spring 2020 FYS-8026 Fusion plasma physics - 10 ECTS
Admission requirements
PhD students or holders of a Norwegian master´s degree of five years or three + two years (or equivalent) may be admitted. Only students with a background in physics, or another discipline which provides the student with the relevant knowledge, may be admitted. Students are expected to have skills equivalent to the prerequisites listed for the course.
PhD students are exempt from semester fee.
All external applicants have to attach a confirmation of their status as a PhD student from their home institution. Students who hold a Master of Science degree, but are not yet enrolled as a PhD-student have to attach a copy of their master's degree diploma. These students are also required to pay the semester fee.
More information regarding PhD courses at the Faculty of Science and Technology is found here.
The course will only be taught if there is a sufficient number of students.
Course content
The course content is dynamic and will reflect the interests of the participating students and the ongoing research on fusion plasma physics at the Faculty of Science and Technology. Following a general introduction to the quest for controlled thermonuclear fusion and magnetic confinement, students will obtain in depth knowledge about equilibrium, waves, instabilities, and collisional as well as fluctuation-induced transport in magnetized plasmas using both kinetic and fluid descriptions. Cross-field transport of particles and heat due to collective motions is an issue of major concern for future fusion reactors and is the main research topic at the department. The course includes computer projects where the students will develop simulation codes and analyse experimental data.Objectives of the course
Knowledge - The student will be able to:
- describe the principles of fusion processes, energy confinement, power balance, and the basic design of a fusion power reactor
- give an in depth explations on the principles of magnetic confinement of plasmas, in particular the Tokamak and Stellarator concepts
- describe equilibrium and stability of magnetically confined plasmas
- identify causes of particle and heat transport in magnetically confined plasmas
- describe the power and particle exhaust and the role of plasma-wall interactions
Skills - The student will be able to:
- obtain and interpret relevant new theories about magnetic confinement, heating, stability and transport
- analyze and interpret data from experimental measurements and numerical simulations
- solve problems in fluid and plasma dynamics using analytical and numerical methods
General expertise - The student will be able to:
- incorporate current events and new scientific information into a critical thinking
- communicate theories, problem descriptions and solutions
Assessment
Portfolio assessment of up to 3 assignments counting about 50 % and a final written examination counting about 50 %. All modules in the portfolio are assessed as a whole and one combined grade is given.
Assessment scale: Pass/Fail.
Re-sit examination (section 22): There is no access to a re-sit examination in this course.
Postponed examination (sections 17 and 21): Students with valid grounds for absence will be offered a postponed examination. Both postponed assignments and postponed oral examination are arranged during the semester if possible, otherwise early in the following semester.
See indicated sections in Regulations for examinations at the University of Tromsø for more information.
- About the course
- Campus: Tromsø |
- ECTS: 10
- Course code: FYS-8026
- Responsible unit
- Institutt for fysikk og teknologi