1 General information of EAST campaign 2023

This campaign will be from February 22 to July 10 as follow:

1) February 22 - March 23, preparation of EAST vacuum and cooling-down of superconducting magnets.

2) March 24-31, commissioning of EAST sub-systems: superconducting magnets, power supplies, plasma control, magnetic diagnostic calibration etc. commissioning of EAST machine: plasma setup (Ip=0.5MA，ne=2.0-4.0x1019/m3,BT=2.5T), mid-level heating and current drive power (5.0-6.0MW), self-consistency of plasma diagnostics;

3）April 1-30 (4 weeks), 400s H-mode and other major EAST targets of this campaign, investigating the following topics in long-pulse operation: plasma control, equilibrium & stability, transport & confinement, H&CD, particle and heat exhaust, core-edge integration, energetic particles.

4）May 1-July 10 (11 weeks), physical experiment for proposals, covering ongoing fundings/projects, open proposals on cutting-edge topics. Proposals should focus on the key issues of ITER/CFETR.

* 2 weeks contingency included.

Plasma operation windows for this campaign:

I_p=0.3-0.8MA, B_T<3.0T, 3.0<q₉₅<9.0, 0.3<n_e/n_GW<0.8, USN/LSN/DN, 4.0MW<P_heat<10MW.

2  Physical research Content

2.1 Integrated scenario development and relevant key physics

Integrated high confinement and high beta scenario development toward ITER and CFETR, explore of high ion temperature operation with synergy effect of NBI, ICRF and ECRH, advanced plasma control methods developments for core-edge integration etc.

2.2 Plasma confinement and transport

For high-power, long-pulse plasma confinement and transport, study the momentum and particle transport under steady-state operating conditions, focusing on high-Z impurity behavior under high-power heating, and explore internal transport barrier formation/sustainment at high ion temperatures. Study of the turbulence and transport characteristics under various operating conditions and the multi-scale interaction mechanism with multiple modes/scales (such as NTM, AE, EP).

2.3 MHD&3D physics

MHD instabilities and 3D physics studies in low torque, low q95 plasmas in support of ITER high Q operation: ELM and divertor heat flux control by RMP, Core MHD and its interaction with 3D field, frontier studies in 3D physics etc.

2.4 Pedestal and edge physics

Pedestal structure, stabilities and their impact on SOL transport, extension of small/no ELM regimes towards low q₉₅  (q₉₅~53) relevant to ITER high Q scenario; key physics in pedestal for high-performance high-density operation (especially with pellet injection), etc.

2.5 Divertor and Plasma-Wall Interaction

Detachment control compatible with core plasma, particle exhaust and recycling, material erosion and migration during long pulse operation.

2.6 Energetic particle physics

EP velocity-space distribution with the synergistic effects of NBI and ICRF; the effect of non-xisymmetric magnetic fields on EP redistribution/loss with the impact on the first wall;  the interaction of EP with other instabilities。

IMPORTANT：Proposals following the topics in below will be supported with high priority:

1. Scenario development and key physics study towards ITER Q=10 scenario (low q95 and high beta_N)
2. Scenario development and key physics study towards ITER steady state operation scenario (high beta_p)
3. Power and particle exhaust during long pulse operation with high power
4. Other cutting-edge/innovative ideas in fusion plasma