The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) Research Forum for 2010 is scheduled for December 1 - 3, 2009 at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Princeton, NJ USA. Team members or prospective collaborators are invited to attend or to participate remotely.

The Research Forum is intended to provide team members the opportunity to present ideas for experiments to be conducted on NSTX in the forthcoming run and for theoretical work supporting NSTX. Both well-developed and new ideas in the early stages of development are welcomed. Proposals for experiments to be performed in 2010 can be submitted for discussion at the Research Forum through this website.

There are no registration fees for the meeting, but researchers from other institutions must pre-register to participate. Intending participants from other institutions who are US citizens should send their names and affiliations to Joanne Savino (JSavino@pppl.gov) to register; non-US citizens will need to submit a PPPL Foreign Visitor form in advance of the meeting. Please email Joanne Savino (JSavino@pppl.gov) as soon as possible.

High Priority Experimental Goals for 2010 (see each area for all priorities; all ideas are welcome)

Advanced Scenarios and Control

• Achieve long-pulse density control for increased NBI current drive fraction using improved fueling and lithium conditioning
• Develop and implement improved plasma control techniques to achieve advanced operating scenarios

Boundary Physics

• Determine the relationship of ELM properties to discharge boundary shape, lithium conditioning, and 3D resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs), and compare stability of pedestal/ELMs with model calculations (Milestone R10-3)
• Understand and develop a predictive capability for the physics mechanisms responsible for the structure of the H-mode pedestal (FY11 Joint Research Milestone)

Lithium Research

• Develop and understand high-performance operating scenarios utilizing a liquid lithium divertor (LLD) for particle control
• Assess the relationship between lithiated surface conditions and edge and core plasma conditions (Milestone R11-3)

Macroscopic Stability

• Understand active and passive mode stabilization physics to improve mode control and assess sustainable beta and disruptivity near and above the ideal no-wall limit (Milestone R10-1)
• Study mode-induced disruption physics and mitigation, including halo current generation and the properties of the thermal quench, and 3-D field effects including plasma viscosity.

Solenoid-Free Startup and Rampup

• Improve coupling of inductive ramp-up to CHI plasmas, and increase ohmic flux savings using CHI
• Develop non-solenoidal start-up target plasmas compatible with other heating techniques, such as fast-wave and NBI

Transport and Turbulence

• Investigate the mechanisms governing electron transport
• L-mode to H-mode transition physics

Wave-Particle Interactions

• Utilize HHFW heating and current drive for non-inductive plasma current ramp-up and sustainment (Milestone R10-2)
• Experimental validation of predictive capabilities for the transport of fast-ions by super-Alfvenic-ion driven modes