Synthetic diagnostics platform for fusion plasmas (invited)

Area of Science:

• * Plasma Physics
• * Computational Physics
• * Fusion Energy Research

Background:

• * Fusion plasma research relies on accurate diagnostics and validated simulation codes.
• * Existing synthetic diagnostics may not fully capture complex plasma phenomena.
• * The need for integrated tools to bridge simulation and experimental measurements is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To introduce a comprehensive Synthetic Diagnostics Platform (SDP) for fusion plasmas.
• * To detail the capabilities of SDP, including its synthetic reflectometry, beam emission spectroscopy, and Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) diagnostics.
• * To demonstrate the utility of SDP in validating plasma simulation codes against experimental data.

Main Methods:

• * Development of a Synthetic Diagnostics Platform (SDP) with interfaces to GTC, XGC-1, GTS, and M3D-C¹ simulation codes.
• * Implementation of advanced synthetic diagnostic modules, including a novel synthetic ECE Imaging module accounting for refraction, diffraction, emission, and absorption.
• * Application of SDP to M3D-C¹ simulation output and comparison with DIII-D experimental measurements.

Main Results:

• * The SDP provides state-of-the-art synthetic diagnostics for fusion plasmas.
• * The synthetic ECE Imaging module accurately models complex physical effects.
• * Validation of the M3D-C¹ code using SDP output showed good agreement with DIII-D edge harmonic oscillation measurements.

Conclusions:

• * The Synthetic Diagnostics Platform (SDP) is a valuable tool for validating fusion plasma simulation codes.
• * Integrated synthetic diagnostics are crucial for advancing fusion energy research.
• * SDP enhances the reliability of plasma simulations by enabling direct comparison with experimental data.