Lessons from the RFP on Magnetic Feedback Control of Plasma Stability

This lecture was given at the 4th ITER International Summer School in May 2010 to describe the broad research program on feedback control of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability performed by the reversed field pinch (RFP) community and its implication for magnetic confinement fusion. The lecture provides a bird's-eye view on RFP feedback control results obtained with active coils, and on their implications for ITER and tokamaks in general. A number of selected key examples are presented with the aim of highlighting the more innovative and broadly applicable results. RFPs provide a significant contribution to the effort of the broader fusion community on active control of MHD stability, and to fusion science in general.