Turbulence and Anomalous Transport in Magnetically Confined Plasmas: a theoretical and computational study of transport barrier bifurcations

At around 105 degrees C gases become plasmas, when the electrons are liberated from the atoms. Plasmas must be confined by a magnetic field, and a major goal of research into nuclear fusion (a clean energy source) is to achieve critical conditions for fusion in hot magnetoplasma. The problem is that it is very difficult to obtain a plasma that stays hot enough for long enough. Under certain conditions a magnetoplasma may undergo a transport barrier bifurcation, to a state where fusion conditions are achievable. In this project the spatio-temporal dynamics of these bifurcations will be investigated theoretically and computationally, with input of experimental data from the H-1NF plasma facility in the RSPSE at ANU. The physical origins and limits of this behaviour will be investigated through mathematical analysis of appropriate transport models. Strategies for design and control of plasma transport processes will be developed to help achieve the goal of economical nuclear.