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A preparatory study is underway to investigate the feasibility study of high-energetic, non-thermal electron distribution function measurements using a vertical-viewing electron cyclotron emission (ECE) diagnostic on JT-60SA. The system is designed to detect broad ECE spectra (70-260 GHz) due to the second, third, and fourth harmonics using a focusing optics system with four quasi-optical mirrors in the upper port of JT-60SA. A Gaussian beam optics design is performed in vacuum, and ray tracing calculations are performed in plasma using the TRAVIS code to investigate density characteristics. A ceramic viewing dump is also designed to reduce the effects of multiple reflections from the opposing vacuum vessel surface., (© 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.)

Linelike features in TeV γ rays constitute a "smoking gun" for TeV-scale particle dark matter and new physics. Probing the Galactic Center region with ground-based Cherenkov telescopes enables the search for TeV spectral features in immediate association with a dense dark matter reservoir at a sensitivity out of reach for satellite γ-ray detectors, and direct detection and collider experiments. We report on 223 hours of observations of the Galactic Center region with the MAGIC stereoscopic telescope system reaching γ-ray energies up to 100 TeV. We improved the sensitivity to spectral lines at high energies using large-zenith-angle observations and a novel background modeling method within a maximum-likelihood analysis in the energy domain. No linelike spectral feature is found in our analysis. Therefore, we constrain the cross section for dark matter annihilation into two photons to ⟨σv⟩≲5×10^{-28}  cm^{3} s^{-1} at 1 TeV and ⟨σv⟩≲1×10^{-25}  cm^{3} s^{-1} at 100 TeV, achieving the best limits to date for a dark matter mass above 20 TeV and a cuspy dark matter profile at the Galactic Center. Finally, we use the derived limits for both cuspy and cored dark matter profiles to constrain supersymmetric wino models.

A three-color laser interferometer consisting of three Mach-Zehnder-type, one-color laser interferometers with heterodyne detection and coaxial laser beams is demonstrated. The three-color laser interferometer is considered as three sets of a two-color laser interferometer. From the two sets of the two-color laser interferometer, the value consisting only of the noise floor can be assessed. The noise floor can be reduced by subtracting the value consisting only of the noise floor from the measurement value obtained with the other two-color laser interferometer. In the case of the three lasers with wavelengths 9.25 μm, 10.59 μm, and 532 nm, a 15% noise reduction was obtained compared to the two sets of the two-color laser interferometers contained in the three-color laser interferometer. The 100-Hz noise reduction by 53% was achieved, and the other frequency noises were equal to or less than the smallest noise achieved by the two-color laser interferometers. The 100-Hz noise floor is caused by the vibration noise, which remains because of the non-coaxiality of the three beams.

Measuring the time variation of the wavenumber spectrum of turbulence is important for understanding the characteristics of high-temperature plasmas, and the application of a Doppler reflectometer with simultaneous multi-frequency sources is expected. To implement this diagnostic in future fusion devices, the use of a phased array antenna (PAA) that can scan microwave beams without moving antennas is recommended. Since the frequency-scanning waveguide leaky-wave antenna-type PAA has a complex structure, we have investigated its characteristics by modeling it with 3D metal powder additive manufacturing (AM). First, a single waveguide is fabricated to understand the characteristics of 3D AM techniques, and it is clear that there are differences in performance depending on the direction of manufacture and surface treatment. Then, a PAA is made, and it is confirmed that the beam can be emitted in any direction by frequency scanning. The plasma flow velocity can be measured by applying the 3D manufacturing PAA to plasma measurement.

A new temperature measurement method-the dual two-color method-was developed to accurately measure the temperature over an ultra-wide temperature range (200-3600 °C) for ITER divertor infrared thermography. This novel method introduces a third wavelength filter to the conventional two-color method by replacing the shorter single wavelength bandpass filter with a customized dual-bandpass filter having two transmission bands, without having to add a third infrared camera. The dominant wavelength band of the total radiance through the dual-band filter changes automatically as the temperature increases and, consequently, either the shorter or longer wavelength band of the dual-bandpass filter is used to establish the two-color combination at both low and high temperatures. The dual two-color method increased the acceptable measurement error of the two-color radiance ratio for the temperature measurement requirement of the ITER divertor infrared thermography to 9.45% from that of 4.3% when using the conventional two-color method.

