Thermonuclear fusion reactors are one of the mid to long term solutions to transit towards a world dominated by carbon-free energy. Extreme temperatures are required for fusion reactions and the plasma of hydrogen isotopes must be magnetically confined in a torus shape. Sustaining such high level of particle and energy confinements is a key issue. Reactors are expected to operate in a high confinement regime - the H-mode - in which turbulent transport is reduced by the presence of a transport barrier in the edge plasma. This regime is observed in all current devices but remains largely miss-understood. In this thesis, we investigate several mechanisms involved in the transition towards H-mode. For that purpose, we use a range of numerical simulation tools of increasing complexity. Using simple models, we first highlight and analyze basic mechanisms likely to play a role in the on-set of transport barriers and in their impact on turbulence. Moving progressively to more complex models, we discuss the relevance of these physics in explaining experimental observations. The magnetic geometry and especially the magnetic shear are pointed out as key players.

For a few seconds with large machines, scientists and engineers have now created the fusion power of the stars in the laboratory and at the same time find the rich range of complex turbulent electromagnetic waves that transport the plasma confinement systems. The turbulent transport mechanisms created in the laboratory are explained in detail in the second edition of 'Turbulent Transport in Magnetized Plasmas' by Professor Horton.The principles and properties of the major plasma confinement machines are explored with basic physics to the extent currently understood. For the observational laws that are not understood — the empirical confinement laws — offering challenges to the next generation of plasma students and researchers — are explained in detail. An example, is the confinement regime — called the 'I-mode' — currently a hot topic — is explored.Numerous important problems and puzzles for the next generation of plasma scientists are explained. There is growing demand for new simulation codes utilizing the massively parallel computers with MPI and GPU methods. When the 20 billion dollar ITER machine is tested in the 2020ies, new theories and faster/smarter computer simulations running in near real-time control systems will be used to control the burning hydrogen plasmas.

Optimal control of tokamak plasmas requires efficient and accurate prediction of heat and matter transport. Growing from kinetic resonant instabilities, turbulence saturates by involving many scales, from the small vortex up to the back-reaction on the density and temperature profiles. Self-organisation processes are of particular interest, encompassing spontaneous zonal flow genera- tion and transport by avalanche. First principle numerical simulation codes like GYSELA allow studying the gyro-kinetic evolution of the particle distribution function. The large model size and cost prompts the need for reduction. Removing velocity dimensions is the so-called collisionless closure problem for fluid equations. Earlier approaches are extended and generalised by calling to the dynamical systems and optimal control litterature. In particular, we apply the balanced truncation and rational interpolation to the one-dimensional linear VlasovPoisson problem. The interpolation method features a cheap and versatile formulation, opening the door to wider use for more complex phenomena. Quasi-linear theory is the reference model for turbulent effects. The GYSELA three-dimensional output is analysed to estimate the robustness of linear properties in turbulent filaments. Key quasi-linear quantities carry over to the non-linear regime. Effective velocities and shape of turbulent structures are computed, and match expected group velocities and linear eigenmode. Nevertheless, the turbulent potential spectrum must be specified externally to quasi- linear models. This results in radially travelling unstable linear solutions that share many properties of turbulent avalanches seen in numerical simulations.