Short-scale turbulent fluctuations driven by the electron-temperature gradient in the national spherical torus experiment

Measurements with coherent scattering of electromagnetic waves in plasmas of the National Spherical Torus Experiment indicate the existence of turbulent fluctuations in the range of wave numbers k(perpendicular to)rho(e)=0.1-0.4, corresponding to a turbulence scale length nearly equal to the collisionless skin depth. Experimental observations and agreement with numerical results from a linear gyrokinetic stability code support the conjecture that the observed turbulence is driven by the electron-temperature gradient.X1155sciescopu

Internal transport barriers in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

In the National Spherical Torus Experiment [M. Ono , Nucl. Fusion 41, 1435 (2001)], internal transport barriers (ITBs) are observed in reversed (negative) shear discharges where diffusivities for electron and ion thermal channels and momentum are reduced. While neutral beam heating can produce ITBs in both electron and ion channels, high harmonic fast wave heating can also produce electron ITBs (e-ITBs) under reversed magnetic shear conditions without momentum input. Interestingly, the location of the e-ITB does not necessarily match that of the ion ITB (i-ITB). The e-ITB location correlates best with the magnetic shear minima location determined by motional Stark effect constrained equilibria, whereas the i-ITB location better correlates with the location of maximum ExB shearing rate. Measured electron temperature gradients in the e-ITB can exceed critical gradients for the onset of electron thermal gradient microinstabilities calculated by linear gyrokinetic codes. A high-k microwave scattering diagnostic shows locally reduced density fluctuations at wave numbers characteristic of electron turbulence for discharges with strongly negative magnetic shear versus weakly negative or positive magnetic shear. Reductions in fluctuation amplitude are found to be correlated with the local value of magnetic shear. These results are consistent with nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations predicting a reduction in electron turbulence under negative magnetic shear conditions despite exceeding critical gradients.X1128sciescopu

Synergy in two-frequency fast wave cyclotron harmonic absorption in DIII-D

Fast waves (FWs) at 60 MHz and at 90 MHz are coupled to DIII-D discharges for central heating and current drive at net FW power up to 3.5 MW. The primary absorption mechanism is intended to be direct electron damping in the plasma core. In discharges at B=2T with fast deuteron populations from neutral beam injection, 4th and 6th deuterium cyclotron harmonic absorption on the fast ions competes with direct electron damping. Previous experiments have shown that the 6ΩD absorption of the 90 MHz FWs is weaker than the 4ΩD absorption of 60 MHz FWs, in agreement with a model that includes unspecified edge losses. Recent experiments have shown that if the fast deuterons are accelerated by absorption of 60 MHz (4ΩD) FWs, adding 90 MHz power (6ΩD) can increase the fusion neutron rate by a larger increment than is obtained with 90 MHz power alone. Details of this synergy between 4ΩD and 6ΩD absorption are presented. © 2009 American Institute of Physics

Suppression of Electron Temperature Gradient Turbulence via Negative Magnetic Shear in NSTX

Negative magnetic shear is found to suppress electron turbulence and improve electron thermal transport for plasmas in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). Sufficiently negative magnetic shear results in a transition out of a stiff profile regime. Density fluctuation measurements from high-k microwave scattering are verified to be the electron temperature gradient (ETG) mode by matching measured rest frequency and linear growth rate to gyrokinetic calculations. Fluctuation suppression under negligible E x B shear conditions confirm that negative magnetic shear alone is sufficient for ETG suppression. Measured electron temperature gradients can significantly exceed ETG critical gradients with ETG mode activity reduced to intermittent bursts, while electron thermal diffusivity improves to below 0.1 electron gyro-Bohms.1125sciescopu

Use of fast ion D-alpha diagnostics for understanding ICRF effects

Combined neutral beam injection and fast wave heating at cyclotron harmonics accelerate deuterium fast ions in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) and in the DIII-D tokamak. Acceleration above the injected energy is evident in fast-ion D-alpha (FIDA) and volume-average neutron data. The FIDA diagnostic measures spatial profiles of the accelerated fast ions. In DIII-D, the acceleration is at a 4th or 5th cyclotron harmonic; the maximum enhancement in the high-energy FIDA signal is 8-10 cm beyond the resonance layer. In NSTX, acceleration is observed at five harmonics (7-11) simultaneously; overall, the profile of accelerated fast ions is much broader than in DIII-D. The energy distribution predicted by the CQL3D Fokker-Planck code agrees fairly well with measurements in DIII-D. However, the predicted profiles differ from experiment, presumably because the current version of CQL3D uses a zero-banana-width model. © 2009 American Institute of Physics

Absorption of fast waves at moderate to high ion cyclotron harmonics on DIII-D

The absorption of fast Alfvén waves (FW) by ion cyclotron harmonic damping in the range of harmonics from fourth to eighth is studied theoretically and with experiments in the DIII-D tokamak. A formula for linear ion cyclotron absorption on Maxwellian ion species is used to estimate the single-pass damping for various cases of experimental interest. It is found that damping on fast ions from neutral beam injection can be significant even at the eighth harmonic if the fast ion beta and the background plasma density are both high enough. The predictions are tested in several L-mode experiments in DIII-D with FW power at 60 MHz and at 116 MHz. It is found that 4th and 5th harmonic absorption of the 60 MHz power on the beam ions can be quite strong, but 8th harmonic absorption of the 116 MHz power appears to be weaker than expected. Possible explanations of the discrepancy are discussed. © 2005 American Institute of Physics

Absorption of fast waves at moderate to high ion cyclotron harmonics on DIII-D

The absorption of fast Alfvén waves (FW) by ion cyclotron harmonic damping in the range of harmonics from fourth to eighth is studied theoretically and with experiments in the DIII-D tokamak. A formula for linear ion cyclotron absorption on Maxwellian ion species is used to estimate the single-pass damping for various cases of experimental interest. It is found that damping on fast ions from neutral beam injection can be significant even at the eighth harmonic if the fast ion beta and the background plasma density are both high enough. The predictions are tested in several L-mode experiments in DIII-D with FW power at 60 MHz and at 116 MHz. It is found that 4th and 5th harmonic absorption of the 60 MHz power on the beam ions can be quite strong, but 8th harmonic absorption of the 116 MHz power appears to be weaker than expected. Possible explanations of the discrepancy are discussed. © 2005 American Institute of Physics

Advances in high-harmonic fast wave physics in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Improved core high-harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating at longer wavelengths and during start-up and plasma current ramp-up has now been obtained by lowering the edge density with lithium wall conditioning, thereby moving the critical density for perpendicular fast-wave propagation away from the vessel wall. Lithium conditioning allowed significant HHFW core electron heating of deuterium neutral beam injection (NBI) fuelled H-mode plasmas to be observed for the first time. Large edge localized modes were observed immediately after the termination of rf power. Visible and infrared camera images show that fast wave interactions can deposit considerable rf energy on the outboard divertor. HHFW-generated parametric decay instabilities were observed to heat ions in the plasma edge and may be the cause for a measured drag on edge toroidal rotation during HHFW heating. A significant enhancement in neutron rate and fast-ion profile was measured in NBI-fuelled plasmas when HHFW heating was applied. © 2010 American Institute of Physics