Parametric dependences of momentum pinch and Prandtl number in JET

Several parametric scans have been performed to study momentum transport on JET. A neutral beam injection modulation technique has been applied to separate the diffusive and convective momentum transport terms. The magnitude of the inward momentum pinch depends strongly on the inverse density gradient length, with an experimental scaling for the pinch number being -Rvpinch/¿ = 1.2R/Ln + 1.4. There is no dependence of the pinch number on collisionality, whereas the pinch seems to depend weakly on q-profile, the pinch number decreasing with increasing q. The Prandtl number was not found to depend either on R/Ln, collisionality or on q. The gyro-kinetic simulations show qualitatively similar dependence of the pinch number on R/Ln, but the dependence is weaker in the simulations. Gyro-kinetic simulations do not find any clear parametric dependence in the Prandtl number, in agreement with experiments, but the experimental values are larger than the simulated ones, in particular in L-mode plasmas. The extrapolation of these results to ITER illustrates that at large enough R/Ln > 2 the pinch number becomes large enough (>3–4) to make the rotation profile peaked, provided that the edge rotation is non-zero. And this rotation peaking can be achieved with small or even with no core torque source. The absolute value of the core rotation is still very challenging to predict partly due to the lack of the present knowledge of the rotation at the plasma edge, partly due to insufficient understanding of 3D effects like braking and partly due to the uncertainties in the extrapolation of the present momentum transport results to a larger device

Overview of JET results

Since the last IAEA conference, the scientific programme of JET has focused on the qualification of the integrated operating scenarios for ITER and on physics issues essential for the consolidation of design choices and the efficient exploitation of ITER. Particular attention has been given to the characterization of the edge plasma, pedestal energy and edge localized modes (ELMs), and their impact on plasma facing components (PFCs). Various ELM mitigation techniques have been assessed for all ITER operating scenarios using active methods such as resonant magnetic field perturbation, rapid variation of the radial field and pellet pacing. In particular, the amplitude and frequency of type I ELMs have been actively controlled over a wide parameter range (q95 = 3-4.8, βN ≥ 3.0) by adjusting the amplitude of the n = 1 external perturbation field induced by error field correction coils. The study of disruption induced heat loads on PFCs has taken advantage of a new wide-angle viewing infrared system and a fast bolometer to provide a detailed account of time, localization and form of the energy deposition. Specific ITER-relevant studies have used the unique JET capability of varying the toroidal field (TF) ripple from its normal low value δBT = 0.08% up to δBT = 1% to study the effect of TF ripple on high confinement-mode plasmas. The results suggest that δBT < 0.5% is required on ITER to maintain adequate confinement to allow QDT = 10 at full field. Physics issues of direct relevance to ITER include heat and toroidal momentum transport, with experiments using power modulation to decouple power input and torque to achieve first experimental evidence of inward momentum pinch in JET and determine the threshold for ion temperature gradient driven modes. Within the longer term JET programme in support of ITER, activities aiming at the modification of the JET first wall and divertor and the upgrade of the neutral beam and plasma control systems are being conducted. The procurement of all components will be completed by 2009 with the shutdown for the installation of the beryllium wall and tungsten divertor extending from summer 2009 to summer 2010

Study of fast-ion transport induced by fishbones on JET

The impact of fishbone oscillations onto a confined fast-ion population is simulated for a JET plasma and benchmarked against experiment quantitatively with the help of neutron rate measurements. The transient drops in volume integrated neutron emission are found to be mainly caused by the spatial redistribution of the (neutral beam injected) fast-ion population confined in the plasma rather than by fast-ion loss. The simulations yield a quadratic dependence of the neutron drop on the fishbone amplitude. It is found that the simulations are able to correctly reproduce the magnitude of the experimentally observed drop in volume integrated neutron emission to within a factor 2. Furthermore, frequency chirping is found to be important. Omitting the fishbone frequency chirp in the simulations reduces the magnitude of the neutron rate drop (and hence fast-ion redistribution) to about half its original value

Non-resonant magnetic braking on JET and TEXTOR

The non-resonant magnetic braking effect induced by a non-axisymmetric magnetic perturbation is investigated on JET and TEXTOR. The collisionality dependence of the torque induced by the n = 1, where n is the toroidal mode number, magnetic perturbation generated by the error field correction coils on JET is observed. The observed torque is located mainly in the plasma core (normalized radius