This study developed a new heat flux reconstruction code based on the dual reciprocity boundary element method for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) divertor infrared (IR) thermography system. To use divertor heat flux reconstruction in ITER, we modeled the boundary condition between the coolant pipe inner wall and the coolant based on the temperature-dependent heat transfer coefficient and also considered the temperature dependence of tungsten thermal properties. Using this reconstruction code, we evaluated the sensitivity of the input data errors, divertor coolant temperature, and surface temperature errors on the accuracy of heat flux reconstruction by using simplified heat flux profiles, which are spatially uniform on the top surface of the monoblocks. This heat flux reconstruction method demonstrated that highly accurate heat flux reconstruction can be achieved for high heat flux cases in ITER; however, further studies are needed for low heat flux reconstruction.

A flexible light guide was developed for an ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) poloidal polarimeter which is a passive laser beam alignment and stabilization system for free-space propagation of a wide range of wavelengths. The advantages of using a flexible light guide are (1) to compensate the relative movement between the floor of a building and an optical table, (2) to negate assembly error of the optical transmission line, (3) to minimize the time required for assembly of the line and laser position alignment in a radiological environment, and (4) to transmit a wide wavelength range from visible to far-infrared. The authors fabricated a flexible light guide with an inner diameter of 120 mm and with a motion range of 10 cm. Pointing stability of the laser beam passing through the flexible light guide was less than 70 μ rad when the support moved ±50 mm. A flexible light guide error of 70 μ rad leads to a beam position displacement of 0.98 mm at a beam position steering mirror ITER poloidal polarimeter that is located 14 m from the flexible light guide. The achieved error is stable enough to guide the laser beam to its target in ITER.

Magnification of a polarization angle with Littrow layout gratings has been developed. High magnification with a factor of 7.7 using two gratings in Littrow layout was experimentally proved. The magnification range was investigated by calculation at a wavelength of 10.6 μm. The method can be applied for a high magnification factor >30. Larger groove numbers and smaller blaze angles are suitable for the large magnification. Statistical fluctuation of the diffracted polarization angle is compared with that of the incident polarization angle.

A tangential viewing phase contrast imaging system is being designed for the JT-60SA tokamak to investigate microturbulence. In order to obtain localized information on the turbulence, a spatial-filtering technique is applied, based on magnetic shearing. The tangential viewing geometry enhances the radial localization. The probing laser beam is injected tangentially and traverses the entire plasma region including both low and high field sides. The spatial resolution for an Internal Transport Barrier discharge is estimated at 30%-70% of the minor radius at k = 5 cm -1 , which is the typical expected wave number of ion scale turbulence such as ion temperature gradient/trapped electron mode.

This study evaluated an effect of an coupling between the Faraday and Cotton-Mouton effect to a measurement signal of the Dodel-Kunz method which uses counter-circular-polarized probing-laser for measuring the Faraday effect. When the coupling is small (the Faraday effect is dominant and the characteristic eigenmodes are approximately circularly polarized), the measurement signal can be algebraically expressed and it is shown that the finite effect of the coupling is still significant. When the Faraday effect is not dominant, a numerical calculation is necessary. The numerical calculation under an ITER-like condition (Bt = 5.3 T, Ip = 15 MA, a = 2 m, ne = 10(20) m(-3) and λ = 119 μm) showed that difference between the pure Faraday rotation and the measurement signal of the Dodel-Kunz method was an order of one degree, which exceeds allowable error of ITER poloidal polarimeter. In conclusion, similar to other polarimeter techniques, the Dodel-Kunz method is not free from the coupling between the Faraday and Cotton-Mouton effect.

The bacterial flagellar motor is a sophisticated nanomachine embedded in the cell envelope and powered by an electrochemical gradient of H(+), Na(+), or K(+)across the cytoplasmic membrane. Here we describe a new member of the bacterial flagellar stator channel family (MotAB1 of Paenibacillus sp. TCA20 (TCA-MotAB1)) that is coupled to divalent cations (Ca(2+)and Mg(2+)). In the absence of divalent cations of alkaline earth metals, no swimming was observed in Paenibacillus sp. TCA20, which grows optimally in Ca(2+)-rich environments. This pattern was confirmed by swimming assays of a stator-free Bacillus subtilis mutant expressing TCA-MotAB1. Both a stator-free and major Mg(2+)uptake system-deleted B. subtilis mutant expressing TCA-MotAB1 complemented both growth and motility deficiency under low Mg(2+)conditions and exhibited [Mg(2+)]in identical to that of the wild-type. This is the first report of a flagellar motor that can use Ca(2+)and Mg(2+)as coupling ions. These findings will promote the understanding of the operating principles of flagellar motors and molecular mechanisms of ion selectivity.

