MHD stability in X-point geometry:simulation of ELMs

A non-linear MHD code, named JOREK, is under development with the aim of studying the non-linear evolution of the MHD instabilities thought to be responsible for edge localized modes (ELMs): external kink (peeling) and medium-n ballooning modes. The full toroidal X-point geometry is taken into account including the separatrix, open and closed field lines. Analysis of the influence of the separatrix shows a strong stabilization of the ideal and resistive MHD external kink/peeling modes. One instability remains unstable in the presence of the X-point, characterized by a combination of a tearing and a peeling mode. The so-called peeling-tearing mode shows a much weaker dependence on the edge q. Non-linearly the n = 1 peeling-tearing mode saturates at a constant amplitude yielding a mostly kink-like perturbation of the boundary with an island-like structure close to the X-point. The non-linear evolution of a medium-n ballooning mode shows the formation of density filaments. The density filaments are sheared off from the main plasma by an n = 0 flow non-linearly induced by the Maxwell stress. The amplitude of the ballooning mode is limited by this n = 0 flow and multiple (in time) density filaments can develop to bring the plasma below the stability boundary

Magnetohydrodynamics modelling of H-mode plasma response to external resonant magnetic perturbations

The response of an H-mode plasma to Resonant Magnetic Perturbations (RMPs) generated by so-called I-coils in DIII-D experiments on type I edge localized modes suppression is modelled using the nonlinear reduced magnetohydrodynamics (with zero-β, i.e. zero plasma temperature, in the version used here) code JOREK in X-point geometry. JOREK self-consistently advances in time the magnetic flux, vorticity, and plasma density in the presence of the RMPs. Without any toroidal rotation, the magnetic response from the plasma does not significantly modify the islands widths. A radial convective E⃗×B⃗ plasma transport is observed to occur in the presence of the RMPs. The possibility that this mechanism could explain the enhanced density transport observed experimentally in DIII-D is discussed. Simulations with a rigid-body-like rotation at a fixed velocity shows evidence of a screening of the RMPs. The extension of our results to realistic parameters is discussed