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
Mingyun Honored With Sham Outstanding Paper Award
Congratulations to FAPPG Ph.D. student Mingyun Cao, who was named the winner of the 2025 Lu Jeu Sham Outstanding Physics Paper Award.
Mingyun was nominated for an accepted article in Physics Review Letters titled "Physics of edge-core coupling by inward turbulence propagation." The Sham Award recognizes graduate students who make outstanding research contributions to papers published (or accepted) in a peer-reviewed journal. Recipients are recognized for carrying forward a tradition of excellence in physics research at UC San Diego, in honor of Dr. Sham's significant contributions to physics.
Mingyun's paper weaves together ideas from turbulence theory, plasma physics and tokamak phenomenology, and offers a novel solution to a longstanding transport problem in magnetic confinement physics. It was also selected as an Editor’s Suggestion by PRL, which according to the editors, is a paper "judged to be particularly important, interesting, and well written.""
Congratulations on this honor, Mingyun!
Launch Party: Celebrate the "Stellar Beginnings" of A&A
Join faculty and staff on Friday, May 2, to celebrate the official launch of the UC San Diego Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics! See the event flyer for more information and to register to attend either in-person or virtually. We look forward to celebrating this momentous new chapter with you.
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!
Upcoming Seminars
No speakers are scheduled at this time.
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Newest Publications
Layered Patterns of Active Scalar Fields in a Two-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic System
Ramirez, F.R., and P.H. Diamond
Phys. Rev. E. 111, 055107, 2025; doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.111.055107
[download PDF]
How Fast Ions Mitigate Turbulence and Enhance Confinement in Tokamak Fusion Plasma
Na, Y.-S., T.S. Hahm, P.H. Diamond, A. Di Siena, J. Garcia and Z. Lin
Nature Reviews Physics 7, 190–202, 2025; doi:10.1038/s42254-025-00814-8
[download PDF]
Zonal Flow and Self-Regulating Mechanism in a Hydrodynamic Disk
Chen, Chang-Chun, Hui Li, P.H. Diamond and Shengtai Li
Astrophys. J. 982(2), 116, 2025; doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad9a68 (Open Access)
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)
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.