge plasma involves classical and anomalous transport of multispecies plasma, neutral gas dynamics, atomic physics effects, radiation transport, plasma-material interactions, and even the transport of plasma species within the plasma-facing materials. The book starts with simple physical models, then moves on to rigorous theoretical considerations and state-of-the-art simulation tools that are capable of capturing the most important features of edge plasma phenomena. The authors compare the conclusions arising from the theoretical and computational analysis with the available experimental data. They also discuss the remaining gaps in their models and make projections for phenomena related to edge plasma in magnetic fusion reactors"--Page 4 of cover