National Spherical Torus Experiment – Upgrade: Diagnostic Measurements of Spherical Torus Plasmas

The Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) Program of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for collaborative research involving the development and employment of advanced diagnostic instruments to support the goals of the NSTX-U program. These goals include advancing the fundamental science of magnetically confined plasmas by investigating the unique properties of the spherical torus configuration, and developing the scientific understanding required to design and deploy the materials needed to support a burning plasma environment by exploring both solid and liquid metals as possible plasma facing materials. All applications will utilize the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. All applicants (whether requesting support for individual researchers or groups of researchers) planning to submit applications for new or renewal support in Fiscal Year 2016 should submit applications in response to this FOA. Applications for collaborative research that are not primarily focused on implementing and operating a diagnostic instrument and analyzing the resulting data are outside the scope of this FOA and should not be submitted under it.