Open PhD positions in experimental physics on the TCV tokamak at Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland). EPFL is Europe’s most cosmopolitan technical university with students, professors and staff from over 120 nations. A dynamic environment, open to Switzerland and the world, EPFL is centered on its three missions: teaching, research and technology transfer.
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- Thomson scattering data analysis for real-time applications
Contact person: Dr. P. Blanchard
On the TCV tokamak, reliable electron temperature and density profiles are routinely obtained fromThomson Scattering (TS) measurements. In 2013-2014, the TS diagnostic has undergone a substantial upgrade which is opening the road to real-time (RT) applications of such parameters.
In the frame of a PhD, algorithms for RT analysis of TS signals should be first developed and tested along with the implementation of a new DAQ system. The availability of electron temperature and density profiles in RT could then be used for TCV scenario development and actuator control like microwave heating system as well as inputs for RT transport code like RAPTOR.
- Real Time Control of Tokamaks
Contact person: MER Olivier Sauter
The SPC tokamak TCV is equipped with an advanced real-time control system, based on matlab-simulink and which allows rapid and flexible developments. In addition, we have developed a rapid tokamak transport simulator, RAPTOR, capable of simulating in real-time current density and kinetic profiles. This is a perfect environment for PhD thesis project related to real-time control, scenario development, plasma performance monitoring, etc.
Further details here
- Measurement of turbulence and modes driven by and interacting with the high-energy NBI ions in TCV
Contact person: Dr. Duccio Testa
Analysis of NBI-driven magnetic turbulence and modes in TCV, and interaction of MHD instabilities with the slowing-down NBI ions; develop and test mathematical tools for the magnetic turbulence analysis as needed; develop high-frequency magnetic sensors based on LTCC technology.
- Turbulence synthetic diagnostics and comparisons with experiments
Contact person: MER Stefano Coda
Increasingly powerful gyrokinetic codes are used to study turbulence in fusion plasmas, and increasingly sophisticated diagnostics are deployed to measure turbulence experimentally. Meaningful comparisons require synthetic diagnostics. A cutting-edge thesis is proposed specifically to develop synthetic diagnostics for phase-contrast imaging and correlation ECE diagnostics on TCV, and to perform detailed theory-experiment comparisons.
Further details here
Open positions in experimental physics on the TORPEX device
- Suprathermal ion dynamics in turbulent plasmas
Contact person: MER Ivo Furno
Understanding the interaction of plasma turbulence with suprathermal ions, i.e. ions with energies greater than the quasi-Maxwellian background plasma, is a major challenge for the next generation of magnetic fusion reactors. While experimentally challenging in fusion devices, suprathermal ion measurements are accessible in basic devices with extended diagnostic capabilities and flexible configurations, such as the TORPEX device at SPC.
We are seeking for a Ph.D. candidate to conduct detailed investigations of basic aspects of suprathermal ion-turbulence interaction on TORPEX using a controllable suprathermal ion sourceand diagnostics, which allow fully time-resolved 3D measurements of the suprathermal ion dynamics. In parallel with the experiments, the Candidate will use state-of-the-art numerical codes to obtain 3D simulations, which will be compared with experimental data and theory predictions. The proposed subject is of fundamental importance for nuclear fusion and crosses the frontier between plasma physics and research in complex systems.
Open positions in experimental physics on the JET tokamak
- Measurement and interpretation of TAE in JET, including DT experiments.
Contact person: Dr. Duccio Testa
Analysis of the Toroidal Alfven Eigenmode (TAE) measurements obtained in JET using the upgraded TAE system, including real-time control applications, MHD spectroscopy, and in preparation of studies of alpha-driven TAEs during the DT experiment planned at JET for 2017-2018.
Note: the upgraded TAE system should become operational around the end of 2014 or early 2015.
Overall data analysis for JET also to include comparison with all fast ion diagnostics and other turbulence diagnostic.
Open positions in plasma theory
- Gyrokinetic turbulence simulations with advanced numerical techniques
Contact person: Prof L. Villard
The SPC theory group has been active since many years in the field of numerical simulation ofmagnetized fusion-relevant plasmas by developing codes that are run on some of the currently most powerful High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms. In particular, the realistic description of low frequency turbulence from first principles using gyrokinetic theory, which remains a great simulation challenge, has been one of the group’s main research focus. The loss of heat and particles associated to this turbulence is a key limiting factor in achieving the conditions required in a fusion reactor. The architecture of the most powerful HPC platforms has been evolving towards more heterogenous systems (CPU+GPU or CPU+MIC) and there is therefore the need to adapt our physics application codes to this new type of machines. We are currently looking for a PhD candidate that is seriously motivated to deal with advanced numerical simulations of gyrokinetic turbulence and actively engage in the current effort to adapt our codes to the new generation platforms. The thesis will thus include both physical studies as well as technical aspects. The successful candidate will interact with our group at SPC and other institutions and laboratories.
Detailed application procedure:Application and acceptance process
Applying for a Ph.D. at SPC is very simple. It can be done by contacting Prof. P. Ricci at any time of the year, containing following data
- a field of preference (i.e., theoretical or experimental investigations),
and including
- a short letter of motivation,
- a complete CV with university grades and publication list, and
- the name and email address of three referees willing to write a recommendation letter (we will ask for the letter, if necessary).
We will then decide on an invitation for an interview. We might do a first step via remote conferencing (e.g., Skype). If we decide to pursue the candidature further, the candidate
- is invited to visit SPC in Lausanne for a day (at our expenses),
- give a seminar,
- pass an academic interview (a discussion on basic physics concepts directly or indirectly related to plasma physics),
- meet the present graduate students, and
- discuss potential thesis topics with senior researchers.
A final answer on acceptance to our program is generally given a few days after the visit.
Enrollment in the EPFL Doctoral School is mandatory. Applications can proceed in parallel with the interview process at SPC (see http://phd.epfl.ch/application).