Dr. Tobias Görler

Tokamak Theory Division
Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics
Boltzmannstraße 2 · 85748 Garching · Germany
☏ +49 89 3299 1325 · fax: +49 89 3299 2580
email · pgp · orcid

Research Interests

One of the last big unsolved problems in classical physics is turbulence - in plasmas this is further complicated by the additional interactions with electromagnetic fields. Adressing this issue with massively parallel computer simulations is one of my main research interests. As a long-term developer of the gyrokinetic (5D) plasma microturbulence code GENE, I am particularly interested in further enhancements of this numerical tool, verification of the implemented equations by comparison with analytic solutions or benchmarks with similar codes, and validation against particular measurements from experiments. Applications of the code furthermore aim at qualitative and even quantitative predictions for current experiments and future magnetic confinement based fusion devices. The latter also includes coupling to transport solvers and comparisons with lower hierarchy models. Additionally, I have also participated in projects employing Hybrid-kinetic 6D Vlasov simulations.

Academic and Employment history

• Since 2012: Permanent staff position in the tokamak theory division, Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP), Germany

• 2009 to 2012: Post-Doc positions through the European EFDA GOTiT (Goal Oriented Training in Theory) programme and the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Germany; visiting researcher at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, USA (04-06/2012)

• 2006 to 2009: PhD studies on Multiscale Effects in Plasma Microturbulence at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Germany;
  Doctoral degree at the University of Ulm, Germany

• 2005 to 2006: Diploma thesis on Scattering of Light on Correlated Atoms, Department for Quantum Physics, University of Ulm, Germany

• 2004: Internship (Operation, data acquisition and analysis at the CASTOR tokamak) at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Prague, Czech Republic (08-09/2004)

Commitments

• Since 11/2020: Chairman of the IPP IT User Committee

• Since 06/2020: Member of the IPP IT Committee

• Since 07/2016: Chairman (2016-2018) or Vice-Chairman (2018-) of the Wissenschaftlerrat (Scientists' Representative Council) of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics; Member of the Wissenschaftlich Technische Rats-Versammlung (committee of scientific-technical councils) of the Helmholtz Association

• Since 07/2012: Elected member/deputy member of the Wissenschaftlerrat (Scientists' Representative Council) of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics

• 08/2018-07/2020: Chairman of the IT-infrastructure coordination committee at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics

• Guest Editor - Special issue on comparing gyrokinetic simulations to experiments, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

• Conference programme committee member - 47th European Physical Society Conference on Plasma Physics (EPS2020), June 22-26, 2020, Sitges, Spain - 21st Joint EU-US Transport Task Force Meeting, Sept 5-8, 2016, Leysin, Switzerland

• Reviewer for Nuclear Fusion, Physics of Plasmas, Computer Physics Communications, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Journal of Plasma Physics, HLRS Stuttgart (Germany), IFERC-CSC (Japan), EUROfusion HPC (Marconi-Fusion, Italy).

Publications

• Most cited - see https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0851-6699 for a full list of publications

• T. Görler, X. Lapillonne, S. Brunner, T. Dannert, F. Jenko, F. Merz, and D. Told, The global version of the gyrokinetic turbulence code GENE, Journal of Computational Physics 230, 7053 (2011)

• X. Lapillonne, S. Brunner, T. Dannert, S. Jolliet, A. Marinoni, L. Villard, T. Görler, F. Jenko, and F. Merz, Clarifications to the limitations of the s-alpha equilibrium model for gyrokinetic computations of turbulence, Physics of Plasmas 16, 032308 (2009)

• T. Görler and F. Jenko, Scale separation between electron and ion thermal transport, Physical Review Letters 100, 185002 (2008)

• B.F. McMillan, X. Lapillonne, S. Brunner, L. Villard, S. Jolliet, A. Bottino, T. Görler, and F. Jenko, System Size Effects on Gyrokinetic Turbulence, Physical Review Letters 105, 155001 (2010)

• P. Xanthopoulos, F. Merz, T. Görler, and F. Jenko, Nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of ion-temperature-gradient turbulence for the optimized Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, Physical Review Letters 99, 035002 (2007)

• ...

Project Grants

• T. Görler et al., Multi-national EUROfusion TSVV-01 project on "Physics of the L-H Transition and Pedestals" as part of the E-TASC initiative (Since 04/2021)

• T. Görler et al., Multi-national EUROfusion TSVV pilot project on "L-/H-transition and pedestal physics" as part of the E-TASC initiative (04/2019-12/2020)

• J. Garcia and T. Görler, Grant for Bavarian-French research collaborations (2017)

• PI or Co-PI on multiple competetive supercomputer allocations worldwide:

• T. Görler et al., Lighthouse project and various compute time awards, EUROfusion HPC, Marconi-Fusion, Italy (2016–)

• T. Görler et al., Various compute time awards, IFERC-CSC, Japan, (2012–2016)

• T. Görler et al., Various compute time awards, HPC-FF, Germany (2010–2013)

• F. Jenko, T. Görler, D. Told, D. Hatch, S. Brunner, and T. Dannert, Comprehensive ab initio simulations of turbulence in ITER-relevant fusion plasmas, PRACE Award (4th call) (2012–2013)

• F. Jenko, T. Görler, F. Merz, M.J. Pueschel, D. Told, S. Brunner, and M.A. Barnes, Ab initio Simulations of Turbulence in Fusion Plasmas, PRACE Award (Early Access) (2010)