Overview of recent results from Alcator C-MOD

Alcator C-Mod, a compact high magnetic field, high density, diverted and shaped tokamak has been operating at MIT since May, 1993.Unique ITER relevant features of the machine include a thick conducting vacuum vessel, all molybdenum plasma facing components, and a closed divertor geometry.An overview of recent results is presented, with particular emphasis on MHD studies including halo currents, confinement studies with ohmic and ICRF heating, and divertor research with emphasis on dissipative divertor operations.Key results presented include quantitative studies of halo current formation (up to 20% of I,), effective ICRF heating (up to 2 MW) with well controlled metallic impurity generation, demonstration of dissipative divertor operation (both radiative and detached), and extension of the H-mode threshold database by more than an order of magnitude (teBT ~ 10 2 1 T/m 3 , P/S~ 0.35 MW/M 2 ).0 Vi