773 research outputs found
Microstability analysis of pellet fuelled discharges in MAST
Reactor grade plasmas are likely to be fuelled by pellet injection. This
technique transiently perturbs the profiles, driving the density profile hollow
and flattening the edge temperature profile. After the pellet perturbation, the
density and temperature profiles relax towards their quasi-steady-state shape.
Microinstabilities influence plasma confinement and will play a role in
determining the evolution of the profiles in pellet fuelled plasmas. In this
paper we present the microstability analysis of pellet fuelled H-mode MAST
plasmas. Taking advantage of the unique capabilities of the MAST Thomson
scattering system and the possibility of synchronizing the eight lasers with
the pellet injection, we were able to measure the evolution of the post-pellet
electron density and temperature profiles with high temporal and spatial
resolution. These profiles, together with ion temperature profiles measured
using a charge exchange diagnostic, were used to produce equilibria suitable
for microstability analysis of the equilibrium changes induced by pellet
injection. This analysis, carried out using the local gyrokinetic code GS2,
reveals that the microstability properties are extremely sensitive to the rapid
and large transient excursions of the density and temperature profiles, which
also change collisionality and beta e significantly in the region most strongly
affected by the pellet ablation.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures. This is an author-created, un-copyedited
version of an article submitted for publication in Plasma Physics and
Controlled Fusion. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or
omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from i
Charge dependence of neoclassical and turbulent transport of light impurities on MAST
Carbon and nitrogen impurity transport coefficients are determined from gas
puff experiments carried out during repeat L-mode discharges on the Mega-Amp
Spherical Tokamak (MAST) and compared against a previous analysis of helium
impurity transport on MAST. The impurity density profiles are measured on the
low-field side of the plasma, therefore this paper focuses on light impurities
where the impact of poloidal asymmetries on impurity transport is predicted to
be negligible. A weak screening of carbon and nitrogen is found in the plasma
core, whereas the helium density profile is peaked over the entire plasma
radius.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure
Effect of resonant magnetic perturbations on low collisionality discharges in MAST and a comparison with ASDEX Upgrade
Sustained ELM mitigation has been achieved on MAST and AUG using RMPs with a
range of toroidal mode numbers over a wide region of low to medium
collisionality discharges. The ELM energy loss and peak heat loads at the
divertor targets have been reduced. The ELM mitigation phase is typically
associated with a drop in plasma density and overall stored energy. In one
particular scenario on MAST, by carefully adjusting the fuelling it has been
possible to counteract the drop in density and to produce plasmas with
mitigated ELMs, reduced peak divertor heat flux and with minimal degradation in
pedestal height and confined energy. While the applied resonant magnetic
perturbation field can be a good indicator for the onset of ELM mitigation on
MAST and AUG there are some cases where this is not the case and which clearly
emphasise the need to take into account the plasma response to the applied
perturbations. The plasma response calculations show that the increase in ELM
frequency is correlated with the size of the edge peeling-tearing like response
of the plasma and the distortions of the plasma boundary in the X-point region.Comment: 31 pages, 28 figures. This is an author-created, un-copyedited
version of an article submitted for publication in Nuclear Fusion. IoP
Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version
of the manuscript or any version derived from i
Collisionality and safety factor scalings of H-mode energy transport in the MAST spherical tokamak
A factor of 4 dimensionless collisionality scan of H-mode plasmas in MAST shows that the thermal energy confinement time scales as BτE,th ∝ ν-0.82±0.1*e. Local heat transport is dominated by electrons and is consistent with the global scaling. The n
Solitary magnetic perturbations at the ELM onset
Edge localised modes (ELMs) allow maintaining sufficient purity of tokamak
H-mode plasmas and thus enable stationary H-mode. On the other hand in a future
device ELMs may cause divertor power flux densities far in excess of tolerable
material limits. The size of the energy loss per ELM is determined by
saturation effects in the non-linear phase of the ELM, which at present is
hardly understood. Solitary magnetic perturbations (SMPs) are identified as
dominant features in the radial magnetic fluctuations below 100kHz. They are
typically observed close (+-0.1ms) to the onset of pedestal erosion. SMPs are
field aligned structures rotating in the electron diamagnetic drift direction
with perpendicular velocities of about 10km/s. A comparison of perpendicular
velocities suggests that the perturbation evoking SMPs is located at or inside
the separatrix. Analysis of very pronounced examples showed that the number of
peaks per toroidal turn is 1 or 2, which is clearly lower than corresponding
numbers in linear stability calculations. In combination with strong peaking of
the magnetic signals this results in a solitary appearance resembling modes
like palm tree modes, edge snakes or outer modes. This behavior has been
quantified as solitariness and correlated to main plasma parameters. SMPs may
be considered as a signature of the non-linear ELM-phase originating at the
separatrix or further inside. Thus they provide a handle to investigate the
transition from linear to non-linear ELM phase. By comparison with data from
gas puff imaging processes in the non-linear phase at or inside the separatrix
and in the scrape-off-layer (SOL) can be correlated. A connection between the
passing of an SMP and the onset of radial filament propagation has been found.
Eventually the findings related to SMPs may contribute to a future quantitative
understanding of the non-linear ELM evolution.Comment: submitted to Nuclear Fusio
- …