H. Thomsen

The spatial structure of edge fluctuations in the Wendelstein 7-AS stellarator

In the scrape-off layer and outermost edge of the Wendelstein 7- AS (W7-AS) stellarator, fluctuations of, mostly, ion saturation current Isat and floating potential Φfl have been measured with high poloidal, radial (both 2-3 mm) and temporal (0.5 µs) resolution. Parallel to the magnetic field, measurements with two probe tips on the same magnetic field line were performed. The basic spatio-temporal structure of the fluctuations is presented in terms of correlation functions and of wavenumber-frequency (kf) spectra. They are characterized by the parameters of a fit function to the correlation function, which describe the spatio-temporal structure. The behaviour of these fluctuation parameters under variations of the discharge parameters is investigated. A high correlation of the fluctuations parallel to the magnetic field is documented, and we analyse, which frequency components contribute to this high correlation. In our radially and poloidally resolving measurements, we find that the fluctuation structures are inclined in the poloidal-radial plane at our position of measurement. The consequences of such inclined structures for the interpretation of measurements with one-dimensional arrays are discussed, with an emphasis on the risk of an erroneous interpretation of purely radially resolving measurements. There is strong evidence that this inclination is due to the local magnetic shear in W7-AS in conjunction with the high correlation of the fluctuations parallel to the magnetic field. A further contribution to the inclination may originate from the radial shear of the poloidal velocity of the fluctuations in the plasma edge. The different consequences of magnetic shear and velocity shear for an inclination of the fluctuations in the poloidal-radial plane are discussed.

Integration of a radiative divertor for heat load control into JET high triangularity ELMy H-mode plasmas

Experiments on JET with a carbon-fibre composite wall have explored the reduction of steady-state power load in an ELMy H-mode scenario at high Greenwald fraction similar to 0.8, constant power and close to the L to H transition. This paper reports a systematic study of power load reduction due to the effect of fuelling in combination with seeding over a wide range of pedestal density ((4-8) x 10(19) m(-3)) with detailed documentation of divertor, pedestal and main plasma conditions, as well as a comparative study of two extrinsic impurity nitrogen and neon. It also reports the impact of steady-state power load reduction on the overall plasma behaviour, as well as possible control parameters to increase fuel purity. Conditions from attached to fully detached divertor were obtained during this study. These experiments provide reference plasmas for comparison with a future JET Be first wall and an all W divertor where the power load reduction is mandatory for operation.

ELM pacing investigations at JET with the new pellet launcher

A new pellet injection system was installed at JET designed for both fuelling and ELM pacing. The purpose of the pacing section was to validate pellet ELM pacing as a suitable tool for ELM mitigation in ITER. Pellet pacing was confirmed at the large size scale of JET. The dynamics of triggered ELMs was investigated with respect to their spontaneous counterparts. Triggered ELMs show features also typical for spontaneous ELMs in several operational regimes. Since none of these regimes was unsettled by the pellets this is a strong hint for compatibility with other plasma control tools. Observations and modelling results indicate the ELM triggering occurs by the evolution of the pellet ablation plasmoid into the first ELM filament followed by a poloidal spread of the instability. An ELM obviously can be forced by a pellet due to the strong local perturbation imposed already under unusual onset conditions but then evolves like any ELM typical for the corresponding plasma regime. For tool optimization the pellet mass and hence the convective confinement losses imposed have to be minimized. In our experiments, a lower mass threshold was observed for the first time. It has been found that to reliably trigger an ELM the pellet needs to be sufficiently large (and fast) to penetrate close to the pedestal top. Recent investigations are clear steps forward to validate the pellet pacing approach for ITER.

W7-AS: One step of the Wendelstein stellarator line

This paper is a summary of some of the major results from the Wendelstein 7-AS stellarator (W7-AS). W7-AS [G. Grieger et al., Phys. Fluids B 4, 2081 (1992)] has demonstrated the feasibility of modular coils and has pioneered the island divertor and the modeling of its three-dimensional characteristics with the EMC3/EIRENE code [Y. Feng, F. Sardei et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 44, 611 (2002)]. It has extended the operational range to high density (4×1020m−3 at 2.5T) and high ⟨β⟩ (3.4% at 0.9T); it has demonstrated successfully the application of electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) beyond cutoff via electron Bernstein wave heating, and it has utilized the toroidal variation of the magnetic field strength for ion cyclotron resonance frequency beach-wave heating. In preparation of W7-X [J. Nuhrenberg et al., Trans. Fusion Technol. 27, 71 (1995)], aspects of the optimization concept of the magnetic design have been successfully tested. W7-AS has accessed the H-mode, the first time in a “non-to...

Multi-parameter scaling of divertor power load profiles in D, H and He plasmas on JET and implications for ITER

