Quasi-coherent mode in core plasma of SUNIST spherical tokamak

A quasi-coherent(QC)mode was observed in the core region of low-density ohmic plasmas in Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak.In experiments on the QC mode,two sets of moveable Langmuir probes(LPs)were used to measure the local parameters including floating potential,electron temperature,electron density,and so on,as well as their profiles.To monitor the magnetohydrodynamic activities,a Mirnov probe was used to measure the poloidal magnetic fluctuation.The QC mode can be seen in the spectra of floating potential,but there is no similar peak in the spectra of magnetic fluctuation.Thus,the QC mode is probably electrostatic.By analyzing the electrostatic potential fluctuations from the LPs,the features of the QC mode including frequency,wavenumber,propagation direction,and dependence on collisionality are identified,which are consistent with the characteristics of dissipative trapped electron mode.

A new electromagnetic probe array diagnostic for analyzing electrostatic and magnetic fluctuations in EAST plasmas

A novel electromagnetic probe array(EMPA) diagnostic, which consists of a magnetic probe array and an electrostatic probe array, has recently been developed on EAST. The EMPA is fixed near the first wall at horizontal port P. The magnetic probe array of the EMPA consists of 24 identical magnetic probes, each of them capable of measuring toroidal, poloidal and radial magnetic fluctuations simultaneously, providing additional toroidal magnetic fluctuation measurements compared with the regular magnetic probes on EAST. With a higher sampling rate and self-resonant frequency, the EMPA magnetic probes can provide higher frequency magnetic fluctuation measurements. The magnetic probe array of the EMPA is composed of two parallel layers of magnetic probes with a radial distance of 63 mm, and each layer of magnetic probes is arranged in four poloidal rows and three toroidal columns. The compact arrangement of the EMPA magnetic probe array largely improves the toroidal mode number measurement ability from-8≤ n≤ 8 to-112≤ n≤ 112, and also improves the high poloidal wave number measurement ability of magnetic fluctuations compared with the regular high frequency magnetic probes on EAST. The electrostatic probe array of the EMPA consists of two sets of four-tip probes and a single-tip probe array with three poloidal rows and four toroidal columns. It complements the electrostatic parameter measurements behind the main limiter and near the first wall in EAST. The engineering details of the EMPA diagnostic, including the mechanical system, the electrical system, the acquisition and control system, and the effective area calibration, are presented. The preliminary applications of the EMPA in L-mode and H-mode discharges on EAST have demonstrated that the EMPA works well for providing information on the magnetic and electrostatic fluctuations and can contribute to deeper physical analysis in future EAST experiments.

Investigation of phase modulation and propagation-route effect from unmatched large-scale structures for Doppler reflectometry measurement through 2D full-wave modeling

To interpret the common symmetric peaks caused by the large-scale structure in the complex S(f)spectrum from the heterodyne Doppler reflectometry(DR)measurement in EAST,a 2D circular-shaped O-mode full-wave model based on the finite-difference time-domain method is built.The scattering characteristics and the influences on the DR signal from various scales are investigated.When the structure is located around the cutoff layer,a moving radial or poloidal large-scale structure k_(θ)k_(θ),match(k_(θ),match is the theoretic wavenumber of Bragg scattering)could both generate an oscillation phase term called‘phase modulation’,and symmetrical peaks in the complex S(f)spectrum.It was found that the image-rejection ratio A_(−1)/A_(+1)(A_(±1)represents the amplitudes of±1 order modulation peaks)could be a feasible indicator for experiment comparison.In the case when the structure is near the cutoff layer with the same arrangement as the experiment for the edge DR channel,the curve of A_(−1)/A_(+1)versus kθcan be divided into three regions,weak asymmetrical range with k_(θ)/k_(0)0.15(k_(0)is the vacuum wavenumber),harmonics range with 0.15k_(θ)/k_(0)0.4,and Bragg scattering range of 0.4k_(θ)/k_(0)0.7.In the case when the structure is located away from the cutoff layer,the final complex S(f)spectrum is the simple superimposing of modulation and Bragg scattering,and the modulation peaks have an amplitude response nearly proportional to the local density fluctuation,called the‘propagationroute effect’.Under the H-mode experiment arrangement for the core DR,a critical fluctuation amplitude Amp(n_(e,Mod.@route))/Amp(n_(e,Tur.@MSA)∼1.3–4.1(Amp(n_(e,Mod.@route))refers to the pedestal large-scale structure amplitude and Amp(ne,Tur.@MSA)refers to turbulence amplitude at the main scattering area)is needed for the structure in the pedestal to be observed by the core DR measurement.The simulations are well consistent with the experimental results.These effects need to be carefully considered during the DR signal analyses as the injecting beam passes through the plasma region with large-scale structures.

