As theoretical physicists...
We aim to understand the phenomenology of plasma in the laboratory and in the cosmos. We use mathematical models and computer simulations to explain how plasmas move, interact with magnetic fields and boundaries, and evolve on various scales.
Working with collaborators in the U.S. and around the world, we advance fundamental physics concepts that guide experiments and project applications, such as the development of magnetic fusion energy.
This website offers information about our group members, research activities, and publications. We invite you to browse it and to contact us with any questions.
News and Announcements
News flash: UC San Diego fusion energy research makes headlines
Read about UC San Diego's research partnerships with General Atomics in these articles by KPBS and UC San Diego Today. Congratulations to Professors Garay and Beg, and our GA DIII-D collaborators on these science communication efforts!
IAEA synopses and presentations now available
FAPPG PI Prof. Patrick Diamond and Project Scientist Rameswar Singh have just returned from the 129th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference in London. Visit our Research and Publications pages to view their presentations and detailed synopses. Congratulations, Pat and Rameswar!
New Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
UC San Diego is pleased to announce the formation of a new Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics within the School of Physical Sciences.
Prof. Diamond will serve as one of the 12 founding faculty members. This new department will leverage the University of California’s substantial existing investment in astronomical facilities to support students in reaching their full research and learning potential.
Research and instruction will cover a broad range of areas, from the evolution of the universe and the first stars to galaxy and planet formation and cosmology. The department will also play a key role in developing instrumentation for the Keck Observatory, Lick Observatory, the Thirty Meter Telescope, the Simons Observatory, and the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI).
Learn more in the UC San Diego Today article, "Across the Universe: UC San Diego Announces New Astronomy and Astrophysics Department." Read the full campus annoucement to learn more.
International Center Fellowship
FAPPG graduate student Mingyun Cao was awarded a 2022-2023 Friends of the International Center Endowed Fellowship. The Center's fellowship supports UC San Diego graduate students in conducting research or study abroad activities that enhance their academic experience and foster friendship, understanding and cooperation in the international community. Congratulations, Mingyun!
Commencement Award
Congratulations to FAPPG undergraduate student Taurean Zhang, who won a 2022 Malmberg Award from UC San Diego's Department of Physics. The John Holmes Malmberg Prize is presented annually at commencement to a graduating physics student who is recognized for potential for a career in physics and a measure of experimental inquisitiveness. Brilliantly done, Taurean!
Teaching Honors
Congratulations to FAPPG Ph.D. student Fredy Ramirez, who was awarded a 2021-2022 UC San Diego Physics Department Distinguished Graduate Teaching Award.
This award recoginizes first- and second-year graduate students for outstanding performance as a teaching assistant. Many congratulations, Fredy!
Upcoming Seminars
Location: SERF 329
Andrea Garofalo, Ph.D.
General Atomics, San Diego, California
"Achievement of a high-density, high-confinement, and high beta tokamak plasma regime for ITER and FPP"
View Dr. Garofalo's abstract.
Location: SERF 329
Dennis Whyte, Ph.D.
MIT Plasma Science & Fusion Center
"Pathways to power density using radiative L-mode"
Access to higher toroidal B using HTS magnets opens high Q, high power density operational spaces that were previously precluded due to core plasma operational limits. But these attractive reactor scenarios are likely to be limited by power exhaust, rather than core limits. We consider scenarios where highly isotropic radiative power dissipation is placed as the highest priority, and then consider options for how a self-consistent, high power density plasma scenarios can be developed. An attractive option is using a radiating mantle L-mode at high normalized density, which allows high Q at lower energy confinement time. We provide a general scoping study of this pathway, along with two specific design examples from the MIT fusion design class, one using negative triangularity to suppress H-mode, and the other using an ignited scenario.
Subscribe to Seminar Alerts to receive speaker announcements by email. Also explore lists of recent speakers and recorded seminars.
Subscribe to Publication and Seminar Alerts.
Newest Publications
How Does Negative Triangularity Mitigate ITG Turbulence and Transport?
Singh, Rameswar, P.H. Diamond and A. Marinoni
Nucl. Fusion 65, 026016, 2025; doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ad9ea0 (Open Access)
Comparative Studies of Cross-Phase Dynamics in Turbulent Momentum Flux and Particle Flux at the Tokamak Edge
Long, Ting, P.H. Diamond, Rongjie Hong, Wenjing Tian, Rui Ke, Yongkang Zhou, Zhanhui Wang, Lin Nie, Min Xu, Zhe Wang, et al.
