Present status of nuclear fusion research and development in JAERI. 1987 ed.

As to the critical plasma test project using the JT-60, which is the main project of 'Second stage nuclear fusion research and development project', more than two years elapsed since the attainment of the first plasma in April, 1985, and the research is in progress toward the attainment of the critical plasma condition. The course of the tests and the major results obtained during this period are reported. From April to May, 1987, a part of the wall material of the vacuum vessel was changed, and the power source system was augmented, and from June, the full scale heating experiment was begun. Also in foreign countries, the researches aiming at the attainment of the critical plasma condition using the JET of EC, the TFTR of USA and others have achieved the conspicuous results. The discussion on the construction of the next generation apparatuses foreseeing after the critical plasma test has been actively carried out in respective countries, and also the cooperation among the countries has been investigated. The next stage project in Japan is included in the long term plan of atomic energy development published by the Atomic Energy Commission in June, 1987. Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute has advanced the research and development of nuclear fusion such as the control of core plasma and reactor technology as well as the critical plasma test. (Kako, I.)