Physics programme for initial operation of wendelstein 7-x

It is the mission of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator to demonstrate the reactor potential of the optimized stellarator line. Therefore W7-X has to demonstrate high-power, steady-state operation. After completion of its construction and commissioning of the device, a first operational phase is planned to investigate basic stellarator properties and to prepare later steady-state operation of Wendelstein 7-X. The physics programme for this initial operation period has been developed recently to comply with the physics goals of W7-X and will be discussed in this paper (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)