The rotating waveplate Stokes polarimeter was developed for ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) poloidal polarimeter. The generalized model of the rotating waveplate Stokes polarimeter and the algorithm suitable for real-time field-programmable gate array (FPGA) processing were proposed. Since the generalized model takes into account each component associated with the rotation of the waveplate, the Stokes parameters can be accurately measured even in unideal condition such as non-uniformity of the waveplate retardation. Experiments using a He-Ne laser showed that the maximum error and the precision of the Stokes parameter were 3.5% and 1.2%, respectively. The rotation speed of waveplate was 20 000 rpm and time resolution of measuring the Stokes parameter was 3.3 ms. Software emulation showed that the real-time measurement of the Stokes parameter with time resolution of less than 10 ms is possible by using several FPGA boards. Evaluation of measurement capability using a far-infrared laser which ITER poloidal polarimeter will use concluded that measurement error will be reduced by a factor of nine.

Electron and ion heating characteristics during merging reconnection start-up on the MAST spherical tokamak have been revealed in detail using a 130 channel yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) and a 300 channel Ruby-Thomson scattering system and a new 32 chord ion Doppler tomography diagnostic. Detailed 2D profile measurements of electron and ion temperature together with electron density have been achieved for the first time and it is found that electron temperature forms a highly localized hot spot at the X point and ion temperature globally increases downstream. For the push merging experiment when the guide field is more than 3 times the reconnecting field, a thick layer of a closed flux surface form by the reconnected field sustains the temperature profile for longer than the electron and ion energy relaxation time ~4-10 ms, both characteristic profiles finally forming a triple peak structure at the X point and downstream. An increase in the toroidal guide field results in a more peaked electron temperature profile at the X point, and also produces higher ion temperatures at this point, but the ion temperature profile in the downstream region is unaffected.

This study demonstrates the separation of the finite electron temperature on the plasma polarimetry in the magnetic confined fusion plasma for the first time. Approximate solutions of the transformed Stokes equation, including the relativistic effect, suggest that the orientation angle, θ, and ellipticity angle, ε, of polarization state have different dependency on the electron density, n(e), and the electron temperature, T(e), and that the separation of n(e) and T(e) from θ and ε is possible in principle. We carry out the equilibrium and kinetic reconstruction of tokamak plasma when the central electron density was 10(20) m(-3), and the central electron temperatures were 5, 10, 20, and 30 keV. For both cases when a total plasma current, I(p), is known and when I(p) is unknown, the profiles of plasma current density, j(φ), n(e), and T(e) are successfully reconstructed. The reconstruction of j(φ) without the information of I(p) indicates the new method of I(p) measurement applicable to steady state operation of tokamak.

Using an 8 × 8 channel photomultiplier tube assembly and a single Czerny-Turner monochromator, we have developed a novel Doppler spectroscopic system which can measure the time evolutions of spectral distribution of plasma emission from eight different lines of sight simultaneously. An optical lens system is employed to couple the output of the monochromator with the detector assembly, resulting in small cross-talks less than 5% in spatial distribution together with large magnification of up to 50 in wavelength direction. The suggested system yields cost-effective polychromatic measurements of eight spatial channels with uniform optical and electrical characteristics.

A new concept of a terrace retro-reflector array (TERRA) as part of the poloidal polarimeter for ITER is proposed in this paper. TERRA reflects a laser light even from a high incident angle in the direction of the incident-light path, while a conventional retro-reflector array cannot. Besides, TERRA can be installed in a smaller space than a corner-cube retro-reflector. In an optical sense, TERRA is equivalent to a Littrow grating, the blaze angle of which varies, depending on the incident angle. The reflected light generates a bright and dark fringe, and the bright fringe is required to travel along the incident-light path to achieve the objects of laser-aided diagnostics. In order to investigate the propagation properties of laser light reflected by TERRA, we have developed a new diffraction formula. Conditions for the propagation of the bright fringe in the direction of the incident light have been obtained using the Littrow grating model and have been confirmed in a simulation applying the new diffraction formula. Finally, we have designed laser transmission optics using TERRA for the ITER poloidal polarimeter and have calculated the light propagation of the system. The optical design obtains a high transmission efficiency, with 88.6% of the incident power returned. These results demonstrate the feasibility of applying TERRA to the ITER poloidal polarimeter.