Coordinating committee

Charge to ITPA Topical Groups

* Adopted at the 6th ITPA Coordinating Committee Meeting, June 2005

1. Topical group meetings are intended to be working meetings to further develop the physics basis for burning plasma experiments and to focus international collaborations. They are not intended to be additional conferences.  Each topical group should hold an average of two meetings per year, preferably with one meeting scheduled with other topical area groups and one meeting just for the work of the topical group. The Topical Group should aim to schedule every other meeting in conjunction with other major international meetings.  Aim to schedule meetings at least six months in advance and obtain approval of the ITPA Coordinating Committee (ITPA CC) for the meetings' schedule and location.
2. Issue Meeting Executive Summary (a few pages) promptly after Meetings (within two weeks) to be distributed among the fusion community appropriate for unlimited distribution. Early distribution of Meeting Summary is also requested.
3. Prepare a scope and task definition for the topical group for submission to the ITPA CC.  Identify opportunities for increased effectiveness, including revised scopes of topical areas, and choice of topical areas; identify how relevant databases will be maintained.
4. Bring important new results achieved in the Parties' Base Programmes to the ITPA Coordinating Committee's attention.
5. Identify and formulate Research Priorities for Physics R&D tasks relevant to next step tokamak burning plasmas. These priorities are to be endorsed by the ITPA Coordinating Committee.
6. Evaluate and document, from the Burning Plasma perspective, scientific progress regarding the Research Priorities and provide an annual written report to the ITPA Coordinating Committee. Arrange for a wide distribution of this report within their area of expertise after acceptance by the ITPA CC.
7. Communicate the importance of the ITPA Physics Research Priorities to their respective Parties and fusion research establishments and foster collaborative research activities among international fusion research establishments.
8. Recommend the physics guidelines and methodologies for physics design calculations for burning plasma experiments.
9. Consider future directions of fusion research in their topical area and report to the Coordinating Committee on the opportunities afforded by proposed future experimental facilities to support those lines of research.
10. TG should submit a Meeting Proposal at least 3 months in advance to the CC Chair. CC Chair will send it to ITER IT Leader and then to ITPA CC Contact Persons for approval.
11. TG should submit a half-page report on each of the joint ITPA/IEA experiments and a proposal on the Inter-Machine Experiments by end of the fall Meetings after IAEA.
12. TG should iterate their high priority tasks with the relevant ITER Team member.