Remote Control of Alcator C-Mod from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Operation of a tokamak from a remote site has been demonstrated for the first time. The Alcator C-Mod tokamak, located at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was operated over the Internet from a remote control room set up at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Prescription of the physics parameters such as plasma current, density, shape, heating power, and active diagnostics was accomplished entirely from the remote site using the same interface as when operating from the C-Mod control room. Engineering control of subsystems (e.g., vacuum, cooling, and power supply limits) remained under local control, providing appropriate equipment and personnel security. Although the principal purpose for running this experiment from a distance was to demonstrate the remote operation, it was planned as a productive physics run. The operation was highly successful; important new physics data were obtained, and valuable insight was gained into the potential of remote operation as well as its limitations.