Accommodation of the immediate electromagnetic and thermal consequences of plasma disruptions and the associated ensuing consequences of disruptions -- including the occurrence of vertical displacement events (VDEs), 'halo' currents in in-vessel structures and possible conversion of a significant fraction of the before- disruption plasma current to runaway electron current -- pose a challenging and interrelated set of design requirements for reactor tokamaks in general and ITER (R = 8.14 m, a = 2.80 m, I = 21 MA, P_fus = 1-1.5 GW, t_burn > or = 1000 s) in particular. Here the physics basis and understanding of the expected characteristics of disruptions, VDEs, halo current and runaway conversion in ITER are reviewed and correlated with assessments of how ITER is designed to accommodate the corresponding magnetic, mechanical and thermal loading conditions. Disruption issues and considerations to be covered include disruption frequency, thermal and current quench durations, location and mechanism of thermal and magnetic energy deposition, and response of the respective plasma- facing surfaces. Issues related to VDEs and halo currents will include halo current magnitude and toroidal asymmetry, distribution on plasma-facing surfaces, and local and global mechanical loads developed during ITER VDEs. Runaway electron current conversion considerations to be covered include magnitude, energy and localization of runaway currents arising from both natural disruption and fast plasma power shutdown, and physics considerations that may affect the magnitude, localization and time-scale of runaway deposition on plasma-facing surfaces.

Acknowledgments: The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Engineering Design Activities are conducted by the European Atomic Energy Community, Japan, the Russian Federation and The United States under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Much of the data presented herein was compiled during the 1994-1997 Meetings of the ITER Expert Group on Disruptions, Plasma Control and MHD. The contributions of the Group Members and additional participants in these Meetings and the special help of the Alcator C- Mod, ASDEX-U, COMPASS-D, DIII-D, JET and JT-60U experimental teams and their respective disruption data coordinators Ñ R. Granetz, G. Pautasso, W. Morris, A. Kellman, M. Johnson and R. Yoshino Ñ for data and collaboration during the course this activity are gratefully acknowledged.