[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 104 (Tuesday, May 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34459-34461]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13408]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Science


Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice 00-15: 
Theoretical Research in Plasma and Fusion Science

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting new and renewal grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) of the Office of 
Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its interest in 
receiving grant applications for theoretical research in magnetic 
fusion energy sciences. All individuals or groups planning to submit 
applications for new or renewal funding in FY 2001 should submit in 
response to this Notice.
    The specific areas of interest are: Magnetohydrodynamics and 
Stability; Confinement and Transport; Edge and Divertor Physics; Plasma 
Heating and Non-inductive Current Drive; Innovative Confinement 
Concepts; and Atomic and Molecular Processes in Plasmas.
    More specific information on each area of interest is outlined in 
the general

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and program specific supplementary information sections below. Due to 
the limited availability of funds, Principal Investigators with 
continuing grants may not submit a new application in the same area(s) 
of interest as their current grant(s). A Principal Investigator may 
submit only one application under each area of interest as listed 
above.

DATES: To permit timely consideration for awards in Fiscal Year 2001, 
applications submitted in response to this notice must be received no 
later than 4:30 p.m., July 20, 2000. Electronic submissions of formal 
applications will not be accepted.
    Applicants are requested to submit a letter-of-intent by June 15, 
2000, which includes the title of the application, the name of the 
Principal Investigator(s), the requested funding and a one-page 
abstract. These letters-of-intent will be used to organize and expedite 
review processes. Failure to submit a letter-of-intent will not 
negatively prejudice a responsive formal application submitted in a 
timely fashion. Electronic submissions of letters-of-intent are 
acceptable.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 00-15, should 
be sent to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Grants and 
Contracts Division, SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, Maryland 
20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 00-15. The above address must also be 
used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service Express or any 
other commercial overnight delivery service, or when hand-carried by 
the applicant.
    Letters-of-intent referencing Program Notice 00-15, should be 
forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of 
Fusion Energy Sciences, SC-50, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, 
Maryland 20874-1290, ATTN: John Sauter. Letters-of-intent can also be 
submitted via E-mail at the following E-mail address: 
[email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290. 
Specific contacts for each area of interest, along with telephone 
numbers and Internet addresses, are listed below:
    Magnetohydrodynamics and Stability: Rostom Dagazian, Research 
Division, SC-55, Telephone: (301) 903-4926, or by Internet address, 
[email protected].
    Confinement and Transport: Curt Bolton, Research Division, SC-55, 
Telephone: (301) 903-4914, or by Internet address, 
[email protected].
    Edge and Divertor Physics: Walter Sadowski, Research Division, SC-
55, Telephone: (301) 903-4678, or by Internet address, 
[email protected].
    Plasma Heating and Non-inductive Current Drive: Walter Sadowski, 
Research Division, SC-55, Telephone: (301) 903-4678, or by Internet 
address, [email protected].
    Innovative Confinement Concepts: Steve Eckstrand, Research 
Division, SC-55, Telephone: (301) 903-5546, or by Internet address, 
[email protected].
    Atomic and Molecular Processes in Plasmas: Mike Crisp, Research 
Division, SC-55, Telephone: (301) 903-4883, or by Internet address, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: General information about development and 
submission of applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluations and 
selection processes, and other policies and procedures may be found in 
the Application Guide for the Office of Science (SC) Financial 
Assistance Program and 10 CFR Part 605. Electronic access to SC's 
Financial Assistance Guide and required forms is possible via the 
Internet using the following Web site address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html. DOE is under no obligation to pay for 
any costs associated with the preparation or submission of an 
application if an award is not made.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that $7,600,000 of Fiscal Year 2001 funding will 
be available to start new work or renewals of existing work from 
applications received in response to this Notice. The number of awards 
and range of funding will depend on the number of applications received 
and selected for award. Since future year funding is not anticipated to 
increase, applications should propose constant year effort (allowing 
for inflation). Future year funding will depend upon suitable progress 
and the availability of funds. The cost-effectiveness of the 
application will be considered when comparing applications with 
differing funding requirements. Applications requiring annual funding 
as low as $50,000 are welcomed and encouraged.
    Collaborative research projects involving more than one 
institution, as well as work in support of the computational 
collaborative research efforts are encouraged. Applications submitted 
from different institutions, which are directed at a common research 
activity, should clearly indicate they are part of a proposed 
collaboration and contain a brief description of the overall research 
project. However, each application must have a distinct scope of work 
and a qualified principal investigator, who is responsible for the 
research effort being performed at his or her institution. Synergistic 
collaborations with researchers in federal laboratories and Federally 
Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), including the DOE 
National Laboratories are also encouraged, though no funds will be 
provided to these organizations under this Notice. Further information 
on preparation of collaborative applications may be accessed via the 
Internet at http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/Colab.html.
    To enable all reviewers in each category to read all applications 
in that category, the application must be limited to a maximum of 
twenty (20) pages (including text and figures) for applications from 1-
2 persons and thirty (30) pages for applications from theory groups. In 
addition, please limit biographical and publication information for the 
principal investigator and senior personnel to no more than one page 
each. Although it is not required, it would be helpful for each 
applicant to submit twelve (12) copies of their application due to the 
anticipated number of reviewers; otherwise the standard number of 
copies must be received with each application as outlined in the 
Application Guide.
    In addition to the information required by 10 CFR Part 605 each 
application should contain the following items: (1) A succinct 
statement of the goal of the research, (2) a detailed research plan, 
(3) the specific results expected at the end of the project period, (4) 
an analysis of the adequacy of the budget, and (5) a discussion of the 
impact of the proposed research on other fields of science.

