Direct Measurements of E×B Flow and Its Impact on Edge Turbulence in the CASTOR Tokamak Using an Optimized Gundestrup Probe

New experimental evidence of the correlation between edge sheared E×B flow and reduction of turbulence has been measured in the CASTOR tokamak (R = 0.4 m, a = 0.085 m, B _T = 1 T). A biasing electrode is placed at the separatrix in a configuration which has demonstrated strongly sheared electric fields and consequent improvement of the global particle confinement. A set of movable electrostatic probes (rake, Langmuir, Gundestrup, and rotating Mach) provide redundant, simultaneous measurements of poloidal flow, toroidal flow, electron temperature, density, and radial electric field with high temporal resolution and at the same poloidal location. Particular effort has been made in the optimization of the Gundestrup probe collector geometry in order to reduce the relative uncertainty of Mach number measurements in plasmas with weak flow (M , M < 0.1). The measurements from the rake, Gundestrup, and rotating Mach probes give three independent radial profiles of E×B shear in ohmic and biased modes. Good agreement is obtained both for the profile shape and its absolute magnitude. The plasma flows, especially the poloidal E×B drift velocity, are strongly modified in the sheared region, reaching Mach numbers as high as half the sound speed. The corresponding shear rates (5×10⁶ s^-1) derived from both the flow and electric field profiles are in excellent agreement and are at least an order of magnitude higher than the growth rate of unstable turbulent modes as estimated from fluctuation measurements. In addition, we compare the measured E×B ion mass flow with the phase velocity of fluctuations moving poloidally across the Gundestrup collectors. Given the poloidal separation of the collecting plates and the sampling frequency (5 MHz), the maximum detectable phase velocity turns out to be rather modest compared to the measured bulk poloidal flow speed. Therefore the two quantities are only compared when the poloidal speed is low; in that case, they show similar behaviour in response to the applied bias.     

Poloidal Structure of the Turbulence and the Turbulent Flux During Edge Plasma Biasing in the Castor Tokamak

The poloidal structure of the turbulence and the turbulent particle flux in the scrape-off layer (SOL) of the CASTOR tokamak are analysed by means of a poloidal ring of 124 probes distributed uniformly along the whole poloidal circumference. Fluctuation measurements are performed in standard ohmic regime as well as in discharges when a biased electrode is inserted either into the SOL or deeper into the confinement region. It is found that in both cases a strongly sheared radial electric field is created in the SOL, which de-correlates the density and radial velocity fluctuations and reduces their levels. Consequently, the turbulent flux is reduced. However, no phase shift is observed between density and radial velocity fluctuations. When the electrode is localized in the confinement region, all the above effects are less pronounced because of a smaller shear. In addition, the increase of the E × B velocity at biasing leads in both cases to the formation of oscillations in the temporal correlation function. These oscillations are specifically associated to the poloidal mode (m = q), which is created for a limited time and rotates poloidally. This mode does not modify the phase between density and radial velocity fluctuations and has no further effect on the turbulent flux.     

Experimental Study of Sheared Poloidal Flows in a Linear Plasma Machine

The radial profiles of fluctuations have been investigated in the Santander Linear Plasma Machine (SLPM). Experimental evidence of significant poloidal and E×B sheared flow has been observed in the plasma periphery. The resulting shearing rate of poloidal flow is comparable to the inverse of the correlation time of fluctuations, and the radial correlation is significantly reduced in the shear layer location. The possible role of flows driven by fluctuations and electron temperature gradients to explain these results is at present under investigation.     

HT-7超导托卡马克边缘涨落谱特征及湍流输运研究

用郎缪尔三探针对HT-7超导托卡马克边缘等离子体涨落进行了高时空分辩测量.给出了欧姆放电下涨落幅度的径向分布、谱特征及传播特性.实验观察表明,在由E_r×B确定的极向旋转速度剪切层附近,等离子体电位、电子温度和电子密度的相对涨落水平和两两间的相干系数均有明显下降,其极向互相关函数亦减小,这说明剪切层对涨落具有去相关作用.由涨落驱动的径向局域粒子输运通量Γ_tur测量显示出湍动输运具有时间上的阵发特性。将悬浮电位涨落φ_f2的自动率谱P_{( 关键词： 托卡马克 边界涨落 湍流输运}     

