Status of the new initiative task force work

The proposal for a open-quotes New Initiatives Task Forceclose quotes emerged from discussions in the scientific community on how to proceed following the demise of the Burning Plasma Experiment (BPX). In particular, the action of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB), which made the following recommendation in 1991, prompted the initiative: open-quotes Concept exploration should begin to define a new experiment in the $500 million class for the purpose of scientific study of tokomak improvements (e.g., second stability, steady state, bootstrap current) that could suggest new operating modes for ITER and permit the design of more reactor-desirable follow-ons to ITER.close quotes A New Initiative Task force, was chartered by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in October 1991 to provide oversight in the development of a new experimental initiative and to provide guidance to advocate groups in the following areas: programmatic mission and technical objectives, critical issues of physics, engineering, and technology, design criteria, costing, and modes of operation. The guidance was designed to be based on broad community involvement. In addition, the Task Force was asked to identify the preferred options which could proceed to the design stage. Three primary machine designs have emerged from the work of this group, and they are briefly described. 4 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs