The JT-60SA tokamak

JT-60SA is the largest tokamak in operation, designed and built jointly by Japan and Europe. Its unique properties include the capability to produce long-pulse, high-beta and highly shaped plasmas. The JT-60SA machine, laboratories, experimental programme and its associated modelling activity can be an ideal playground for the training of Japanese and European students and young professionals to foster the new generations of fusion physicists and engineers.

JIFS Overview           

The JT-60SA tokamak

JT-60SA is the largest tokamak in operation, designed and built jointly by Japan and Europe. Its unique properties include the capability to produce long-pulse, high-beta and highly shaped plasmas. The JT-60SA machine, laboratories, experimental programme and its associated modelling activity can be an ideal playground for the training of Japanese and European students and young professionals to foster the new generations of fusion physicists and engineers.

JIFS Objectives

The JT-60SA International Fusion School (JIFS) addresses the main aspects of fusion research, from plasma physics to engineering, with special attention to their combination into tokamak operation. Professional success in fusion research is often not only based on excellence in specific subjects (plasma theory, computing, experiments, diagnostics, engineering etc.), but also on a broad basis of knowledge allowing contributions to both scientific exploitation and realization of fusion experiments.
The JIFS school aims to prepare the next generation of fusion physicists and engineers from Japan and Europe (under the EURATOM fusion programme), focusing on:

• Supplementing their training by lectures, group works and visits, taking advantage of the JT-60SA facility, environment, experiences and data for practical examples and applications.
• Establishing and consolidating connections between Japanese and European students and young professionals, who could ideally be involved together in the future JT-60SA and ITER operation, scientific exploitation and upgrades.

Participating institutions

JIFS has been created under the auspices of the Broader Approach agreement between Japan and Europe for fusion energy research and of EUROfusion. It is connected to the Satellite Tokamak Programme and to its two implementing agencies, namely the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) and Fusion for Energy (F4E).

JIFS is jointly funded and organised by QST and EUROfusion, with the participation of lecturers and advisors from a number of Japanese and European universities and research institutes.

Format

The JIFS school will take place every year at the QST Naka-site. The School attendance is limited to 20 students (10 from Japan and 10 from Europe), whose participation will be funded by QST and EUROfusion. The 2-week programme will include lectures, visits (e.g. torus hall, plant systems, control room and laboratories) and practical exercises (using experimental facilities in the JT-60SA laboratories, JT-60SA data, analysis and computational tools). The school also aims to provide a permanent background of online information and alumni network, as well as means to prepare and continue exchanges among students and between students and lecturers. Note that the number of lecturers will be comparable to that of students.