Inter-ELM and ELM divertor power loads were measured on JET in dedicated deuterium, hydrogen and helium discharges. Matched triplets (D, H, He) were obtained for different values of magnetic field, B, plasma current, Ip, line average plasma density, n, and heating power, P. In this paper, the above experiments are described and the results are presented in terms of empirical scalings of inter-ELM and ELM wetted areas (power widths) versus engineering parameters. The inter-ELM wetted area on the outer target is found to scale roughly as , where A and Z and the fuel ion mass and charge numbers, and qcyl is the cylindrical safety factor, and the ELM wetted area as . The obtained inter-ELM scalings are then compared with those previously reported in the literature and with a wide range of 0D theoretical predictions. For this purpose a family of scrape-off layer power width models was constructed based on a permutation of different assumptions for parallel and perpendicular transport. It is found that a combination of parallel electron conduction and drift-ordered radial convection offers the best overall match to the empirical data, closely followed by models based on marginal stability to interchange/ballooning modes and ion convection with transport ordered radial velocity. Finally, implications for ITER are tentatively drawn, and a revised estimate for the power width in ITER is proposed. Extrapolating to ITER based on the empirical JET scaling and the optimum size scaling of R0.7±0.6, obtained based on comparison with simple models, yields a median outer target inter-ELM power width of ~5.5 ± 2 mm (mapped to the outer mid-plane), in close agreement with previous estimates and the ITER design value. The most pessimistic forecasts (little or no size scaling and inverse linear B dependence, i.e. pure inverse current scaling) yield values as small as 2 mm. The resolution of the size scaling issue calls for additional inter-machine comparisons.

Power load characterization for type-I ELMy H-modes in JET

ELM-resolved divertor target power load studies were conducted for a wide range of discharge conditions in the JET tokamak. The magnetic configuration of these discharges was optimized for the fast divertor IR camera observing the outboard target. It is found that the ELM size estimated from the diamagnetic energy is not uniquely determining the ELM energy load at the divertor target. ELM mid-plane integral deposited power widths between 7 and 18 mm are observed, the inter-ELM widths lie in the range 2.5–6 mm. This ELM broadening is found to widen with ELM size. The temporal evolution of the ELM shape was characterized by rise and decay times. The ELM rise times are found to be in the range expected for ITER (250 µs), but the ELM decay is usually larger than assumed for the ITER design.

Parallel correlation measurements in the scrape-off layer of the Joint European Torus

In the scrape-off layer of the Joint European Torus [P.-H. Rebut, R. J. Bickerton, and B. E. Keen, Nucl. Fusion 25, 1011 (1985)], Langmuir probes were used to measure the correlation of ion saturation current fluctuations parallel to the magnetic-field B. It was possible to realize three different probe tip separations (connection lengths) ∥B under almost identical plasma conditions and magnetic configuration. Among these, a probe tip separation of 66 m ∥B represents the largest value ever realized for this type of experiment. It was found that the correlation is reduced from ⩾80% at 0.75 m probe tip separation ∥B in the divertor to ≈40% at 23 m, but remains at ≈40% even for the 66 m separation. An upper limit for the ratio between the average wave numbers parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field |k∥/k⊥|<0.0022 is found, but the results are in good agreement with a parallel wave number k∥=0.

Strike point splitting in the heat and particle flux profiles compared with the edge magnetic topology in a n=2 resonant magnetic perturbation field at JET

At JET the error field correction coils can be used to generate an n = 1 or n = 2 magnetic perturbation field (Liang et al 2007 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 49 B581). Various experiments at JET have already been carried out to investigate the mitigation of ELMs by resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) (Liang et al 2010 Nucl. Fusion 50 025013, Liang et al 2011 Nucl. Fusion 51 073001). However, the typical formation of a secondary strike point (strike point splitting) by RMPs observed in other machines (Jakubowski et al 2010 Contrib. Plasma Phys. 50 701–7, Jakubowski et al 2004 Nucl. Fusion 44 S1–11, Nardon et al 2011 J. Nucl. Mater. 415 S914–7, Eich et al 2003 Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 195003, Evans et al 2007 J. Nucl. Mater. 363–365 570–4, Evans et al 2005 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 7 174–90, Watkins et al 2009 J. Nucl. Mater. 390–391 839–42) has never been observed at JET before. In this work we will present discharges where for the first time a strike point splitting by RMPs at JET has been observed. We will show that in these particular cases the strike point splitting matches the vacuum edge magnetic field topology. This is done by comparing heat and particle flux profiles on the outer divertor plate with the magnetic footprint pattern obtained by field line tracing. Further the evolution of the strike point splitting during the ramp up phase of the perturbation field and during a q95-scan is investigated, and it will be shown that the spontaneous appearance of the strike point splitting is only related to some geometrical effects of the toroidal asymmetric magnetic topology.

Physics of the geometry-related detachment stability in W7-AS

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the transport behaviour of the detached plasmas in W7-AS based on an extended numerical study using the EMC3-EIRENE code, aimed at understanding the underlying physics responsible for the geometry-dependent detachment stability observed in W7-AS island divertor experiments. Here, a stable detachment can only be established when the control coils are switched on to generate sufficiently large islands with relatively short connection lengths. Special attention will be paid to a discussion of the carbon radiation, location and dynamics of the radiation layer, the neutral screening efficiency specific to the island divertor geometry and its impact on the detachment stability. Based on the three-dimensional simulation results, a linear stability model is presented in order to obtain some insight into the mechanisms driving the instability. The radiation behaviour and the location and evolution of the radiation zone in the island divertor will be discussed with respect to those of tokamak-MARFEs.

Characterization of the frequency ranges of the plasma edge fluctuation spectra

Frequency spectra of fluctuations for the ion saturation current, floating potential, and turbulent transport measured in the plasma edge of plasma confinement experiments (tokamaks and stellarators) have been analyzed to identify the frequency ranges characterized by a power dependence. Three main regions can be identified. For the intermediate frequency region, the decay of the spectra is close to 1/f, as is expected in self-organized criticality systems. This region is particularly important for the role that it plays in plasma transport and the self-similarity of the fluctuations and fluxes. The effect of plasma rotation on the decay indices has also been studied.