A S Tukachinsky

Radial electric field evolution in the vicinity of a rotating magnetic island in the TUMAN-3M tokamak

Radial electric field is known to be an important factor affecting transport and confinement in toroidal fusion plasmas. Langmuire probe measurements of peripheral radial electric field evolution in the presence of a rotating MHD island were performed on the TUMAN-3M tokamak in order to clear up the possible connection between the radial electric field and the island rotation, both in L and H-modes. The measurements showed that Er became positive, if the island was large enough, in spite of the constant direction of the islands rotation. Comparing similar ohmic H-mode discharges with or without a rotating MHD island, it was found that in the presence of the large island Er was always more positive. Possible explanations of this observation are discussed.

Plasma rotation evolution near the peripheral transport barrier in the presence of low-frequency MHD bursts in TUMAN-3M tokamak

The experiments described in the paper are aimed at investigating the possible influence of the low frequency magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activity burst on the Ohmic H-mode in the TUMAN-3M tokamak. During the MHD burst a transient deterioration of improved confinement was observed. The study has been focused on the measurements of plasma fluctuation poloidal velocity performed by microwave Doppler reflectometry. The plasma fluctuation rotation observed before the MHD burst in the vicinity of the edge transport barrier was in the direction of plasma drift in the negative radial electric field. During the MHD activity the measured poloidal velocity was drastically decreased and even changed its sign. Radial profiles of the poloidal velocity measured in a set of reproducible tokamak shots exhibited the plasma fluctuation rotation in the ion diamagnetic drift direction at the location of the peripheral transport barrier. The possible reasons for this phenomenon are discussed.

Heavy ion beam probe development for the plasma potential measurement on the TUMAN-3M tokamak

The peculiarities of the heavy ion beam probe implementation on the small aspect ratio tokamak TUMAN-3M are analyzed. The toroidal displacement of beam trajectory due to the high Ipl/Btor ratio is taken into account when designing the layout of the diagnostic. Numerical calculation of beam trajectories using realistic configuration of TUMAN-3M magnetic fields and parabolic plasma current profile resulted in proper adjustment of probing and detection parameters (probing ion material, energy, entrance angles, detector location, and orientation). Secondary ion energy analyzer gain functions G and F were measured in situ using neutral hydrogen puffed in the tokamak vessel as a target for secondary ions production. The detector unit featured split-plate design and had additional electrodes for secondary electron emission suppression. As a result, the diagnostic is now capable of plasma potential evolution measurement and is sensitive enough to trace the potential profile evolution at the L-H mode transition.

Counter-NBI assisted LH transition in low density plasmas in the TUMAN-3M

This paper reports observations of the LH transition at very low density in the experiments on counter-current neutral beam injection (NBI) in the TUMAN-3M tokamak. The transition has been found at a target average density of as low as 0.5 ? 1019?m?3, which is lower by a factor of 2.5 than the LH transition density boundary in ohmic and co-current NBI heated plasmas. Relatively low input power in counter-NBI experiments is noticed: Pinput = 130?270?kW. In contrast, in the case of co-NBI the LH transition is difficult at low density. No transition is possible at the above density with co-NBI Pinput up to 500?kW. A model that predicts the generation of a negative radial electric field Er, which is thought to help LH transition during counter-NBI, is suggested. The model conjectures the development of the Er and toroidal rotation V in the presence of large ion orbit losses in the counter-NBI scheme. Measurements of the plasma potential by the heavy ion beam probe technique and edge radial electric field by electrostatic probes indicating negative Er emergence in the counter-NBI scenario are presented. Doppler spectroscopy of B3+ impurity ions has shown an increase in the V of 16 ? 6?km?s?1 after counter-NBI switch on. The measured V agrees with the above model estimations.

Physics of GAM-initiated L–H transition in a tokamak

Based on experimental observations using the TUMAN-3M and FT-2 tokamaks, and the results of gyrokinetic modeling of the interplay between turbulence and the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) in these installations, a simple model is proposed for the analysis of the conditions required for L–H transition triggering by a burst of radial electric field oscillations in a tokamak. In the framework of this model, one-dimensional density evolution is considered to be governed by an anomalous diffusion coefficient dependent on radial electric field shear. The radial electric field is taken as the sum of the oscillating term and the quasi-stationary one determined by density and ion temperature gradients through a neoclassical formula. If the oscillating field parameters (amplitude, frequency, etc) are properly adjusted, a transport barrier forms at the plasma periphery and sustains after the oscillations are switched off, manifesting a transition into the high confinement mode with a strong inhomogeneous radial electric field and suppressed transport at the plasma edge. The electric field oscillation parameters required for L–H transition triggering are compared with the GAM parameters observed at the TUMAN-3M (in the discharges with ohmic L–H transition) and FT-2 tokamaks (where no clear L–H transition was observed). It is concluded based on this comparison that the GAM may act as a trigger for the L–H transition, provided that certain conditions for GAM oscillation and tokamak discharge are met.

GAM observation in the TUMAN-3M tokamak

Results of an experimental study of geodesic acoustic modes (GAM) in the TUMAN-3M tokamak are reported. With Doppler backscattering (DBS) the basic properties of the GAM such as frequency, conditions for the GAM existence and the GAM radial location have been identified. The two-frequency Doppler reflectometer system was employed to reveal an interplay between low frequency sheared poloidal rotation, ambient turbulence level and the GAM intensity. Bicoherence analysis of the DBS data evidences the presence of a nonlinear interaction between the GAM and plasma turbulence.

Study of internal transport barriers in the initial phase of Ohmic discharges in TUMAN-3M

A regime with electron heat confinement improvement was recently found in the initial phase of discharges in the TUMAN-3M tokamak. An internal transport barrier (ITB) formation in this regime was confirmed by Thomson scattering measurements and by transport modelling. Two possible reasons for the ITB formation are discussed in the paper: by reduction of turbulent transport in the presence of low magnetic shear or by plasma sheared rotation. It is demonstrated that low magnetic shear formation is possible in the current ramp-up phase of the Ohmic discharge. The low magnetic shear does not seem to be the only reason for the transport reduction. Results of Doppler reflectometry measurements of poloidal rotation of density fluctuations are presented. It is found that core confinement improvement correlates with the appearance of sheared rotation of the density fluctuations and with a burst of the MHD activity. The ITB formation in the regime seems to be a result of a combined action of reduced magnetic shear and plasma sheared rotation.

Confinement bifurcation initiated by plasma current profile and toroidal electric field perturbations in the TUMAN-3M tokamak

The results of the experimental study of confinement mode bifurcation performed on the TUMAN-3M tokamak are reported. As a trigger of confinement mode switching, plasma current ramp-up/-down or magnetic compression/decompression is used. It is found that the possibility and direction of confinement mode switching are correlated not with plasma current profile perturbation (peaking or broadening) but with the sign of toroidal electric field perturbation. A model connecting confinement bifurcation and toroidal electric field perturbation through the perturbation of the radial electric field is used to describe the phenomena observed in all eight scenarios investigated. This model ascribes the radial electric field generation to the non-compensated Ware drift of banana electrons at the TUMAN-3M peripheral plasma, where . Measurements of turbulence level and poloidal plasma rotation using microwave reflectometry are used to validate the model.