Impact of T_(i)/T_(e )ratio on ion transport based on EAST H-mode plasmas

At the EAST tokamak, the ion temperature(T_(i)) is observed to be clamped around 1.25 keV in electron cyclotron resonance(ECR)-heated plasmas, even at core electron temperatures up to 10 keV(depending on the ECR heating power and the plasma density). This clamping results from the lack of direct ion heating and high levels of turbulence-driven transport. Turbulent transport analysis shows that trapped electron mode and electron temperature gradient-driven modes are the most unstable modes in the core of ECR-heated H-mode plasmas. Nevertheless, recently it was found that the T_(i)/T_(e)ratio can increase further with the fraction of the neutral beam injection(NBI) power, which leads to a higher core ion temperature(Ti0). In NBI heating-dominant H-mode plasmas, the ion temperature gradient-driven modes become the most unstable modes.Furthermore, a strong and broad internal transport barrier(ITB) can form at the plasma core in high-power NBI-heated H-mode plasmas when the T_(i)/T_(e)ratio approaches ~1, which results in steep core Teand Tiprofiles, as well as a peaked neprofile. Power balance analysis shows a weaker Teprofile stiffness after the formation of ITBs in the core plasma region, where Ticlamping is broken,and the core Tican increase further above 2 keV, which is 80% higher than the value of Ticlamping in ECR-heated plasmas. This finding proposes a possible solution to the problem of Ticlamping on EAST and demonstrates an advanced operational regime with the formation of a strong and broad ITB for future fusion plasmas dominated by electron heating.

Realization of T_(e0)>10 keV long pulse operation over 100 s on EAST

In 2021,EAST realized a steady-state long pulse with a duration over 100 s and a core electron temperature over 10 keV.This is an integrated operation that resolves several key issues,including active control of wall conditioning,long-lasting fully noninductive current and divertor heat/particle flux.The fully noninductive current is driven by pure radio frequency(RF)waves with a lower hybrid current drive power of 2.5 MW and electron cyclotron resonance heating of 1.4 MW.This is an excellent experimental platform on the timescale of hundreds of seconds for studying multiscale instabilities,electron-dominant transport and particle recycling(plasma-wall interactions)under weak collisionality.

Simulation on the transition of electrostatic instabilities in EAST steady-state scenario

The parameter dependence of transition between electrostatic instabilities is studied using gyrokinetic simulation based on a real discharge of steady-state scenario in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak.The scan of radial locations shows that trapped electron mode(TEM)dominates around the core while the ion temperature gradient mode(ITG)simultaneously dominates outside.The maximum growth rate of TEM appears aroundρ=0.24,where the maximum electron temperature gradient R/LTelocates,ρis the normalized poloidal flux.Effects of the parameters on the transition between TEM and ITG instability are studied atρ=0.24.It is found that TEM dominates in the scanning with individually changing R/LTe from 2.50 to 25.02 or the density gradient R/L_(n)from 1.38 to 13.76.Meanwhile,the electron-ion temperature ratio T_(e)/T_(i)is found to destabilize TEM,the effect of Teis more sensitive than that of T_(i).The dominant instability diagrams in the(R/L_(Te),R/L_(Ti))plane at different T_(e)/T_(i)and R/Lnare numerically obtained,which clearly show the parameter range of the dominant TEM or dominant ITG instability region.It is found that the dominant TEM region becomes narrower in the plane by decreasing R/L_(n)when T_(e)/T_(i)>0.5.

Development of an upgraded motional Stark effect diagnostic system on EAST tokamak

A new multi-channel motional Stark effect(MSE)diagnostic system has been developed on the upgraded EAST tokamak,which was installed on the port C to observe a tangential neutral beam.A telecentric imaging lens was deployed to ensure uniform illumination from the core to the boundary.A square fiber head which contained 23 fiber bundles was mounted to this imaging lens;each fiber bundle contained 19 fibers and two of them were assigned to CXRS and BES spectrometer,respectively.The angle tuning method was used for matching the Doppler shift of theσcomponent’s wavelength which was caused by the beam voltage.At the present stage,the MSE system only contains ten channels that would be extended to 23 channels in the future,covering a measurement range from R=1.8 to R=2.27 m with a temporal resolution of 10 ms and a spatial resolution of3 cm.The polarization angle-constrained q profiles and current density profiles were reconstructed with EFIT equilibrium reconstructions.In the sawtooth discharges,the q=1 surface position was validated by the ECE signals,which further verified the rationality of the MSE measurement.

Reconstructions of velocity distributions from fast-ion D-alpha(FIDA)measurements on EAST

2D fast-ion velocity-space distributions have been reconstructed from two-view fast-ion D-alpha(FIDA)measurements on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak(EAST).To make up for the sparse data and incomplete velocity-space coverage with the dual-view,we use nonnegativity and null-measurements as prior information to reconstruct the velocity distribution in experiments with co-and counter-current neutral beam injection.An improved reconstructed fast-ion distribution is achieved by combining the existing O-and B-port FIDA measurements with the proposed A-port FIDA view.To further improve the reliability of FIDA-based reconstructions on EAST,based on real multi-view FIDA measurements on EAST in the near future,various bases will be studied further.

