Atomic data of tungsten for current and future uses in fusion and plasma science

Atomic physics has played an important role throughout the history of experimental plasma physics. For example, accurate knowledge of atomic properties has been crucial for understanding the plasma energy balance and for diagnostic development. With the shift in magnetic fusion research toward high-temperature burning plasmas like those expected to be produced in the ITER tokamak, the atomic physics of tungsten has become important. Tungsten will be a constituent of ITER plasmas because of its use as a plasma-facing material able to withstand high heat loads with lower tritium retention than other possible materials. Already, ITER diagnostics are being developed based on using tungsten radiation. In particular, the ITER Core Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (CIXS), which is designed to measure the core ion temperature and bulk plasma motion, is being based on the x-ray emission of neonlike tungsten ions (W64+). In addition, tungsten emission will at ITER be measured by extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and optical spectrometers to determine its concentration in the plasma and to assess power loss and tungsten sputtering rates. On present-day tokamaks tungsten measurements are therefore being performed in preparation of ITER. Tungsten has very complex spectra and most are still unknown. The WOLFRAM project at Livermore aims to produce data for tungsten in various spectral bands: Lshell x-ray emission for CIXS development, soft x-ray and EUV M- and N-shell tungsten emission for understanding the edge radiation from ITER plasmas as well as from contemporary tokamaks, and O-shell emission for developing spectral diagnostics of the ITER divertor.