Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik - IPP

Kernfusion: Warum ist ITER so groß? Im neuesten Video von Urknall, Weltall und das Leben erklärt Hartmut Zohm anschaulich und verständlich das zentrale Argument hinter der Größe von ITER. Er beleuchtet das berühmte Triple-Produkt, magnetische Begrenzungen und die technologischen Herausforderungen, die eine Verkleinerung erschweren. Schau dir das Video an und tauche ein in die faszinierende Welt der Kernfusion! https://lnkd.in/d89Hej5a

Congratulations to Magdalena Bauer and Tabea Gleiter on their successful dissertations! 🎓🎓👏 In her doctoral thesis, Magdalena analyzed magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak with a focus on so-called tearing modes. These modes can couple due to toroidicity and plasma shape and thus lead to additional deterioration of plasma confinement up to disruption - the abrupt loss of thermal energy and plasma flow. Their early detection and characterization is therefore essential for the initiation of countermeasures. Using a newly developed 3D FEM model, she was able to determine the poloidal composition of these modes on the basis of magnetic measurements. Relevant conductive structures were implemented in the model, which enabled a frequency-dependent modeling of different coil types that are necessary for a continuous analysis of coupled tearing modes. In this way, Magdalena provides a consistent description of the different magnetic signals of MHD instabilities in ASDEX Upgrade - a contribution to reliable diagnostics in the operation of future fusion facilities. In her PhD thesis, Tabea has developed a new methodology for the determination of impurity transport in ASDEX Upgrade, which focuses in particular on the transport between magnetic flux surfaces at the plasma edge. Charge exchange spectroscopy measurements are evaluated using a data analysis method based on Bayesian statistics. A comparison of the high-resolution experimental profiles of diffusion and convection with theoretical calculations allows the determination of the different levels of collisional and turbulent transport in the investigated confinement regimes. While the plasma edge is normally dominated by shock transport, she was able to detect diffusive turbulence in the promising QCE regime. These results are crucial for the operation of future fusion reactors, as the transport at the plasma edge significantly determines the distribution of impurities and thus influences central plasma properties. #FusionResearch #PlasmaPhysics #ASDEXUpgrade

Thrilled to announce that our work on the spectroscopic camera network for the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator has been published! This system enables precise strike line width quantification, a critical metric for advancing divertor design—especially in closed geometries where particle exhaust and retention efficiency are paramount. 📄 Key Contributions: Diagnostic Innovation: Spatially resolved photon flux measurements using ultra-wide field-of-view lenses (135°), covering 56% of plasma-facing surfaces with resolutions up to 1.4 pixel/cm. Inferred SOL Widths: Critical for evaluating particle flux profiles and optimizing divertor configurations in fusion power plants. Applications: Supports studies on plasma detachment, edge impurity dynamics, and recycling, directly informing future fusion power plant design. 🔗 Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/dyr7vvaC Huge thanks to my co-authors for their collaboration in tackling challenges like heat load management with 3D printed components and optical alignment in W7-X’s complex environment. This work underscores the importance of diagnostic precision in achieving sustainable fusion energy.

European Labs Lead the Way: Europe’s Fusion Energy Research in Full Swing Did you know that major facilities like #WEST at CEA IRFM, #TCV at EPFL Swiss Plasma Center at EPFL, #ASDEXUpgrade, #W7X at Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, and #MASTUpgrade at UK Atomic Energy Authority are all running high-intensity campaigns right now to advance fusion energy research? Their breakthroughs feed directly into ITER Organization and DEMO, paving the path toward a clean, sustainable energy future. 🔗 Read the full story and learn how Europe is pushing the boundaries of fusion science: https://lnkd.in/dd2TcAV2 #FusionResearch #FusionEnergy #EUROfusion #Science #Europe #JET #ASDEXUpgrade #TCV #Wendelstein7X #WEST #MastUpgrade #ITER #DEMO

