Steven A. Sabbagh  

Steven Sabbagh

Adjunct Professor & Senior Research Scientist

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Room Ewa 244
P.O. Box 451
Princeton, NJ 08543

Tel1-609-243-2645

Research Interests

Plasma physics, experimental MHD equilibrium reconstruction and stability analysis, passive and active global MHD mode stabilization physics, plasma rotation control by 3D fields in toroidal devices

Education

• Ph.D. - Columbia University (Dept. of Applied Physics), May, 1990
Thesis: " Identification of, and Transition to, the Second Region of Ideal MHD Stability in Tokamaks"

• M.Phil. - Columbia University (Dept. of Applied Physics), May 1988

• M.S. - Columbia University (Dept. of Applied Physics), May 1985

• B.S. - Columbia University (Dept. of Applied Physics), May 1984

Professional Experience

Adjunct Professor, Sep 2000 - Present
Senior Research Scientist, May 1999 – Present

Columbia University Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics

- Direct and organize a collaboration (2-3 physicists; student(s)) between Columbia University and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) as a principal investigator for research on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasma stability on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) and the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) – (Located full-time at PPPL).

- Conduct experiments involving equilibrium development, the physics of MHD stability and non-axisymmetric field-induced plasma viscosity, and passive/active stabilization of global MHD modes on NSTX and KSTAR comparing theory to experiment, optimizing device performance.

- Develop and implement an advanced RWM controller for NSTX, incorporating ideal MHD plasma eigenfunctions and stable conducting wall states.

- Develop and implement automated, time-evolved equilibrium reconstruction and stability analysis used in NSTX and KSTAR research. Distribute results to the entire NSTX Research Team in a common format.

- Directed and advised a student performing doctoral research on NSTX (Ph.D. granted 2008).

- Coordinate the NSTX Experimental run campaign (Run coordinator 2011 - ).

- Led the NSTX Macroscopic Stability topical science group (leader 2007 - 2011).

- Serving as NSTX Deputy Run Coordinator (2010).

- Led the NSTX MHD Stability experimental task group (leader 2006 - 2007).

- Served as NSTX Deputy Run Coordinator (2005-2006).

- Led the NSTX MHD Stability experimental task group (co-leader 2005).

- Led the NSTX Global Mode Stabilization working group (leader 2002 - 2006).

- Led the NSTX MHD Stability experimental task group (leader 2003 - 2004).

- Led the NSTX Integrated Concepts experimental task group (co-leader 2001 - 2002).

- Led the NSTX MHD Stability experimental task group (leader 2000 - 2001).

- Led the NSTX Ohmic Optimization experimental task group (co-leader 1999-2000).

Research Scientist, May 1993 – April 1999
Associate Research Scientist, May 1990 - April 1993

Columbia University Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics

- Directed and organized a collaboration between Columbia U., PPPL, and MIT to conduct enhanced performance plasma experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR).

- Led the MHD Stability Topical Group - one of four TFTR topical groups (1996-1997).

- Led experiments on TFTR involving plasma equilibrium profile modification after successfully preparing and defending experimental proposals presented to the TFTR Task Force Council.

- Analyzed experimental data from the TFTR experiment to study the plasma stability properties and create new techniques to improve stability in the actual experiment.

- Established a system of tokamak plasma analysis codes in a networked UNIX environment.

- Participated in fusion experiments at JAERI, Naka, Japan (JT-60U tokamak device), and General Atomics, San Diego, CA (DIII-D tokamak device).

 

Professional Activities
 

• Leader - International Tokamak Physics Activity MHD group joint experimental research task - RWM stabilization physics research (MDC-2) (2011 - )

• Co-leader - International Tokamak Physics Activity MHD group working group task - RWM active control research (WG7) (2011 - )

• Panel Leader - U.S. Department of Energy Research Needs Workshop activity (ReNeW) - Spherical Torus Panel (2009)

• Member - American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics Publication Committee (2009 - )

• Member - U.S. Department of Energy International Collaborations Coordinating Committee (2008- )

• U.S. Representative - International Tokamak Physics Activity (ITPA) MHD Stability Group (2008- )

• Member - U.S. Department of Energy Spherical Torus Coordinating Committee – university non-diagnostic collaboration group representative (2007 - )

• Review committee member – DIII-D Program Advisory Committee (General Atomics, San Diego, CA 2/15/05-2/17/05; 1/31/06-2/2/06; 1/30/07-2/1/07 (three year appointment).

• Review committee member – FESAC Facilities Assessment Panel (Washington, DC 6/13-17/05)

• Review committee member – DIII-D National Fusion Program Five Year Plan Review 2003-2008 (General Atomics, San Diego, CA 4/22-24/04.

• Member of 5 person scientific delegation to USSR on an official US-USSR scientific exchange visit to the Kurchatov Institute (Moscow), Troitsk Institute (Troitsk), and Ioffe Institute (St. Petersburg) 9/15-28/91.

