Experimental investigation of fast transients in the MAST-U Super-X divertor and its relation to the SOL

The supervisors for my project within the Fusion CDT are Dr. Istvan Cziegler (University of York), Dr. Kevin Verhaegh (UKAEA), and Dr. Chris Bowman (UKAEA). Under their supervision, I will be researching divertor diagnostics in the MAST-U.

I've been interested in nuclear fusion since I learned about it during my GCSEs. However, during my A-Levels and undergraduate degree at the University of Bath, I didn't have the opportunity to study it again. When I went to do my Master's at the University of Strathclyde, I revived my interest in fusion research, and as a result I chose to do my MSc project in simulating a Gaussian beam-based plasma turbulence diagnostic for the MAST-U and apply for a project within the CDT.

The role of a divertor in a magnetically confined fusion reactor is as a power exhaust and heat management component of the vessel, as well as other critical functions such as minimising plasma contamination and managing plasma-edge instabilities. My work as part of the Fusion CDT will be experimental and simulation work in divertor diagnostics for efficient power exhaust of the MAST-U, studying burn-through dynamics of edge-localised modes (ELMs) and other high-power transients as a function of divertor topology, and researching the behaviour of divertor filaments.

The aim is to develop and experimentally verify simulations that more accurately predict plasma-edge behavior in the reactor and explore analysis techniques for alternative divertor concepts (ADCs).