Systems for remote participation in JT-60 experimentsT. Matsuda, T. Tsugita, T. Oshima, M. Sato, S. Sakata, M. Koiwa, K. Hamamatsu, T. Nishitani, and N. Saitoh Citation: Review of Scientific Instruments 70, 502 (1999); doi: 10.1063/1.1149270 View online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1149270 View Table of Contents: http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/rsi/70/1?ver=pdfcov Published by the AIP Publishing Articles you may be interested in Remote experiment of ultrashort-pulse reflectometry for large helical device plasmas Rev. Sci. Instrum. 77, 10E916 (2006); 10.1063/1.2220081 An event-driven reconfigurable real-time processing system for the next generation fusion experiments Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74, 1815 (2003); 10.1063/1.1534929 Mass data acquisition systems in JT-60 data processing system Rev. Sci. Instrum. 72, 517 (2001); 10.1063/1.1319866 High-energy neutral particle measurement system in the large helical device Rev. Sci. Instrum. 71, 2698 (2000); 10.1063/1.1150677 A low cost PCI-VME controller for control and data acquisition systems on fusion experiments Rev. Sci. Instrum. 70, 505 (1999); 10.1063/1.1149378

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Systems for remote participation in JT-60 experimentsT. Matsuda, T. Tsugita, T. Oshima, M. Sato, S. Sakata, M. Koiwa, K. Hamamatsu,and T. NishitaniJapan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), Naka-machi, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 311-0193, Japan

N. SaitohResearch Organization for Information Science and Technology, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun,Ibaraki-ken 319-1106, Japan

~Presented on 8 June 1998!

Since 1996, the remote participation in JT-60 experiments has been successfully conducted incollaboration with JAERI, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Princeton Plasma PhysicsLaboratory. The remote analysis system is a computer complex consisting of an analysis server anda data server for access to JT-60 data. Collaborators of the remote participation can analyze JT-60data by using this system through the Internet. For the remote diagnostic system, anX Windowcontrol program has been customized to communicate via the overseas line using a UNIXworkstation at the remote site and one in the JT-60 control room. It has a feature of real-time remotecontrol of diagnostic equipment and remote access to CAMAC data. Both systems are used togetherwith the ISDN-based video-conferencing system for real-time communication between the remotelaboratory and the JT-60 control room. ©1999 American Institute of Physics.@S0034-6748~99!57401-7#

I. INTRODUCTION

With the ongoing progress of the International EnergyAgency ~IEA! cooperation among three large tokamaks, wehave explored the possibility of data exchange under theframework. In 1995, after a request of reports from the Fu-sion Power Coordinating Committee~FPCC! of IEA on en-hancing remote collaboration, we started to examine the re-ality of remote participation in JT-60 experiments and todevelop systems to realize it.

The goal of the systems is that participants at the remoteoverseas site can access the necessary experimental data andhave good communication between the experimental and re-mote sites.

II. SYSTEM SETUP

Our systems consist of three elements:~1! a computersystem for access to JT-60 data;~2! a remote diagnosticsystem; and~3! a video-conferencing system, as shown inFig. 1.

A. Remote analysis system

First, we have developed a computer system for accessto JT-60 data via the Internet.1 JT-60 analysis is done byusing a JT-60 analysis server and database servers,2,3 whichare limited to on-site users. Although there would be a spe-cial method to meet security requirements, we adopted a sys-tem to provide accessible data on other workstations to easedevelopment work.

The data link system~DLS! to attain remote analysisconsists of an analysis server and a data server. They aresimilar to the JT-60 analysis server and the database servers,but the analysis server of the data link system provides alog-in menu of standard applications and the data serverstores selected shots of data based on mutual agreements. As

FIG. 1. Schematic of the system. FIG. 2. Data link system for remote analysis.

REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS VOLUME 70, NUMBER 1 JANUARY 1999

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shown in Fig. 2, software for data handling is mainly dividedinto two parts. A data acquisition system assumes the majorrole in data handling and a disk manager handles data be-tween a hard disk and an optical disk library. To keep dataaccess security, a relational database management system,ORACLE, limits access to data together with the data acqui-sition system, and is based on an access-control table on thedisk.

Collaborators can use data necessary for the data analy-sis and major JT-60 data analysis applications. The databaseconsists of several kinds of data types including operationalparameters, diagnostics measurements, equilibrium calcula-tion results and fast diagnostics data, as shown in Table I.Detailed equilibrium calculation results are also archived asan equilibrium database for further analysis. Applications onthe data link system are DAISY4 for a time tracing of experi-mental and calculated data, FBI and EQREAD which areequilibrium-related programs and SLICE5 for the profile dis-play and analysis based on the equilibrium database.

B. Remote diagnostic system

Almost all JT-60 diagnostics use CAMAC modules. Anauxiliary crate controller with a microprocessor type-A~ACMA ! controls the local diagnostic CAMAC modules at

the JT-60 torus hall, acquires data from CAMAC modulesand transfers them to the JT-60 data processing system viaCAMAC serial highways. We have already developed a cen-tralized X Window control program for ACMAs located inthe JT-60 shield room by using a UNIX workstation in theJT-60 control room and communication links between tworooms. We have expanded its function to enable a linkingprogram on another workstation to control and monitor alocal diagnostics via the workstation in the JT-60 controlroom, shown in Fig. 3. It has real-time remote control of thediagnostic equipment and remote access to CAMAC data.Neutron diagnostics6 under the international collaborationwith Los Alamos National Laboratory~LANL ! has been ap-plied to an example of this remote diagnostics via the Inter-net.

