[en] It is proposed to carry out theoretical studies of the equilibrium, stability, transport and heating properties of high-temperature fusion plasmas. Continued emphasis will be placed on the effective interface of fusion theory and computations with the local Alcator, Versator, Constance and Torex experimental programs. The proposed research includes but will not be limited to the following types of studies: (a) investigation of RF heating of toroidal plasmas, (b) investigation of the MHD equilibrium and stability properties of tokamak plasmas, (c) develop the basic understanding of a wide variety of non-linear and turbulent phenomena, including stochastic magnetic fields, clumps and nonlinear saturation of linear instabilities, (d) investigate the effects of ambipolar fields on transport and stability properties of toroidal plasmas. Investigate high-beat stability properties of tandem-mirror systems, and (e) investigation of the MHD equilibrium and stability properties of Torsatron/Stellarator configurations

[en] Magnetically confined plasmas carrying a relatively large current in the direction of the main magnetic field are considered in regimes where the applied electric field is larger than the runaway critical field. The plasma is assumed to be turbulent with a relatively low fluctuation level induced by ion sound waves, Langmuir waves, and ion cyclotron waves. Three aspects of the problem are examined: (a) The transfer of momentum within the electron distribution from superthermal velocities to thermal velocities, i.e. the inhibition by turbulence of the runaway process; (b) the anomalous (larger than collisional) heating of the ion energy distribution tail; (c) the transfer of momentum from slow electrons to ions by ion-sound waves and classical collisions. (author)

[en] The LHCb experiment is a single-arm spectrometer, designed to study B-hadron decays at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). It is crucial to accurately and efficiently track the charged decay products with the Outer Tracker straw tube detector, in the high-density particle environment of the LHC. The Outer Tracker Front End electronics provide the precise (0.5 ns) drift-time measurement, at an average occupancy of 5% and at a 1 MHz trigger rate. The tracking procedure requires high-efficiency, while at the same time putting stringent limits on the noise level. The mass production and installation of 450 fully operational Front End boxes is completed. Quality checks have been performed at several stages, at the level of individual boards and at the global level with dedicated test systems mimicking the real detector and capable of simulating all the readout functionalities. An excellent overall threshold uniformity is achieved with low noise levels.