Controlled Fusion and Plasma Physics: Report on the Eighth European Conference, Prague, Czechoslovakia, 19–23 September 1977

Abstract

The European Conferences on ControlledFusion and Plasma Physics alternating with theInternational Conferences on Plasma Physics andControlled Nuclear Fusion Research as sponsored bythe International Atomic Energy Agency constitute amost important forum for all research workers activelyworking in this field.Fourteen conferences of these two series (eightEuropean and six International Conferences) have sofar taken place. The existing inflation in the numberof symposia, schools, meetings and working groups,which are organized without mutual agreement bypractically anybody who wishes to do so, makes itextremely important for these two series of Conferencesto maintain their own style of reviewing the state ofcontrolled-nuclear-fusion studies. To all intents andpurposes, the word international could also be appliedto the European Conferences; in this respect, thePrague Conference did not differ from the previousones. A total of 300 scientists from all over the worldattended. However, the European Conferences differsubstantially from those sponsored by the IAEA inthat it is traditional for the European Conferences topresent a large number of invited lectures. Parallelsections are organized for the presentation of originalpapers. There are no formal parallel sessions at theConferences sponsored by the IAEA; nevertheless theresults of the Conferences are surveyed in three or foursummary talks; in addition, a number of informalmeetings are held during the Conferences.