C. Video-conferencing system

It is important to keep real-time communication betweenexperimental and remote sites to execute remote participa-tion in experiments. For this purpose, we tested severalmethods and found out that a Internet audio-visual applica-tion like CU-SeeMe needed so large a bandwidth that it wasnot appropriate for overseas communication under limitedline capacity. On the other hand, a video-conferencing sys-

FIG. 3. Remote diagnostic system.

TABLE I. Database in the data link system.

Category Type Meaning No. of items Examples

Common data Zenkei Operation parameters 27 Coil currents, gas puffing rates, heating powers, etc.Diagnostics Major diagnostics 23 Density, temperature, neutron, impurity, etc.Equilibrium Input values 132 Magnetic probes, etc.Equilibrium Equilibrium quantities 75 Elongation, triangurality, beta, safety factors, etc.

Detailed data Diagnostics Fast diagnostics 17 CO2, electron cyclotron emission, magnetic probes, etc.

503Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol. 70, No. 1, January 1999 Matsuda et al.

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tem using the international ISDN provided us with stablecommunication. We tested the international connectivity ofvideo-conferencing systems in various ways and preparedtwo systems: a PC-based portable one and a standard onewith a subvideo camera and a visual presenter, shown in Fig.4. Both systems are based on the recommendation of theInternational Telecommunication Union-Telecommunicationstandardization sector~ITU-T!. A multipoint bridge controlsaccesses from four sites at the maximum.

Because the line capacity between the Japan Atomic En-ergy Research Institute~JAERI! and the U.S. Department ofEnergy ~DOE! has been increased to 768 from 128 kbpssince 1997, we plan to try an Internet audio-visual applica-tion using multicast.

III. DEMONSTRATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OFREMOTE PARTICIPATION IN JT-60 EXPERIMENTS

In 1996, management of remote diagnostics was demon-strated successfully with a video conference between JT-60and LANL. Communicating with the JT-60 experimentalteam, a remote participant at LANL could change measure-ment conditions of the neutron detector and monitor rawdata. The remote analysis system was also demonstrated suc-cessfully with a video conference between JT-60 and Princ-eton Plasma Physics Laboratory~PPPL!.

During the equivalent deuterium–tritium fusion amplifi-cation factorQDT.1 campaign experiments in the autumnof 1996, remote participants at PPPL heatedly discussed theJT-60 experimental results with the JT-60 experimental teamby intensive use of the remote analysis system.

IV. RECENT IMPROVEMENTS AND FUTURE PLANS

Recently, contents of the JT-60 World Wide Web~WWW! server have been enriched as an information serverfor remote participation in JT-60 experiments. Details ofJT-60 diagnostics are prepared on the WWW server. On-line

manuals of DLS applications are also provided to remotecollaborators. Usage of the WWW server will be expandedto provide information about JT-60.

V. SUMMARY

We have developed systems to allow remote participa-tion in JT-60 experiments; they consist of the remote analy-sis system, the remote diagnostic system, and the video-conferencing system.

We demonstrated the effectiveness of the systems byusing them duringQDT.1 campaign experiments in 1996.This success opens up a new type of international collabora-tion applicable to the International Thermonuclear Experi-mental Reactor~ITER!.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank the members of theJapan Atomic Energy Research Institute who have contrib-uted to the JT-60 project, and they especially would like toexpress their gratitude to Dr. T. Ozeki, Dr. M. Kikuchi, Dr.T. Hirayama, Dr. M. Mori, Dr. A. Funahashi, Dr. M. Azumi,and Dr. H. Kishimoto for their continuous support.

1K. Hamamatsu, T. Matsuda, T. Nishitani, T. Tsugita, and T. Oshima, J.Plasma Fusion Res.73, 385 ~1997! ~in Japanese!.

2T. Aoyagi, J. Plasma Fusion Res.72, 1370~1996! ~in Japanese!.3T. Matsuda, T. Aoyagi, N. Saitoh, T. Tsugita, T. Oshima, S. Sakata, M.Sato, K. Watanabe, and M. Koiwa, Fusion Eng. Des.~to be published!.

4H. Haginoya, T. Aoyagi, Y. Watanabe, M. Yamanaka, and K. Tani, JapanAtomic Energy Research Institute Report No. JAERI-M 94-040, February1994 ~in Japanese!.

5H. Shirai, T. Hirayama, K. Shimizu, K. Tani, M. Azumi, K. Hirai, S.Konno, and K. Takase, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute ReportNo. JAERI-M 93-026, January 1993~in Japanese!.

6T. Nishitani, M. Hoek, H. Harano, M. Isobe, K. Tobita, Y. Kusama, G. A.Wurden, and R. E. Chrien, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion38, 355~1996!.

FIG. 4. Video-conferencing system.

504 Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol. 70, No. 1, January 1999 Matsuda et al.

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