Theory and Simulation
The Theory and Simulation element contributes to the FES goal of developing the predictive capability needed for a sustainable fusion energy source. This element includes two main interrelated but distinct activities: the Theory activity and the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) activity.
The Theory activity is focused on advancing the scientific understanding of the fundamental physical processes governing the behavior of magnetically confined plasmas. The efforts supported by this activity range from small single-investigator grants, mainly at universities, to large coordinated teams at national laboratories, universities, and private industry, while the supported research ranges from fundamental analytic theory to mid- and large-scale computational work using high-performance computing resources. In addition to its scientific discovery mission, the Theory activity provides the scientific grounding for the physics models implemented in the advanced simulation codes developed under the SciDAC activity described below and supports validation efforts at major experiments.
The FES SciDAC activity, a component of the SC-wide SciDAC program, is aimed at accelerating scientific discovery in fusion plasma science by capitalizing on SC investments in leadership-class computing systems and associated advances in computational science. The portfolio that emerged from the FY 2017 SC-wide SciDAC-4 recompetition consists of seven multi-institutional interdisciplinary partnerships jointly supported by FES and ASCR, and addresses the high-priority research directions identified in recent community workshops. The new portfolio emphasizes increased integration and whole-device modeling.
