Threshold power and energy confinement for ITER

In order to predict the threshold power for L-H transition and the energy confinement performance in ITER, assembling of database and analyses of them have been progressed. The ITER Threshold Database includes data from 10 divertor tokamaks. Investigation of the database gives a scaling of the threshold power of the form P{sub thr} {proportional_to} B{sub t} n{sub e}{sup 0.75} R{sup 2} {times} (n{sub e} R{sup 2}){sup +-0.25}, which predicts P{sub thr} = 100 {times} 2{sup 0{+-}1} MW for ITER at n{sub e} = 5 {times} 10{sup 19} m{sup {minus}3}. The ITER L-mode Confinement Database has also been expanded by data from 14 tokamaks. A scaling of the thermal energy confinement time in L-mode and ohmic phases is obtained; {tau}{sub th} {approximately} I{sub p} R{sup 1.8} n{sub e}{sup 0.4{sub P{sup {minus}0.73}}}. At the ITER parameter, it becomes about 2.2 sec. For the ignition in ITER, more than 2.5 times of improvement will be required from the L-mode. The ITER H-mode Confinement Database is expanded from data of 6 tokamaks to data of 11 tokamaks. A {tau}{sub th} scaling for ELMy H-mode obtained by a standard regression analysis predicts the ITER confinement time of {tau}{sub th} = 6 {times} (1 {+-} 0.3) sec. The degradation of {tau}{sub th} with increasing n{sub e} R{sup 2} (or decreasing {rho}{sub *}) is not found for ELMy H-mode. An offset linear law scaling with a dimensionally correct form also predicts nearly the same {tau}{sub th} value

Non-existence of normal tokamak equilibria with negative central current

Recent tokamak experiments employing off-axis, non-inductive current drive have found that a large central current hole can be produced. The current density is measured to be approximately zero in this region, though in principle there was sufficient current drive power for the central current density to have gone significantly negative. Recent papers have used a large aspect-ratio expansion to show that normal MHD equilibria (with axisymmetric nested flux surfaces, non-singular fields, and monotonic peaked pressure profiles) can not exist with negative central current. We extend that proof here to arbitrary aspect ratio, using a variant of the virial theorem to derive a relatively simple integral constraint on the equilibrium. However, this constraint does not, by itself, exclude equilibria with non-nested flux surfaces, or equilibria with singular fields and/or hollow pressure profiles that may be spontaneously generated.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to Physics of Plasmas, Feb. 14, 2003. Revised Feb. 24, 2003. Vers. 2: revised May 29 to clarify points raised by referee, add references to recent work. July 18, accepted for publicatio