John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics "for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks."

The Nobel Laureates are recognized for their pioneering work in developing methods that have become the backbone of modern machine learning. Hopfield's associative memory network and Hinton's advances with the Boltzmann machine laid the groundwork for artificial neural networks, now widely used in various applications, from image recognition to new material discovery.

The Nobel Prize is worth 11 million Swedish kronor, to be shared equally between the laureates.

• John J. Hopfield, born 1933 in Chicago, USA. PhD in 1958 from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. Professor at Princeton University, NJ, USA.
• Geoffrey E. Hinton, born 1947 in London, UK. PhD in 1978 from The University of Edinburgh, UK. Professor at the University of Toronto, Canada.

For more information, please visit:

• Press release
• Popular science background: They used physics to find patterns in information
• Scientific background: "For foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks"

Source: www.nobelprize.org

Illustration: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 ©Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

The Wendelstein 7-X, the world’s most advanced stellarator, is launching a new experimental campaign after a year of intensive maintenance and upgrades. This phase, known as OP2.2, begins on 10 September 2024 and marks a significant step forward in fusion research.

Building on its record-breaking plasma generation in February 2023, where it sustained plasma for 8 minutes and produced 1.3 gigajoules of energy, Wendelstein 7-X is now focused on achieving even higher performance. The primary goal of this campaign is to gradually increase plasma temperatures and energy throughput, moving closer to the conditions needed for a future fusion power plant. Unlike previous phases, the focus now shifts from setting duration records to maintaining high temperatures over extended periods, a crucial milestone in the journey toward practical nuclear fusion.

To support these ambitious goals, the stellarator has been equipped with cutting-edge technologies, including a new gyrotron heating system and a state-of-the-art steady-state pellet injector. The gyrotron, capable of delivering over 1.5 megawatts of power into the plasma, plays a critical role in achieving the high temperatures necessary for fusion. This powerful heating element, developed by leading research institutions, enhances the machine's ability to sustain plasmas at the required energy levels.

The new pellet injector, designed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ensures a steady and efficient fuel supply by continuously delivering hydrogen pellets into the plasma. This innovation is key to maintaining the stability and consistency of the plasma during extended experiments, helping researchers better understand the complex behavior of particles and energy within the stellarator.

As part of the broader scientific goals, the Wendelstein 7-X team will focus on carefully testing the heat load limits of the machine's carbon walls and studying turbulence-controlled transport processes within the plasma. These efforts are critical for advancing the understanding of plasma physics and addressing the challenges associated with sustaining high-temperature plasmas over long periods.

The current experimental phase, OP2.2, will run until December 2024, followed by further phases extending into 2027. Each phase will build on the knowledge gained, bringing the research community closer to the ultimate goal of achieving controlled nuclear fusion.

For more details on this campaign, please visit the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics website: www.ipp.mpg.de

Photo: Wendelstein 7-X (Photo: MPI for Plasma Physics, Jan Michael Hosan)

On 3 July, ITER Director-General Pietro Barabaschi presented the new project baseline, under evaluation by the ITER Organization's governing body. This plan aims to ensure a robust start to scientific exploitation, marking a significant shift from the previous strategy established in 2016.

The original 2016 baseline focused on achieving "First Plasma" with a minimally equipped machine by 2025, followed by a multiyear assembly period. However, delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and necessary repairs on key components led to a re-evaluation. The new plan, while introducing a delay, offers a more comprehensive and scientifically valuable start. The initial phase, termed Start of Research Operations (SRO), will feature hydrogen and deuterium-deuterium plasmas, culminating in long pulses at full magnetic energy and plasma current.

A significant change in the new baseline is the installation of critical components such as the divertor and blanket shield blocks before initiating operations. This approach contrasts with the previous plan, which would have started with a less complete machine. Barabaschi emphasized that the new strategy allows ITER to begin substantial research from the outset, providing better risk mitigation and compensating for previous delays.

The revised baseline includes more time for integrated commissioning, additional heating systems, and the availability of disruption mitigation tools. Importantly, the plasma-facing material for the first wall will be tungsten instead of beryllium, aligning ITER's design with future fusion reactors that will utilize tungsten for better relevance and performance.

Key milestones in the new plan are the achievement of full magnetic energy in 2036, three years later than initially planned, and the start of the deuterium-tritium operation phase in 2039, a four-year delay. Despite these shifts, the core mission elements remain unchanged: demonstrating the integration of systems for industrial-scale fusion, achieving a burning plasma with 500 MW of thermal fusion power for 50 MW input (Q≥10), and sustaining 400-second pulses to reach thermal equilibrium.

The new baseline's additional cost is projected at EUR 5 billion, still under review. ITER's financing complexities arise from in-kind contributions by its members, making precise cost estimations challenging.

ITER, the world's largest experimental fusion facility, aims to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power, a potentially safe, abundant, and environmentally responsible energy source. The project, located in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France, is a global collaboration involving Europe, China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United States.

For more information on the ITER Project, visit: https://www.iter.org/

Photo: ITER Organization/EJF Riche, http://www.iter.org/

Source: ITER Organization

The ITER Council convened this week for its 34th meeting, where nearly 100 attendees reviewed significant updates to the project baseline. The proposed changes aim to optimize the overall project schedule, minimize delays in substantial research operations, and reduce technical and licensing risks.

Director-General Pietro Barabaschi, who took office in October 2022, spearheaded these reforms. They focus on streamlined project management, enhanced quality control, and improved reporting. The need for a revised baseline arose from delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic and technical challenges inherent in the novel components of the project.

