COLLOQUIUM: Stellarator Research at PPPL and Beyond

Recent stellarator research activities have focused on international collaboration, primarily on W7-X. The activities include construction of the trim coil set on W7-X, design and construction of an X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer, and design of a plasma component known as the "scraper element". The status of these research tools will be summarized and planning for the initial operational phase of W7-X, currently planned for July of this year, will be discussed. Planning is well underway for PPPL participation in the initial operational of W7-X. Planned experiments include field line mapping with the trim coils and initial ion temperature measurements. PPPL is actively pursuing stellarator optimization research looking at ways stellarator coils can be built for maintenance scenarios. Recent results of the optimization studies will be presented. Stellarator tools are also being applied to DIII-D and ITER to help understand the effect of applied 3D fields in the context of ELM stabilization and braking using Neoclassical Toroidal Viscosity. Motivations for a greater US involvement in stellarators will be presented.