Chapter 1: Overview and summary

TLDR

The 'Progress in the ITER Physics Basis' updates the 1999 ITER Physics Basis, which outlined methods for projecting burning plasma performance and identified outstanding issues. The paper applies updated projection and control methodologies to the redesigned ITER. The updated methodologies are implemented by ITER Participant Teams, coordinated through ITPA, to address the issues identified in the IPB. Analyses indicate that achieving Q > 10 in inductive operation is feasible, and that improved confinement and beta in low‑shear hybrid scenarios could yield high Q, long pulses, and benign ELMs.

Abstract

The 'Progress in the ITER Physics Basis' (PIPB) document is an update of the 'ITER Physics Basis' (IPB), which was published in 1999 [1]. The IPB provided methodologies for projecting the performance of burning plasmas, developed largely through coordinated experimental, modelling and theoretical activities carried out on today's large tokamaks (ITER Physics R&D). In the IPB, projections for ITER (1998 Design) were also presented. The IPB also pointed out some outstanding issues. These issues have been addressed by the Participant Teams of ITER (the European Union, Japan, Russia and the USA), for which International Tokamak Physics Activities (ITPA) provided a forum of scientists, focusing on open issues pointed out in the IPB. The new methodologies of projection and control are applied to ITER, which was redesigned under revised technical objectives. These analyses suggest that the achievement of Q > 10 in the inductive operation is feasible. Further, improved confinement and beta observed with low shear (= high βp = 'hybrid') operation scenarios, if achieved in ITER, could provide attractive scenarios with high Q (> 10), long pulse (>1000 s) operation with beta <no-wall limit and benign ELMs.