Experimental program and diagnostics for IGNITEX

A conceptual experimental program and diagnostics system for the Fusion Ignition Experiment (IGNITEX) are presented. The three year, three-phase program begins with approximately one year, of hydrogen operation during which basic machine control (density and temperature profiles) and diagnostic system refinement will take place. Additionally, scaling law studies will be initiated. The very high magnetic field and high-density regimes accessible by IGNITEX should allow exploration of scaling laws in regimes which are inaccessible with present machines. Deuterium will be used in the second phase, resulting in the production of limited fusion neutrons to allow preliminary testing of the neutron detector systems. When conditions approaching ignition have been reached, T will replace hydrogen in the fuel mixture for the final phase of operation. During the D-T phase, the primary studies will concern the physics of ignition and the study of the fusion α-particle effects on the plasma, including α-particle loss rate as well as confinement degradation and destabilization. Diagnostic support for IGNITEX will consist of two groups of instruments. The basic diagnostics group will include conventional magnetic pick-up coils for plasma position, current, and loop voltage; a 90° Thomson scattering system and an ECE system for electron-temperature measurement; visible and UV spectrometers for impurity monitoring; and an FIR (finite impulse response) system for density profile measurement. The additional diagnostics for the latter phases of operation will include a foil absorption system for escaping α particles and a time-of-flight neutron spectrometer for neutron emission and ion-temperature measurements. A review of a possible plasma diagnosis available for neutron detection is included