The updated baseline was presented by the ITER Organization and the Domestic Agencies during the meeting on 19-20 June 2024. The proposal prioritizes the commencement of significant research operations as swiftly as possible. This includes consolidating tokamak assembly stages, enhancing pre-assembly testing, and mitigating risks in machine assembly and commissioning. The revised timeline foresees deuterium-deuterium fusion operation in 2035, followed by full magnetic energy and plasma current operations, setting a solid foundation for subsequent deuterium-tritium fusion.

The Council affirmed ITER's critical role in global fusion research and the importance of aligning the project with national fusion programs of its members. The proposed baseline will undergo further evaluation, including cost and schedule implications, before the Council reconvenes in November 2024.

Throughout the two-day meeting, the Council received updates on various aspects of the project, including progress in construction, manufacturing, assembly, and licensing. Notably, repairs on key components like the vacuum vessel sectors and thermal shield are underway. Manufacturing milestones include the completion of all toroidal and poloidal field coils, with a celebration planned for 1 July to mark this achievement. Additionally, significant progress has been made in the assembly of central solenoid modules and the installation of magnet feeders.

In response to a directive from November 2023, ITER has increased its engagement with private sector fusion initiatives. A recent workshop saw strong participation from global fusion start-ups, research institutes, and government agencies, reinforcing the importance of ITER’s mission as a complement to private sector efforts in fusion R&D.

The Council also welcomed Ms. DeLeah Lockridge as the new Head of the Engineering Services Department and endorsed ongoing efforts to enhance the department's structure in preparation for a fully matrixed organization by 2025.

Members of the Council reiterated their commitment to the ITER mission, emphasizing the project's value and their dedication to overcoming challenges. They also expressed support for integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into the project’s work culture and hiring practices.

Looking ahead, Director-General Barabaschi will hold a hybrid press conference at 10:30 a.m. CET on 3 July 2024 to provide further details on the updated project baseline.

For more information, visit the ITER website.

Source: https://www.iter.org/

Photo: 34th ITER Council. Credit © ITER Organization, http://www.iter.org/

The prospect of harnessing fusion energy is closer. The successful operation of JT-60SA, the most powerful experimental device to date, built by Europe and Japan, is a landmark achievement for the two parties, the scientific community and industry. It’s also a clear demonstration of their commitment to invest in this technology, which is efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly.

At a ceremony held on Friday, 1 December, the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, together with Japan’s Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Masahito Moriyama, and Japan’s Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, Sanae Takaichi, were joined by senior politicians, representatives from industry, and the research community, to inaugurate the JT-60SA facility and witness from the control room a plasma operation.

JT-60SA. Credit: F4E / QST

JT-60SA results from the Broader Approach Agreement, a scientific collaboration signed between the European Union and Japan, to promote the advancement of know-how in fusion through various projects. Works for the device started in 2007 and were completed in 2020 with the end of assembly. Since then, a series of technical improvements were carried out, with first plasma operations towards the end of 2023. The overall cost of the project for the phase of construction, is estimated to be in the range of 560 million EUR in today’s values, shared between Europe and Japan. The project is considered a fine example of science diplomacy and has been praised for the spirit of collaboration, its efficient management, and exemplary execution.

In his speech, the Director of Fusion for Energy, Marc Lachaise, praised the international collaboration and the strong team spirit of the teams involved. “What happens here today will matter tomorrow for the contribution of fusion in a carbon free energy mix. JT-60SA is key to the international fusion roadmap because it provides a one-of-a- kind possibility to learn, operate this unique fusion device and to share that valuable knowledge with ITER. Also, it allows European research laboratories and industry, jointly with Japan, to work hand in hand developing a meaningful partnership.”

Fusion for Energy (F4E), was entrusted with Europe’s contribution to the project, consisting of the management of EU funds and the co-ordination of the fabrication of components by Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, who voluntarily participated in the project. EUROfusion, the consortium of 31 European laboratories, has also been contributing, and will continue to do so, by means of hardware and personnel. Japan’s National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Naka, where the device is located, has been responsible for their respective contribution in terms of equipment and staff. The partnership between laboratories and industry is seen as a win-win because it has provided them with an opportunity to collaborate and successfully produce the components of the device.

The merits of fusion energy are several, converting it into a promising candidate for the energy mix of the future. The fuel it requires is abundant, avoiding the risk of geopolitical conflict, and without producing any greenhouse gases. JT-60SA will offer the scientific community the opportunity to receive more training, build further expertise, and perform plasma operations which will improve our understanding of physics. A summer school has also been established to attract future talent and receive training from some of the best experts in the field. Any new knowledge will feed directly into ITER—the biggest international fusion experiment under construction in Europe.

Illustration of JT-60SA (technical cutway components); Credit: F4E / QST

Background

Fusion for Energy (F4E) is the European Union’s organisation for Europe’s contribution to ITER. One of the main tasks of F4E is to work together with European industry, SMEs and research organisations to develop and provide a wide range of high technology components together with engineering, maintenance and support services for the ITER project. F4E supports fusion R&D initiatives through the Broader Approach Agreement signed with Japan and prepares for the construction of demonstration fusion reactors (DEMO). F4E was created by a decision of the Council of the European Union as an independent legal entity and was established in April 2007 for a period of 35 years. Its offices are in Barcelona, Spain.

Brochure: JT-60SA

Video: What is JT-60SA?

Source: Fusion for Energy