Thesis and Projects at ITPCP Plasma

Open Thesis Topics

Bachelor

• Deriving analytical test cases for magnetic field conversions
• Data visualization of multidimensional Fits
• Python/Matlab interface for plasma response model on magnetic perturbations

Bachelor and Master

• Benchmark plasma response model against experimental data
• Autodifferentiation, application in stellarator optimization, and extensions towards branching codes
• Nested sampling in inverse problems of magnetic confinement fusion e.g. with https://johannesbuchner.github.io/UltraNest/index.html

Master

• Extending plasma response model (e.g. for time-dependant problems)
• Benchmarking kinetic codes against individual particle tracers

Ongoing Theses

Bachelor

• Alexandra Geishüttner: Confinement and performance scalings in small and large stellarators
• Jakob Tscheppe: A concise Introduction of Symplectic Integrators for Hamiltonian Systems

Master

• Alex Egger: Physics consistent numerical integration in real space coordinates
• Michael Hadwiger: Leveraging gradient information in Bayesian global optimization
• Lukas Drescher: Finite element simulation and uncertainty quantification for magnetic field coils in fusion reactors
• Maximilian Mandlez: Automatic detection of transitions between plasma states in perturbed tokamaks
• Manuel Brandstätter: Numerical identification of complex roots from plasma dispersion equations
• Daniele Corrias: Optimization of alpha particle losses in stellarators
• Peter Zauner (at AEE INTEC): Heat transport in solar thermal plants
• Martin Hasenburger (at Infineon Technologies): FEM simulations of fluid mechanics

Completed Theses

• Michael Hadwiger (Bachelor, 2021): Visualization of response data from models with high dimensional input spaces
• Georg Grassler (Bachelor. 2019): Einführung in die nichtlineare Mechanik periodischer,hamiltonscher Systeme
• Markus Baumgartner-Steinleitner (Master, 2023): Fusion-electric rocket drives
• Robert Babin (at Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, 2023): Reconstruction and uncertainty quantification for magnetohydrodynamic equilibria
• Michael Reichelt (Master, 2023): Advanced finite element methods for perturbed magnetohydrodynamic equilibria
• Grassler Georg (Master, 2022): Adaptive integration scheme and further extensions for the guiding center orbit tracing code GORILLA

Areas

• Theoretical plasma physics for magnetic confinement fusion
  • Plasma theory and modeling
  • Simulation and validation on experimental data
  • Collaboration with major international labs
• Programming and data science
  • Bayesian methods in data analysis
  • Matlab and Python in research, teaching, and application (W. Kernbichler)
  • Software engineering and testing of high-performance codes (P. Lainer)
• Cross-disciplinary topics
  • Theory, simulation, and measurements in classical mechanics, electrodynamics, and acoustics
  • Design and construction of a tabletop stellarator (G. Harrer)
  • Cooperation with engineering faculties and industry