Annual report of the Joint European Torus 1997
The Joint European Torus (JET) is the largest project in the Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), whose long-term objective is the creation of safe, environmentally sound, prototype fusion reactors. The principal objective is to define the essential requirements of a tokamak reactor by creating and studying plasma in near-reactor conditions. The 1997 JET annual report has recently been published, providing an overview of the scientific, technical and administrative status of the project. The first part of the report includes a brief introduction, provides an overview of the planning of the report and sets the background to the project. This is followed by a description of JET and its experimental programme and explains its position in the overall EURATOM and International Fusion programmes. In addition, it relates and compares JET to other large fusion devices throughout the world. A section of the report is devoted to the technical status of JET covering preparation for the deuterium-tritium experiments (DTE-1), the implementation and safe operation of systems in the DTE-1 campaign, preparation for the remote tile exchange and progress on systems for future operation. The scientific achievements of the project during 1997 are also described in the report, setting out progress towards reactor conditions and comparing the performance of JET and other tokamaks. This concludes with a description of the proposed future programme of JET until its planned conclusion. The second part of the report explains the organisation and management of the project detailing budgetary matters and contractual and staffing arrangements.