620 



3 



TECHNICAL NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES 



Within the worldwide magnetic fusion programs, a significant case can 

 be made for international cooperation on the basis of maximizing the 

 rate of progress by obtaining and sharing scientific and technical 

 information. There is a long tradition of friendly competition and 

 sharing in all basic science research, although as potential 

 applications develop, access to information tends to get more 

 restrictive. 



In fusion, from the earliest days, there have been significant 

 cooperative ventures. This chapter examines the broad technical 

 characteristics of the magnetic fusion programs of the United States, 

 the European Community (EC) , and Japan to assess whether there are 

 technical needs and opportunities suitable for cooperative efforts. 

 The current status of the programs themselves and the record of past 

 and current cooperation form the basis for identifying types of future 

 possibilities that seem attractive, although it is left to those 

 responsible for program definition to propose particular candidate 

 projects. 



Cooperation can take many forms but a reasonably complete listing 

 consists of the following: 



o International meetings and conferences. 



o Personnel exchanges and joint research involving individuals or 



small groups. 

 o Joint planning aimed at coordination of research and maximum 



use of facilities, 

 o Joint programs on national facilities, 

 o Cooperative design, construction, and operation of major 



facilities. 



Technical needs for basic information, technology development, and 

 major experimental facilities are covered in the discussions of the 

 above categories. 



34 