Merit Review

    Applications will be subjected to formal merit review and will be 
evaluated against the following criteria, which are listed in 
descending order of importance as set forth in 10 CFR Part 605 
(www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/605index.html):
    1. Scientific and/or technical merit of the project,
    2. Appropriateness of the proposed method or approach,
    3. Competency of the applicant's personnel and adequacy of the 
proposed resources,

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    4. Reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget.
    The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences shall consider, as part of the 
evaluation, other available advice or information as well as program 
policy factors such as ensuring an appropriate balance among the 
program areas, ensuring support for computational teams, ensuring 
support for experiments, and quality of previous performance. Selection 
of applications/proposals for award will be based upon the findings of 
the technical evaluations, the importance and relevance of the proposed 
research to the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences' mission, and funding 
availability.

Program Specific Supplementary Information

Magnetohydrodynamics and Stability

    Grant applications are solicited for new research or continuation 
of past efforts in MHD theory in support of Fusion community work in 
magnetically confined plasmas. Current work includes advanced tokamak 
(AT), innovative confinement concepts (ICC), burning plasma physics and 
steady state high beta plasma issues. Both analytical and computational 
approaches will be considered. Additional work is particularly needed 
in the areas of nonlinear MHD, neoclassical tearing modes, extended 
MHD, including flows and various non-ideal MHD effects, and resistive 
wall modes. Work in support of the major computational initiative that 
involves the development of large-scale codes to explore non-linear MHD 
will also be considered.

Confinement and Transport

    Applications will be considered in the area of confinement and 
transport in plasmas. Both analytical and computational work is of 
interest. The general area covers plasma turbulence, energy, particle, 
momentum and radiation transport in the core of the plasma. The work of 
interest includes work in support of tokamak as well as non-tokamak 
innovative concepts. Topics of interest include among others, 
electromagnetic effects on turbulence, shear flow generation and its 
impacts on transport, and understanding of the role of collisions in 
turbulent plasmas. Work in support of the major computational 
initiative that involves the development of large-scale codes to 
explore turbulence will also be considered.

Edge and Divertor Physics

    Applications will be considered in the area of edge physics theory. 
Both analytical and numerical models are of interest. The general area 
covers plasma turbulence, energy, particle and radiation transport in 
the edge of the plasma and in the neighborhood of the separatrix. The 
work of interest includes neutrals transport in divertors and plasma 
edge region, atomic physics processes affecting temperature, radiation 
and flame front propagation in divertors. Techniques and algorithms for 
modeling fast particles in the edge region as well as adaptive grid 
methods and their application to modeling of plasma turbulence and 
transport in the edge region will be reviewed.

Plasma Heating and Non-Inductive Current Drive

    Applications will be considered in the area of RF physics in 
plasmas. This includes RF propagation, heating and current drive. Of 
interest are both analytical and numerical treatments of interaction of 
plasmas with radio frequency waves. These include electron cyclotron, 
ion cyclotron, lower hybrid and Bernstein waves. Topics of interest 
include, among others, physical processes involved in conversion 
layers, power deposition for temperature profile control and 
interaction of waves of different frequencies to produce specific 
effects on the plasma. Applications for modeling radio frequency 
launchers and their coupling to the edge plasma will also be 
considered.

Innovative Confinement Concepts

    Grant applications are desired for theoretical and computational 
research on innovative confinement concepts that have the possibility 
of leading to improved magnetic fusion systems. In 1996, the U.S. 
fusion program began supporting a broadening array of innovative 
confinement concepts (ICC). Increased theoretical and computational 
research is needed to make optimal use of these experiments as they 
come into operation and to support further development of these 
concepts. Additional work is needed particularly on macroscopic 
stability and turbulence/transport in innovative confinement concepts.

Atomic and Molecular Processes in Plasmas

    Grant applications will be considered for theoretical research 
relevant to the description of atomic processes in plasmas. In addition 
to overall scientific merit, emphasis will be given to work that 
promises to aid the understanding of the basic atomic processes that 
are important for modeling of magnetically confined plasmas and high-
density plasmas found in inertial confinement fusion experiments. The 
program has found that understanding electron-atom and electron-ion 
collisions and the radiation emitted by atoms and ions to be of 
importance for the modeling of plasma behavior in experiments. Some 
current areas where atomic processes are considered to be important 
include the effects of transport, the effects of impurities and the 
understanding of diagnostics.


    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this 
program is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 
CFR Part 605.

    Issued in Washington, DC on May 11, 2000.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 00-13408 Filed 5-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-U