PPPL-3322 is available in pdf or postscript formats.

Physics Design of the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Authors: S.M. Kaye, M. Ono, Y.-K. M. Peng, D.B. Batchelor, M.D. Carter, W. Choe, R. Goldston, Y.S. Hwang, E.F. Jaeger, T. Jarboe, S. Jardin, D. Johnson, R. Kaita, C. Kessel, H. Kugel, R. Maingi, R. Majeski, J. Manickam, J. Menard, D.R. Mikkelsen, D. Orvis, B. Nelson, F. Paoletti, N. Pomphrey, G. Rewoldt, S. Sabbagh, D.J. Strickler, E. Synakowski, and J.R. Wilson

The mission of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is to prove the principles of spherical torus physics by producing high-bt plasmas that are non-inductively sustained, and whose current profiles are in steady-state. NSTX will be one of the first ultra low aspect ratio tori (R = a £ 1.3) to operate at high power (Pinput up to 11 MW) in order to produce high-bt (25 to 40%), low collisionality, high bootstrap fraction (£ 70%) discharges. Both radio-frequency (RF) and neutral-beam (NB) heating and current drive will be employed. Built into NSTX is sufficient configurational flexibility to study a range of operating space and the resulting dependences of the confinement, micro- and MHD stability, and particle and power handling properties. NSTX research will be carried out by a nationally based science team.