Traditionally, stellarator design has proceeded in two stages. In the first stage, the shape of the plasma boundary is optimized for beneficial physics properties, while in the second stage, magnets are designed to produce the desired boundary. New methods enable these two stages to be combined, allowing for engineering constraints of the magnets to be addressed earlier in the stellarator design process. This project will apply these new methods to the design of new experiments in the Columbia Plasma Laboratory. These new devices will explore the physics of "hidden symmetries" in the magnetic field and their benefits for confinement. The student will perform numerical shape optimization using existing open-source python libraries. Post-processing of the resulting magnet system will be performed to understand the impacts of the optimization on confinement, engineering constraints, and manufacturing tolerances. The student must have a strong computing background, with preference for experience in high-performance computing and scientific computing.
Please fill out this Google form to express your interest in participating in a summer research project: https://forms.gle/ZR1NPZo4Uv1R3PmJ9