Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion (Polytech-SOKENDAI)

This is a joint program developed in cooperation with School of Physical Sciences of SOKENDAI (the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Japan) and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The course is suitable as the first plasma physics course or an add-on course for senior undergraduate students and graduate students.

The primary objective of the course is to present the fundamentals of plasma physics particularly highlighting high-temperature plasma physics and its applications to controlled fusion. The course begins with an overview of plasma phenomena and their applications. The lectures cover Coulomb collisions, single particle motion in magnetic field, magnetic traps, principles of controlled fusion, plasma heating and diagnostics. The program also includes study visits to a tokamak laboratory and a laboratory for plasma technologies.

The students will acquire and consolidate skills and competence corresponding to the beginning of the first semester of the plasma physics course at Peter the Great Polytechnic University.

The satellite event of our Summer School is the International Polytech-SOKENDAI Conference on Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, organized in cooperation with the IAEA.

Those participants of the summer school, who are working on a Master or PhD degree thesis in the area of plasma physics and controlled nuclear fusion, are welcome to take part in this conference. Those Master and PhD students, who wish to make a 15 minute oral presentation at this conference, are welcome to submit a one-page A4 abstract of their talk (Times New Roman 12 point font, paragraph spacing 1.5 intervals, not exceeding one page).

International Programme Committee:

• Dr. M. Barbarino, IAEA; 
• Dr. P. Goncharov, SPbPU, Russia; 
• Dr. I. Sharov ,SPbPU, Russia; 
• Dr. N. Tamura, SOKENDAI, Japan.

Socio-cultural program of extracurricular activities and networking events are included*:

• Online International Party; 
• Online Pub Quiz; 
• Online Interactive Campus Tour with international buddies from PolyUnion club; 
• Online broadcasting of excursion to the Hermitage museum.

*All of the listed above activities will to take place but in case any of those will have to be cancelled, an alternative event will be offered to participants.

• Knowledge of Calculus and General Physics corresponding to the first two years of a Bachelor's degree program in physics, mathematics, technology etc.
• Good command of English. All classes and extracurricular activities are conducted in English. Knowledge of the Russian language is not required.
• Applicants are expected to have at least 2 years of University level studies.

4 ECTS
The course is intended as the first plasma physics course however it is also suitable for senior undergraduate students and graduate students.

• Plasma phenomena on Earth and in the Universe; historical overview of plasma physics; contemporary research areas and technological applications of plasmas; studies of controlled nuclear fusion.
• Definition of plasma; quasineutrality, Debye length, plasma frequency.
• Coulomb collisions, Rutherford’s formula, Coulomb logarithm 
• Motion of a single charged particle in magnetic field; Larmor radius, drifts, magnetic traps.
• Controlled nuclear fusion; Lawson criterion and ignition criterion.
• Principles of plasma heating with electromagnetic waves and neutral beam injection.
• Principles of plasma diagnostics, active and passive measurements, line-integral data, Doppler broadening.