Reviews of Modern Plasma Physics 9, 7, 2025; doi:10.1007/s41614-025-00180-z (Open Access)
Fluctuation Entrainment and SOL Width Broadening in Small/Grassy ELM Regime
Xu, X.Q., N.M. Li, M.L. Zhao, X. Liu, P.H. Diamond, B. Zhu, T.D. Rognlien and G.S. Xu
Nuclear Materials and Energy 42, 101866, 2025; doi:10.1016/j.nme.2025.101866 (Open Access)
Density Fluctuation Statistics and Turbulence Spreading at the Edge of L–mode Plasmas
Khabanov, F.O., R. Hong, P.H. Diamond, G.R. Tynan, Z. Yan, G.R. McKee, C. Chrystal, F. Scotti, G. Yu, S.A. Zamperini, Y. Zhu
Nucl. Fusion 64, 126056, 2024; doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ad820d
Very Local Impact on the Spectrum of Cosmic-Ray Nuclei Below 100 TeV
Malkov, M.A., I.V. Moskalenko, P.H. Diamond and M. Cao
Advances in Space Research, in press; doi:10.1016/j.asr.2024.08.060
J-TEXT Achievements in Turbulence and Transport in Support of Future Device/Reactor
Chen, Zhipeng, Zhangsheng Huang, Min Jiang, Ting Long, Lu Wang, Weixin Guo, Zhoujun Yang, Hai Liu, Tao Lan, Kaijun Zhao, Yuhong Xu, Rui Ke, Youwen Sun, Hanhui Li, Wen He, Ge Zhuang, Yuejiang Shi, Wulyu Zhong, Yonghua Ding, Yunfeng Liang, Wenjing Tian, Xin Xu, Guodong Zhang, Malik Sadam Hussain and Patrick Diamond
Plasma Sci. Technol. 26, 114001, 2024; doi:10.1088/2058-6272/ad663b
Mesoscopic Transport in KSTAR Plasmas: Avalanches and the E × B Staircase
Choi, Minjun J., Jae-Min Kwon, Lei Qi, P.H. Diamond, T.S. Hahm, Hogun Jhang, Juhyung Kim, M. Leconte, Hyun-Seok Kim, Jisung Kang, Byoung-Ho Park, et al.
Plasma Phys. Contr. Fusion 66, 065013, 2024; doi:10.1088/1361-6587/ad4176
The Role of Shear Flow Collapse and Enhanced Turbulence Spreading in Edge Cooling Approaching the Density Limit
Long, Ting, P.H. Diamond, Rui Ke, Zhipeng Chen, Xin Xu, Wenjing Tian, Rongjie Hong, Mingyun Cao, Yanmin Liu, Min Xu, et al.
Nucl. Fusion 64, 066011, 2024; doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ad3e15 (Open Access)
On How Structures Convey Non-Diffusive Turbulence Spreading
Long, Ting, P.H. Diamond, Rui Ke, Zhipeng Chen, Mingyun Cao, Xin Xu, Min Xu, Rongjie Hong, Wenjing Tian, Jinbang Yuan, et al.
Nucl. Fusion 64, 064002, 2024; doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ad40c0 (Open Access)
Formation, propagation and conversion of transport barriers triggered by dynamical critical gradient in tokamak plasmas
Li, Xiaobo, Zhibin Guo and P.H. Diamond
Nucl. Fusion 64, 044001, 2024; doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ad2d39 (Open Access)
Potential Vorticity Conservation for Plasma Turbulence in an Inhomogeneous Magnetic Field: Theory and Implications
Hahm, T.S., P.H. Diamond, S.J. Park and Y.-S. Na
Phys. Plasmas 31, 032310, 2024; doi:10.1063/5.0189855
Research
We develop theory related to plasma and fusion science, including:
- Nonlinear dynamics of plasmas and fluids
- Anomalous transport
- Self-organized criticality in confined plasma
- L-H transition, transport barrier physics
- Dynamo theory
- Nonlinear waves in space plasma
Funding
Our work is primarily funded by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences of the U.S. Department of Energy (Grant No. DE-FG02-04ER54738).
Dedication
In memory of Professor Marshall N. Rosenbluth, an American plasma physicist and UCSD professor of enormous intellect, integrity, generosity, and vision.