2014 US TTF Meeting Summary

The ultimate goal of the U.S. Transport Task Force is to develop a physics-based understanding of confinement and particle, momentum and heat transport in magnetic fusion devices. This understanding should be of sufficient depth that it allows the development of predictive models of plasma transport that can be validated against experiment, and then used to anticipate the future performance of burning plasmas in ITER, as well as to provide guidance to the design of next-step fusion nuclear science facilities. To achieve success in transport science, it is essential to characterize local fluctuations and transport in toroidal plasmas, to understand the basic mechanisms responsible for transport, and ultimately to control these transport processes. These goals must be pursued in multiple areas, including ion and electron thermal transport, particle and momentum transport, the physics of H-modes and the edge pedestal, Internal Transport Barriers, energetic particle transport and 3D effects on all the underlying transport processes. Demonstrating our understanding requires multiple, successful, quantitative tests of theory, simulation and modeling using experimental results in fusion-relevant and basic plasmas (i.e., verification and validation). The 2014 U.S. TTF meeting was held in April 2014 in San Antonio TX to provide a forum for leading scientists focusedmore » on the study of transport of particles, momentum and heat in fusion plasmas. Approximately 110 scientists from the US and several from the EU and from China attended and heard oral talks on recent transport results. Several poster sessions were also held. One day of plenary talks were followed by Breakout sessions and poster sessions that were held on focused topics, including L-H transition physics, energetic particles, transport in high performance plasmas, divertor particle and heat flux management and innovative divertor designs, fundamental turbulence studies, end edge transport shortfall.« less