Sanae-Inoue Itoh 1952–2019: a memorial note for a pioneer researcher of plasma bifurcation

Abstract

This memorial note for Professor Sanae-I Itoh presents her specific achievements in physics research alongside her wider record of accomplishment in the field of magnetically confined plasmas. The topics include bifurcation phenomena (e.g., H-mode and improved confinement modes), turbulence-generated structures (e.g., zonal flows and streamers), and fundamental concepts and processes in plasma turbulence (e.g. nonlinear couplings and energy transfer. The note focuses initially on results obtained through her integration of theory, simulation, and experiment, particularly those arising from a low temperature plasma facility at Kyushu University. We then describe contemporary challenges in plasma turbulence which Sanae addressed with great interest, and consider some of the perspectives that were opened by her achievements.