C. S. Pitcher

Transport-driven Scrape-Off-Layer flows and the boundary conditions imposed at the magnetic separatrix in a tokamak plasma

Plasma profiles and flows in the low- and high-field side scrape-off-layer (SOL) regions in Alcator C-Mod are found to be remarkably sensitive to magnetic separatrix topologies (upper-, lower- and double-null) and to impose topology-dependent flow boundary conditions on the confined plasma. Near-sonic plasma flows along magnetic field lines are observed in the high-field SOL, with magnitude and direction clearly dependent on X-point location. The principal drive mechanism for the flows is a strong ballooning-like poloidal transport asymmetry: parallel flows arise so as to re-symmetrize the resulting poloidal pressure variation in the SOL. Secondary flows involving a combination of toroidal rotation and Pfirsch–Schluter ion currents are also evident. As a result of the transport-driven parallel flows, the SOL exhibits a net co-current (counter-current) volume-averaged toroidal momentum when B × ∇B is towards (away from) the X-point. Depending on the discharge conditions, flow momentum can couple across the separatrix and affect the toroidal rotation of the confined plasma. This mechanism accounts for a positive (negative) increment in central plasma co-rotation seen in L-mode discharges when B × ∇B is towards (away from) the X-point. Experiments in ion-cyclotron range-of-frequency-heated discharges suggest that topology-dependent flow boundary conditions may also play a role in the sensitivity of the L–H power threshold to X-point location: in a set of otherwise similar discharges, the L–H transition is seen to be coincident with central rotation achieving roughly the same value, independent of magnetic topology. For discharges with B × ∇B pointing away from the X-point (i.e. with the SOL flow boundary condition impeding co-current rotation), the same characteristic rotation can only be achieved with higher input power.

Effects of neutral particles on edge dynamics in Alcator C-Mod plasmas

Neutral particle densities and energy losses have been measured in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak [Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)]. Their effect on the formation and evolution of the edge barrier which accompanies the enhanced confinement regime are discussed. The neutrals can enter the edge dynamics through the particle, momentum, and energy balance. Neutral densities of up to 5×1016 m−3 have been measured in the edge barrier region. Neutrals enter the local dynamics around most of the periphery, not just at the X-point. High resolution measurements of the ionization profile have been obtained for the region near the separatrix. The profile shifts inside the separatrix as the plasma is making a transition from low-to high-mode confinement (H-mode) regimes, partly accounting for the dramatic rise in edge density. The measured neutral density is large enough to affect the bulk ion momentum by charge exchange, and thereby introduces a negative radial electric field at the edge. At the same time,...

Molybdenum erosion measurements in Alcator C-Mod

Erosion of molybdenum was measured on a set of 21 tiles after a run campaign of 1090 shots in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. The net erosion of molybdenum was determined from changes in the depth of a thin chromium marker layer measured by Rutherford backscattering. Net Mo erosion was found to be approximately 150 nm near the outer divertor strikepoint and much less everywhere else. Gross erosion rates by sputtering were estimated using ion energies and fluxes obtained from Langmuir probe measurements of edge-plasma conditions. Predicted net erosion using calculated gross erosion with prompt redeposition agrees with measured net erosion within a factor of three. Sputtering by impurities, mainly boron, dominates erosion.

High resolution visible continuum imaging diagnostic on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak

A high spatial resolution CCD based one-dimensional imaging system to measure visible continuum emissivity profiles from Alcator C-Mod tokamak plasmas is described. The instrument has chordal resolution that is better than 1 mm for the edge region of the plasma, where very sharp (1 to 10 mm) gradient lengths in plasma parameters are observed after the formation of the H-mode transport barrier. Each image has up to 2048 pixels, and total spatial coverage goes from 2 cm inside of the magnetic axis to ∼4 cm outside of the last closed flux surface in the ∼22 cm horizontal minor radius plasmas. Time resolution can be varied from 0.21 ms to 4 ms; good signal to noise is achieved with 1 ms integration under typical plasma conditions. The emission over most of the plasma volume is dominated by free–free bremsstrahlung, and can be used to infer local values of the average ion charge (Zeff). Toroidally localized puffing of deuterium, nitrogen, and helium reveals that a significant contribution to the signal in the ...

The role of particle sinks and sources in Alcator C-Mod detached divertor discharges

Detailed measurements of the magnitude and location of volumetric recombination occurring in the detached divertor of Alcator C-Mod tokamak [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] are presented. The drop in divertor plate ion current during detachment is due to two mechanisms: (1) volumetric recombination in the divertor plasma; and (2) reductions in the divertor ion source. Depending on plasma conditions, each of these can be the primary mechanism for the observed ion current reduction in detachment. The ion source during detachment is inferred and its magnitude is consistent with the measured divertor power flow. A scaling of the density in the divertor recombining region for L- (low confinement) mode plasmas is found, ne,r∝ne0.8⋅PSOL2/7. A model based on pressure variation along a flux surface during detachment is consistent with the main features of this scaling.Detailed measurements of the magnitude and location of volumetric recombination occurring in the detached divertor of Alcator C-Mod tokamak [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] are presented. The drop in divertor plate ion current during detachment is due to two mechanisms: (1) volumetric recombination in the divertor plasma; and (2) reductions in the divertor ion source. Depending on plasma conditions, each of these can be the primary mechanism for the observed ion current reduction in detachment. The ion source during detachment is inferred and its magnitude is consistent with the measured divertor power flow. A scaling of the density in the divertor recombining region for L- (low confinement) mode plasmas is found, ne,r∝ne0.8⋅PSOL2/7. A model based on pressure variation along a flux surface during detachment is consistent with the main features of this scaling.