Realization of minute-long steady-state H-mode discharges on EAST

In the 2016 EAST experimental campaign,a steady-state long-pulse H-mode discharge with an ITER-like tungsten divertor lasting longer than one minute has been obtained using only RF heating and current drive,through an integrated control of the wall conditioning,plasma configuration,divertor heat flux,particle exhaust,impurity management,and effective coupling of multiple RF heating and current drive sources at high injected power.The plasma current（Ip - 0.45 MA） was fully-noninductively driven（Vloop 〈 0.0 V） by a combination of-2.5 MW LHW,-0.4 MW ECH and -0.8 MW ICRF.This result demonstrates the progress of physics and technology studies on EAST,and will benefit the physics basis for steady state operation of ITER and CFETR.

Impact of core electron temperature on current profile broadening with radiofrequency wave heating and current drive in EAST

In recent EAST experiments,current profile broadening characterized by reduced internal inductance has been achieved by utilizing radio-frequency current drives(RFCD).In contrast to previous density scan experiments,which showed an outward shift of the current density profile of lower hybrid current drive(LHCD)in higher plasma density,the core electron temperature(T_(e)(0))is found to affect the LHCD current profile as well.According to equilibrium reconstruction,a significant increase in on-axis safety factor(q0)from 2.05 to 3.41 is observed by careful arrangement of RFCD.Simulations using ray-tracing code GENRAY and Fokker–Planck code CQL3D have been performed to thoroughly analyze the LHCD current profile,revealing the sensitivity of the LHCD current profile to T_(e)(0).The LHCD current density tends to accumulate in the plasma core with higher current drive efficiency benefiting from higher T_(e)(0).With a lower T_(e)(0),the LHCD current profile broadens due to off-axis deposition of power density.The sensitivity of the power deposition and current profile of LHCD to T_(e)(0)provides a promising way to effectively optimize current profile via control of the core electron temperature.

Study on divertor heat flux under n=3 and n=4 resonant magnetic perturbations using infrared thermography diagnostic in EAST

Resonant magnetic perturbations(RMPs)with high toroidal mode number n are considered for controlling edge-localized modes(ELMs)and divertor heat flux in future ITER H-mode operations.In this paper,characteristics of divertor heat flux under high-nRMPs(n=3 and 4)in H-mode plasma are investigated using newly upgraded infrared thermography diagnostic in EAST.Additional splitting strike point(SSP)accompanying with ELM suppression is observed under both RMPs with n=3 and n=4,the SSP in heat flux profile agrees qualitatively with the modeled magnetic footprint.Although RMPs suppress ELMs,they increase the stationary heat flux during ELM suppression.The dependence of heat flux on q_(95)during ELM suppression is preliminarily investigated,and further splitting in the original strike point is observed at q 495=during ELM suppression.In terms of ELM pulses,the presence of RMPs shows little influence on transient heat flux distribution.

Double-null divertor configuration discharge and disruptive heat flux simulation using TSC on EAST

The tokamak simulation code （TSC） is employed to simulate the complete evolution of a disruptive discharge in the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak. The multiplication factor of the anomalous transport coefficient was adjusted to model the major disruptive discharge with double-null divertor configuration based on shot 61 916. The real-time feed-back control system for the plasma displacement was employed. Modeling results of the evolution of the poloidal field coil currents, the plasma current, the major radius, the plasma configuration all show agreement with experimental measurements. Results from the simulation show that during disruption, heat flux about 8 MW m-2 flows to the upper divertor target plate and about 6 MW m-2 flows to the lower divertor target plate. Computations predict that different amounts of heat fluxes on the divertor target plate could result by adjusting the multiplication factor of the anomalous transport coefficient. This shows that TSC has high flexibility and predictability.

Recent progress in Chinese fusion research based on superconducting tokamak configuration

Fusion energy is a promising source of clean energy,which could solve energy shortages and environmental pollution.Research into controlled fusion energy has been ongoing for over half a century.China has created a clear roadmap for magnetic confinement fusion development,where superconducting tokamaks will be used in commercial fusion reactors.The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak(EAST)is the world’s first fully superconducting tokamak with upper and lower divertors,which aims at longpulse,steady-state,H-mode operation,and 101-s H-mode discharge had been achieved.In 2007,China joined the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor(ITER)and became one of its seven members.Thirteen procurement packages are undertaken by China,covering superconducting magnets,power supplies,plasma-facing components(PFCs),diagnostics,etc.To bridge the gap between the ITER and fusion demonstration power plants(DEMOs),China is planning to build the Chinese Fusion Engineering Testing Reactor(CFETR)to demonstrate related technologies and physics models.The engineering design of the CFETR was completed in 2020,and Comprehensive Research Facilities for Fusion Technology(CRAFT)are being constructed to explore the key technologies used in the CFETR.

Edge localized modes suppression via edge E × B velocity shear induced by RF sheath of ion cyclotron resonance heating in EAST

The control of large edge localized modes(ELMs) is a critical issue for the successful operation of future burning plasma devices,such as the international thermonuclear experimental reactor(ITER) and China fusion engineering test reactor(CFETR). In this paper, we present a new active and effective means of ELM suppression using ion cyclotron resonant heating(ICRH) on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak(EAST). We obtained the key role of the external E × B velocity shear near the pedestal top and the scrape-off-layer(SOL) induced by the RF sheath potential of ICRH in ELM suppression. The experimental results showed a positive correlation between the RF sheath and the E × B shear rate in SOL. BOUT++ simulations indicate that increased E × B velocity shear rates in the pedestal and SOL regions promote ELM suppression;thereby, supporting the experimental observations on EAST. These findings suggest a new simple approach to access the ELM suppressed regimes in plasma with low torque input as ITER baseline discharges.