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Plasma Physics (Physics/ECE/NE 922) Seminar
Advanced Approaches in Stellarator Optimization
Date: Monday, November 28th
Time: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Place: 1610 Engineering Hall
Speaker: Sophia Henneberg, IPP Greifswald
Abstract: Stellarators possess three-dimensional magnetic fields to generate external rotational transform -- rotational transform solely generated by the coils’ magnetic field. This reduces or even eliminates the need for generating toroidal plasma currents, which can lead to instabilities such as disruptions. However, the three-dimensionality can in general involve some drawbacks, e.g., more complicated coils are typically needed compared to the axisymmetric case. Nonetheless, with careful exploitation of the large design space via optimization, the apparent disadvantages can be diminished.
In stellarator optimization studies, the boundary of the plasma is usually described by Fourier series that are not unique: several sets of Fourier coefficients describe approximately the same boundary shape. A simple method for eliminating this arbitrariness is proposed and shown to work well in practice. Additionally, we investigate the mathematical structure of the various inter-related calculations that underpin the integrated stellarator optimization problem to better understand how the equilibrium calculation, the coil calculation, and the optimization calculation communicate with each other.

Bio
Dr. Sophia Henneberg is a researcher in the stellarator theory group at IPP Greifswald. Her current research focuses on analytic and numeric approaches to stellarator optimization. She obtained her PhD at the University of York in 2016. Before her PhD she completed her Fulbright year with a master’s degree in Madison, Wisconsin.
Host: ECE/NE/PHYSICS 922 Seminar in Plasma Physics
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