Applications are open for the 2026 EUROfusion Bernard Bigot Researcher Grants funding individual post-doctoral research projects for 2-years starting in 2026. 👩🔬 👨🔬 The 2026 EUROfusion Bernard Bigot Researcher Grants fund individual post-doctoral research projects for 2-years starting in 2026. The grant will contribute to the salaries, research and training activities of up to 9 outstanding early career researchers. Find all the details below and apply today! 👇 https://lnkd.in/dtbBNWsx #EUROfusion #ERG #grant #research #fusion #EURATOM

European Labs Lead the Way: Europe’s Fusion Energy Research in Full Swing Did you know that major facilities like #WEST, #TCV, #ASDEXUpgrade, #W7X, and #MASTUpgrade are all running high-intensity campaigns right now to advance fusion energy research? 🔗 Read the full story and learn how Europe is pushing the boundaries of fusion science: https://lnkd.in/dd2TcAV2 #FusionResearch #FusionEnergy #EUROfusion #Science #Europe #JET #ASDEXUpgrade #TCV #Wendelstein7X #WEST #MastUpgrade #ITER #DEMO

CERN x IPP x GFG = BL4S goes Fusion! 🔬 What happens when the science that powers the stars meets the next generation of pioneers? It gets seriously fun - and seriously inspiring. Together with CERN and the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik - IPP, we're bringing #FusionEnergy to this year's Beamline for Schools (BL4S) programme. On 4 June, students from around the world are invited to take part in a free, interactive online event designed to spark curiosity and big ideas about the energy of the future. 📣 Many thanks to the BL4S organisers at CERN - Markus Joos, Jorge A. Villa-Vélez, PhD and Sascha Schmeling - for providing this platform for fusion energy! 🗓️ 4 June 2025  🕘 Two sessions: 9:00 & 17:00 CET  📍 Online | Free to attend Get ready for an entertaining deep dive into fusion science, how we plan to bring it to the grid - and your chance to ask real fusion scientists anything: https://lnkd.in/gjtVvahr #BL4SgoesFusion #FusionPower #FusionWithIntegrity #FusionPowerPlant #SustainableFuture #Sustainability #RenewableEnergy 

‘12.5 kA for 3s. SUCCESS!’ So begins the entry in the ASDEX Upgrade Journal Monitor for Experiment #42815 from 26 March. It marks the last outstanding milestone in the highly complex conversion of our Garching tokamak fusion experiment. The mechanical conversion was already completed last summer. Since then, the experiment has been running again at ASDEX Upgrade. What was still missing, however, was the electrical commissioning of the magnetic coils for the new upper divertor. The team achieved this on 26 March. For the first time, the new coils were fully energised (12.5 kiloamperes for three seconds). From now on, the plasma can be formed with the new coils in the vicinity of the divertor - which researchers can use for optimisation experiments. #nuclearfusion #fusionenergy

Join us at our Summer University for Plasma Physics and Fusion Research for an exciting journey of learning, exploration, and personal growth. Apply now! Dates: 8 to 12 September 2024 Location: Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, Garching near Munich, Germany Who Can Apply? The IPP Summer University is aimed at physics and engineering students from European universities who have completed their bachelor's degree (undergraduate) or master's degree who have not yet decided on their doctoral topic. How to Apply? Visit our website https://lnkd.in/dpcxnYQN for more details on the application process. Application Deadline: 31 May 2025 #PlasmaPhysics #FusionResearch #SummerUniversity

On the first day of the Hannover Messe, Cem Özdemir, the German Federal Minister of Research, visited our stand. Humberto Trimino Mora, a scientist at IPP, explained the principle of Wendelstein 7-X to him and provided information about the state of fusion research. In general, the topic of nuclear fusion was met with great interest by visitors to the trade fair. If you would like to come by, we will be in Hall 2, Stand A28 (joint stand of the BMBF, the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung) until Friday. Photo: BMBF/Hans-Joachim Rickel #fusionenergy #nuclearfusion