The largest and most powerful stellarator facility in the world is Wendelstein 7-X at the IPP in Greifswald - whose design demanded high performance from theoretical physicists and required the use of elaborate computer simulations. Whereas these extremely strong magnetic fields are shaped axially symmetrically in tokamaks, stellarators follow a completely different concept: using specifically twisted magnetic coils, they generate complex asymmetric fields, which can overcome the technical disadvantages of tokamaks. And this is where magnetic cages come into play, such as those used by tokamaks and stellarators. While the sun uses powerful gravitational forces to cause atomic nuclei to fuse, physical tricks are needed on earth to mimic this kind of energy generation. These devices pursue one of the two concepts (the other being tokamaks) that physicists hope to use in the future to generate energy through magnetic confinement of fusion plasmas. Technically, the Simons Workshop was about the next generation of stellarators. "But otherwise, we fully rely on self-organisation of the participants." Theorists optimise magnetic fields So there were usually two to three lectures a day that specified topics. Per Helander, head of the stellarator theory department at IPP in Greifswald. "Of course, we also set a framework," explains host Prof. The Simons Workshop at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Greifswald (27 June to 8 July 2022) deliberately left researchers free space so that the unexpected could emerge. Coffee breaks were scheduled, but many of the scientists just kept working - and decided for themselves when to go outside. Others sat together in groups and discussed with each other, while other participants joined in via video conference. For a fortnight, not all eyes were focused on the display screen in the Günter Grieger lecture theatre.
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