 

Honors & Awards

• Fellow - American Physical Society (2010)

• Nuclear Fusion Award - International Atomic Energy Agency (2009)

• Graduate Scholarship Award - IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (1988)

• Honorable Mention - U.S. D.O.E. Magnetic Fusion Science Fellowship program (1985)

• Invited member - Sigma Xi scientific research honor society

• Invited member - Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society

• American Physical Society - 1990-present

 

Select Publications

“Advances in Global MHD Mode Stabilization Research on NSTX”, S.A. Sabbagh, J.W. Berkery, R.E. Bell, et al., 22nd IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Geneva, Switzerland, 13-18 October 2008, paper EX/5-1; Nucl. Fusion. 50 (2010) 025020.

“Resistive Wall Mode Instability at Intermediate Plasma Rotation”, J.W. Berkery, S.A. Sabbagh, R. Betti, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 104 (2010) 035003.

“The Role of Kinetic Effects, Including Plasma Rotation and Energetic Particles, in Resistive Wall Mode Stability”, J.W. Berkery, S.A. Sabbagh, H. Reimerdes, et al., Phys. Plasmas 17 (2010) 082504.

“An approximate analytic expression for neoclassical toroidal plasma viscosity in tokamaks” K.C. Shaing, S.A. Sabbagh, and M.S. Chu, Nucl. Fusion 50 (2010) 025022.

“Neoclassical toroidal plasma viscosity in the superbanana plateau regime for tokamaks”, K.C. Shaing, S.A. Sabbagh, and M.S. Chu, Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 51 (2009) 035009.

“On Demand Triggering of Edge Localized Instabilities Using External Nonaxisymmetric Magnetic Perturbations in Toroidal Plasmas”, J.M. Canik, R. Maingi, T.E. Evans, …, S.A. Sabbagh, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett.104 (2010) 045001.

“Investigation of Resistive Wall Mode Stabilization Physics in High Beta Plasmas Using Applied Non-axisymmetric Fields in NSTX”, A.C. Sontag, S.A. Sabbagh, W. Zhu, et al., 21st IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Chengdu, China, 16-21 October 2006, paper EX/7-2Rb-2; Nucl. Fusion 47 (2007) 1005.

“Neoclassical Toroidal Viscosity for an Axisymmetric Toroidal Equilibrium with Multiple Trapping of Particles”, K.C. Shaing, S.A. Sabbagh, M. Peng, Phys. Plasmas 14 (2007) 024501.

“Resistive Wall Mode Active Stabilization in High Beta, Low Rotation Plasmas”, S.A. Sabbagh, R.E. Bell, J.E. Menard, et al., 21st IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Chengdu, China, 16-21 October 2006, paper PD/P6-2 (post-deadline), Conference & Symposium Papers CD ROM, IAEA STI/PUB/1292, ISBN 92-0-100907-0, ISSN 1991-2374, IAEA Vienna (2007).

“Active Stabilization of the Resistive-Wall Mode in High-Beta, Low-Rotation Plasmas”, S.A. Sabbagh, R.E. Bell, J.E. Menard, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97 (2006) 045004.

“Observation of Plasma Toroidal-Momentum Dissipation by Neoclassical Toroidal Viscosity”, W. Zhu, S.A. Sabbagh, R.E. Bell, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 (2006) 225002.

“Resistive Wall Stabilized Operation in Rotating High Beta NSTX Plasmas", S.A. Sabbagh, A.C. Sontag, J.M. Bialek, et al., Nucl. Fusion 46 (2006) 635.

“Cross-machine Comparison of Resonant Field Amplification and Resistive Wall Mode Stabilization by Plasma Rotation", H. Reimerdes, T.C. Hender, S.A. Sabbagh, et al., Phys. Plasmas 13 (2006) 056107.

“Characteristics and Contributions of the Three Major United States Toroidal Magnetic Fusion Facilities”, J. Dahlburg, S.L. Allen, R. Betti,…, S.A. Sabbagh, et al., Journal of Fusion Energy, 24 (2005) 125 (volume 1); pg 173 (volume 2).

“The Resistive Wall Mode and Feedback Control Physics Design in NSTX”, S. A. Sabbagh, J. Bialek, R.E. Bell, et al., Nucl. Fusion 44 (2004) 560.

“Beta-limiting Instabilities and Global Mode Stabilization in NSTX”, S.A. Sabbagh, R.E. Bell, M.G. Bell, et al., Physics of Plasmas 9 (2002) 2085.

“Equilibrium Properties of Spherical Torus Plasmas in NSTX”, S. A. Sabbagh, S. M. Kaye, J. Menard, et al., Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research (Proc. 18th International Conference, Sorrento, Italy, 4-10 October 2000) IAEA, Vienna, paper IAEA-CN-77/EX3/6, IAEA-CSP-8/C, ISSN 1562-4153; Nuclear Fusion 41 (2001) 1601.

“Effect of the Neutral Beam Fueling Profile on Fusion Power, Confinement, and Stability in TFTR”, H.K. Park and S.A. Sabbagh, Nuclear Fusion 37 (1997) 629.

“Observation of Ballooning Modes in High Temperature Tokamak Plasmas”, Y. Nagayama, S. A. Sabbagh, J. Manickam, et al., Phys. Rev. Letters 69 (1992) 2376.

“High Poloidal Beta Equilibria in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor Limited by a Natural Inboard Poloidal Field Null”, S. A. Sabbagh, R. A. Gross, M. E. Mauel, et al., Physics of Fluids B 3 (1991) 2277.