Fourth International Symposium on Laser-Aided Plasma-Diagnostics

Abstract

The fourth in the series of biennial International Symposia on Laser-Aided Plasma Diagnostics (LAPD) was held during November at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. It marked the impending retirement of Professor Masanori Akazaki, the founder, and the chairman of these symposia since their inception in 1983. Almost 100 participants, of whom the 25 or so from overseas received generous financial support from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture, and from other Science Foundations (Inoue Science Foundation, The International Communications Foundation, The Kajima Foundation, Nippon IBM Company, Nippon Sheet Glass Materials Research Foundation and the British Council), were accommodated at the Fukuoka Garden Palace Hotel, which was also the venue for the evening poster sessions and the grand Reception. Oral presentations normally took place at the University's Hakozaki Campus, but for one day the symposium repaired to the Chikushi Engineering Campus, where papers were presented in the new Plasma Engineering Laboratory, which delegates subsequently toured. At the Advanced Fusion Research Centre on that campus they were also shown the superconducting tokamak, TRIAM-1M, sustaining an rf-heated discharge for approximately one hour!