Overview of Recent Physics Results from NSTX

S. Kaye, (E. Schuster), et al. (Collaboration Paper)

IAEA Fusion Energy Conference

Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 13-18, 2014

Abstract

NSTX is currently being upgraded to operate at twice the toroidal field and plasma current (up to 1 T and 2 MA), with a second, more tangentially aimed neutral beam for current and rotation control, a llowing for pulse lengths up to 5 s. Recent NSTX physics analyses have addressed topics that will allow NSTX-U to achieve the research goals critical to a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility. These goals include producing stable, 100% non-inductive operation, assessing Plasma Material Interface (PMI) solutions to handle the high heat loads expected in the next-step devices, and accessing low collisionality and high beta. Upgrade construction is moving on schedule with initial operation of NSTX-U planned for early 2015.