High confinement dissipative divertor operation on Alcator C-Mod

Alcator C-Mod [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] has operated a High-confinement-mode (H-mode) plasma together with a dissipative divertor and low core Zeff. The initially attached plasma is characterized by steady-state enhancement factor, HITER89P [P. N. Yushmanov et al., Nucl. Fusion 30, 1999 (1990)], of 1.9, central Zeff of 1.1, and a radiative fraction of ∼50%. Feedback control of a nitrogen gas puff is used to increase radiative losses in both the core/edge and divertor plasmas in almost equal amounts. Simultaneously, the core plasma maintains HITER89P of 1.6 and Zeff of 1.4 in this nearly 100% radiative state. The power and particle flux to the divertor plates have been reduced to very low levels while the core plasma is relatively unchanged by the dissipative nature of the divertor.

Neutral atom temperature and flow measurements in the edge region of the Alcator C-mod tokamak

Spectral line shifts have been observed in the Dα transition of neutral deuterium in the Alcator C-mod [I. H. Hutchinson, Proceedings of the IEEE 13th Symposium on Fusion Engineering (IEEE, Piscataway, 1990), Vol. 1, p. 13] tokamak and interpreted as Doppler shifts due to a neutral flow of approximately 5×103 m/s. The emission originates from plasma at the inner wall, as indicated by the Zeeman patterns of the transition. The direction of the flow changes when the plasma transitions from a limited to a diverted configuration. In all cases, the flows are directed toward the point of contact with the wall or divertor plate. Narrow spectral profiles have been observed for the Dα transition near the midplane and within the divertor. Temperatures not higher than 0.86 eV are indicated for the divertor measurements. A difference in plasma conditions for separate locations along a single line of sight has been observed.

Localization of emission through interpretation of observed Zeeman pattern

Observations of spectral line profiles commonly represent the integration of emission along the line of sight. Depending on the number of views and the symmetries involved, one can use techniques ranging from simple Abel inversion to complex tomographic reconstruction to find the spatial distribution emitters. In tokamak experiments, the spatial dependence of the magnetic field is typically available and can be used to gain important insights into the absence of other spatial information. The Zeeman patterns of spectral lines from neutral atoms and low-Z ions in tokamak plasmas can contain enough information to restrict the location of emission to well defined positions along a given line of sight. Simple modeling of observations with high spectral resolution from Alcator C-Mod plasmas demonstrates the application of this technique to the interpretation of experimental data. This localization of emission is not only of interest to spectroscopists and modelers of tokamak edge and divertor regions, it could...

Mode conversion electron heating in Alcator C-Mod: Theory and experiment

Localized electron heating [full width at half maximum of Δ(r/a)≈0.2] by mode converted ion Bernstein waves (IBW) has been observed in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)]. These experiments were performed in D(3He) plasmas at high magnetic field (B0=7.9 T), high-plasma density (ne0⩾1.5×1020 m−3), and for 0.05⩽nHe-3/ne⩽0.30. Electron heating profiles of the mode converted IBW were measured using a break in slope analysis of the electron temperature versus time in the presence of rf (radio frequency) modulation. The peak position of electron heating was found to be well-correlated with 3He concentration, in agreement with the predictions of cold plasma theory. Recently, a toroidal full-wave ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) code TORIC [M. Brambilla, Nucl. Fusion 38, 1805 (1998)] was modified to include the effects of IBW electron Landau damping at (k⊥ρi)2≫1, This model was used in combination with a 1D (one-dimensional) integral wave equation code METS [...

Investigation of the origin of neutrals in the main chamber of Alcator C-Mod

A series of experiments are described which are aimed at quantifying the relative contribution of divertor leakage and radial ion transport on neutral pressures surrounding the core plasma. Evidence is presented implying that cross-field transport competes with, or dominates, parallel transport in such a way that plasma exists far out in the scrape-off layer (SOL) in the shadow of limiters and recycles on main chamber surfaces. The transition from L- to H-mode core confinement does not affect the far SOL characteristics nor the scaling of pressures around the plasma. Variations in magnetic equilibrium are used to vary the divertor pressures independent of the core plasma. Based on the analysis of such experiments using a simple neutral flow model we estimate that neutrals escaping from leaks in the lower (closed) divertor during lower x-point operation contribute a smaller fraction (~10-30%) of the midplane pressure than main chamber recycling. The inferred leakage is much larger from the upper (open) divertor during upper x-point operation. Most neutrals escaping from either divertor do not directly travel to the midplane. Instead, they are redirected, most likely by some combination of ionization and/or collisions (elastic, charge exchange).