Reviewing progress toward burning plasma operation
The journal Nuclear Fusion has published a collection of papers prepared by the Topical Physics Groups of the International Tokamak Physics Activity (ITPA) reviewing progress in the development of the physics basis for burning plasma operation.
Taking advantage of the presence of fusion scientists and engineers from all over the world at the 30th International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Fusion Energy Conference in China this month, the IAEA Nuclear Fusion journal announced the publication of a special issue: “On the Path to Tokamak Burning Plasma Operation.” Physicist David Campbell—the former director of Science & Operations at ITER—served as the coordinating editor for this major scientific endeavour.
The special issue describes the extensive physics R&D activities for ITER and fusion energy development carried out under the International Tokamak Physics Activity (ITPA) between 2007 and 2025. It covers a wide range of physics issues—from plasma confinement and fast particles to plasma control, including power fluxes on plasma-facing components and the mitigation of power transients, and diagnostics to cite a few. The special issue follows the path of the Nuclear Fusion volume in 1999 on the ITER physics basis, and the Nuclear Fusion volume in 2007 titled “Progress in the ITER Physics Basis"—both summarizing ITPA R&D work for ITER.
The 2025 special issue includes topics of relevance to ITER, as well as to tokamak burning plasmas more generally. In many cases, the underlying physics R&D activities were motivated by specific features of the previous ITER Baseline developed around the staged approach but the scope of the implemented R&D studies has wider implications. In particular, the new ITER 2024 Baseline and its associated Research Plan, which were presented at the 30th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference are, to a substantial degree, based on these ITPA R&D studies.
Click to access “On the Path to Tokamak Burning Plasma Operation.”