An Assessment of the Department of Energy's Office of Fusion Energy Sciences Program (2001) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-8
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 1... ...
The goal of understanding at a fundamental level the physical processes governing observed plasma behavior has been a distinguishing feature of the program. This feature, a strength of the program, was formalized in the 1996 restructuring, with the new emphasis on iBecause MULES funding so dominates the funding of plasma science in the United States, this report uses the terms "fusion science," "plasma physics," "plasma science," and "the fusion program" interchangeably.
|
From page 2... ...
As outlined in the interim reports of the committee, there is a history of intellectual interchange between the fusion plasma community and the broader scientific community. Nevertheless, the increasing focus on the fusion energy goal prior to 1996 gradually caused the fusion program to become too inward looking and therefore intellectually isolated from the rest of sciencefusion science was not seen as a generator of ideas impacting other scientific disciplines.
|
From page 3... ...
The program planning and budget justification carried out by DOE must be organized around answering key scientific questions in fusion-relevant plasmas as well as around progress toward the eventual energy goal. This recommendation applies to the confinement configuration program and to other programs of a more general nature.
|
From page 4... ...
The evaluation and ranking of proposals by panels that include individuals with appropriate expertise in allied fields would broaden the intellectual reach of the grant review process. Plasma science research that is not immediately related to the fusion energy goal should play a more influential role in the DOE fusion program.
|
From page 5... ...
Potential focus topics for centers include turbulence and transport, magnetic reconnection, energetic particle dynamics, and materials; other topics would emerge in a widely advertised proposal process. Topics such as these are of broad scientific interest in allied fields.
|
From page 6... ...
DOE leadership will also ensure that progress in the centers would be communicated throughout the fusion community and translated into DOE program plans, to hasten progress towards the fusion energy goal. The procedure for awarding grants for fusion centers of excellence could do much to remedy the isolation of the fusion science community by ensuring that the broader scientific community will participate in the institution-building effort.
|
From page 7... ...
. can serve several important functions: ~ , ~ ~ ,, · Stimulating research on broad issues in plasma science that have potential applications to fusion and · Enhancing interagency cooperation and cultural exchange on the approaches used by the two agencies for defining program opportunities, disseminating information on research results to the scientific community, selecting awarders, and judging the outcomes of grants.
|
From page 8... ...
Consonant with its charge, the committee has not taken up the many critical-path issues associated with basic technology development for fusion, nor has it looked at the engineering of fusion energy devices and power plants, yet it is the combined progress made in science and engineering that will determine the pace of advancement toward the energy goal. Moreover, since much of fusion science research is undertaken in the expectation that it will contribute to the energy goal, regular, formal assessment of the progress towards fusion energy is one important way in which a fusion science program can be made accountable.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.