Numerical simulation of the multiple reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes associated with the triangularity Alfvén gap

It was found that there are multiplicity of low shear toroidicity-induced Alfv′en eigenmodes in a zero beta limit if the inverse aspect ratio is larger than the magnetic shear at the mode location(Candy 1996 Phys. Lett. A 215 299). Because the reversed shear Alfv′en eigenmode(RSAE) and even the RSAE associated with the non-circular triangularity-induced Alfv′en eigenmode(NAE) gap(NAE–RSAE) usually reside near the shear-reversal point, the condition that the inverse aspect ratio is larger than the magnetic shear is naturally satisfied. For this reason, we numerically investigate the existence of multiplicity of core-localized NAE–RSAEs and mode characteristics in the present work. We firstly verify the existence of the multiplicity for zero beta plasma by using a D-shaped equilibrium. It is pointed out that, for a given toroidal mode number, the Alfv′en cascade spectrum accommodates down-sweeping and up-sweeping modes above and below the NAE range of frequencies. An analytical model for the existence of multiple RSAE modes is in good agreement with the simulation results. One notices that the triangularity has a greater effect on the odd-type modes than that on the even-type modes: the odd-type modes come into existence because of the plasma triangularity.

Modeling of beam ions loss and slowing down with Coulomb collisions in EAST

This paper uses the implicit Monte–Carlo full-orbit-following parallel program ISSDE to calculate the prompt loss and slowing down process of neutral beam injection(NBI)-generated fast ions due to Coulomb collisions in the equilibrium configuration of Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak(EAST).This program is based on the weak equivalence of the Fokker–Planck equation under Rosenbluth Mac Donald Judd(RMJ)potential and Stratonovich stochastic differential equation(SDE).The prompt loss with the LCFS boundary and the first wall(FW)boundary of the two co-current neutral injection beams are studied.Simulation results indicate that the loss behavior of fast ions using the FW boundary is very different from that of the LCFS boundary,especially for fast ions with a large gyration radius.According to our calculations,about 5.11%of fast ions generated by perpendicular injection drift out of the LCFS and then return inside the LCFS to be captured by the magnetic field.The prompt loss ratio of fast ions and the ratio of orbital types depend on the initial distribution of fast ions in the Pζ–Λspace.Under the effect of Coulomb collisions,the pitch-angle scattering and stochastic diffusion happens,which will cause more fast ion loss.For short time scales,among the particles lost due to collisions,the fraction of banana ions reaches 92.31%in the perpendicular beam and 58.65%in the tangential beam when the fraction of banana ions in the tangential beam is 3.4%of the total ions,which means that the effect of Coulomb collisions on banana fast ions is more significant.For long time scales,the additional fast ion loss caused by Coulomb collisions of tangential and perpendicular beams accounted for 16.21%and 25.05%of the total particles,respectively.We have also investigated the slowing down process of NBI fast ions.

Excitation of RSAEs during Sawteeth-Like Oscillation in EAST

The excitation condition of reversed shear Alfven eigenmodes(RSAEs)has been investigated during sawtoothlike oscillation in the EAST tokamak.The sawtooth-like phenomena can be reproduced in the configuration of reversed magnetic shear,and the threshold gradient of electron temperature is formed accordingly,together with the increasing of the confinement of thermal particles.The distribution function of energetic ions density is altered dramatically when the neutral beam is switched from NBI1 L(tangent)to NBI1 R(perpendicular),which can be captured by the measurement of radial neutron camera.The RSAEs are excited easily in the vicinity of q_(min)(1.99 m≤R≤2.06 m)for the injection of neutral beam with perpendicular direction,which should be excited by the steep gradient of energetic ions density.Furthermore,the excitation of RSAEs and the formation of threshold gradient of electron temperature can take place concurrently,which means that the neutral beam with perpendicular injection is beneficial for the establishment of internal transport barrier.

First experimental results of intrinsic torque on EAST

Direct measurements of the intrinsic torque profile in L-mode plasmas on the EAST tokamak have been performed using the balanced neutral beam injection.Co-and counter-current neutral beams are modulated to balance the intrinsic and externally injected torques, which result in the rotation profile close to zero and flat.The experimental results show that the intrinsic torque derived from momentum balance equations is found to be in the co-current direction, peaked in the plasma edge and negligibly small in the core.