Performance and Transport in ITER: Multi-Channel Validation in DIII-D ITER-like Conditions and Predictions of ITER Burning Plasmas via Nonlinear Gyrokinetic Profile Prediction

Performance and transport in ITER conditions has been studied extensively through gyrokinetic model validation in DIII-D ITER similar shape (ISS) plasmas and through nonlinear gyrokinetic profile prediction of the ITER baseline scenario (IBS). Dedicated experiments were performed in ISS conditions to compare nonlinear gyrokinetic profile predictions with measured kinetic profiles (ne, Te, Ti), heat and particle fluxes (Qe, Qi, Γe), turbulent fluctuations, and impurity transport across a large portion of the plasma minor radius (ρ = 0.3−0.8). Generally good agreement was found between simulation and experiment in the wide range of channels compared, providing confidence in applying gyrokinetic profile prediction to ITER conditions. Simulations of the ITER baseline scenario (IBS) suggest that ITER should obtain approximately its 500MW, Q = 10 goal. Levering new modeling techniques, simulations indicate that ITER may be able to be optimized to obtain significantly higher Q when operating near its baseline scenario and should still be capable of obtaining burning plasma conditions, despite RMPs degradation of the anticipated density pedestal. Simulations of IBS conditions with varying fuel ion (H, D, and D-T) were performed that suggest that stiff ITG turbulence present in the plasma core is unlikely to exhibit any significant isotope effect of energy confinement. This result is largely in disagreement with the τITER98−y2 scaling, but is consistent with recent updates to the energy confinement scalings such as τH20. The work reported here provides a comprehensive