The Role of Radial Electric Fields in the Tokamaks TEXTOR-94, CASTOR, and T-10

Radial electric fields (E _r) and their role in the establishment of edge transport barriers and improved confinement have been studied in the tokamaks TEXTOR-94 and CASTOR, where E _r is externally applied to the plasma in a controlled way using a biased electrode, as well as in the tokamak T-10 where an edge transport barrier (H-mode) is obtained during electron-cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) of the plasma.The physics of radial currents was studied and the radial conductivity in the edge of TEXTOR-94 (R = 1.75 m, a = 0.46 m) was found to be dominated by recycling (ion-neutral collisions) at the last closed flux surface (LCFS) and by parallel viscosity inside the LCFS. From a performance point of view (edge engineering), such electrode biasing was shown to induce a particle transport barrier, a reduction of particle transport, and a concomitant increase in energy confinement. An H-mode-like behaviour can be induced both with positive and negative electric fields. Positive as well as negative electric fields were shown to strongly affect the exhaust of hydrogen, helium, and impurities, not only in the H-mode-like regime.The impact of sheared radial electric fields on turbulent structures and flows at the plasma edge is investigated on the CASTOR tokamak (R = 0.4 m, a = 0.085 m). A non-intrusive biasing scheme that we call "separatrix biasing" is applied whereby the electrode is located in the scrape-off layer (SOL) with its tip just touching the LCFS. There is evidence of strongly sheared radial electric field and E×B flow, resulting in the formation of a transport barrier at the separatrix. Advanced probe diagnosis of the edge region has shown that the E×B shear rate that arises during separatrix biasing is larger than for standard edge plasma biasing. The plasma flows, especially the poloidal E×B drift velocity, are strongly modified in the sheared region, reaching Mach numbers as high as half the sound speed. The corresponding shear rates ( 5×10⁶ s^-1) derived from both the flow and electric field profiles are in excellent agreement and are at least an order of magnitude higher than the growth rate of unstable turbulent modes as estimated from fluctuation measurements.During ECRH in the tokamak T-10 (R = 1.5 m, a = 0.3 m), a regime of improved confinement is obtained with features resembling those in the H-mode in other tokamaks. Using a heavy ion beam probe, a narrow potential well is observed near the limiter together with the typical features of the L-H transition. The time evolution of the plasma profiles during L-H and H-L transitions is clearly correlated with that of the density profile and the formation of a transport barrier near the limiter. The edge electric field is initially positive after the onset of ECRH. It changes its sign during the L-H transition and grows till a steady condition is reached. Similar to the biasing experiments in TEXTOR-94 and CASTOR, the experimentally observed transport barrier is a barrier for particles.     

Poloidal inhomogenity of the particle fluctuation induced fluxes near the LCFS at lower hybrid heating and improved confinement transition at the FT-2 tokamak

This paper deals with the new spectral and microturbulence experimental data and their analysis, which show that the radial electric field E _r generated at the lower hybrid heating (LHH) in the FT-2 is high enough to form the transport barriers. The ETB is formed when LHH is switched off. The radial fluctuation-induced E × B drift flux densities near LCFS in SOL are measured at two different poloidal angles. For this purpose two Langmuir probes located at low and high field sides of the torus are used. Registration of the poloidal and radial components of the electric field and density fluctuations at the same time during one discharge permits to measure the poloidal asymmetry of the transport reduction mechanism of the radial and poloidal particle fluxes in the SOL. The absolute fluctuation levels show dependence on the sign of E _r shear. The modification of the microscale turbulence by the poloidal E _r × B rotation shear _{E × B} at the L-H transition near LCFS is also studied by X-mode fluctuation reflectometry. The new data were obtained by spatial spectroscopic technique.Presented at the Workshop Electric Fields Structures and Relaxation in Edge Plasmas, Nice, France, October 26–27, 2004.     

The Influence of Stochastic Layers of Magnetic Field Lines on Transport Barrier Formation in a Stellarator System

The results of local measurements of RF discharge plasma parameters in the process of internal transport barriers (ITB) formation in the vicinity of rational magnetic surfaces in the Uragan-3M torsatron are presented. The following phenomena were observed in the process of ITB formation: widening of the radial density distribution, formation of plateaus on radial density and electron temperature distributions, formation of regions with high shear of poloidal plasma rotation velocity and radial electric field in the vicinity of stochastic layers of magnetic field lines, decrease of density fluctuations and their radial correlation length, decorrelation of density fluctuations, and increase of the bootstrap current.After the ITB formation, the transition to the improved plasma confinement regime takes place. The transition moves to the beginning of the discharge with the increase of heating power. The possible mechanism of ITB formation near rational surfaces is discussed.     

Signature of turbulent zonal flows observed in the DIII-D tokamak

The spectrum of turbulent density fluctuations at long poloidal wavelengths in the edge plasma of the DIII-D tokamak peaks at nonzero radial wave number. The associated electric-potential fluctuations cause sheared E x B flows primarily in the poloidal direction. These zonal flows have been predicted by theory and are believed to regulate the overall level of turbulence and anomalous transport. This study provides the first indirect experimental identification of zonal flows.     

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通过中平面活动10探针组、往复快速扫描4探针和低杂波天线口的固定4探针测量了主等离子体边缘的温度、密度、悬浮电位、径向和极向电场、雷诺协强、径向和极向等离子体流速及其径向分布。用偏滤器靶板上的14组嵌入式静电3探针阵列测量了同一环向截面的内外中性化板上的电子温度、密度、悬浮电位及其分布。比较了在孔栏位形和偏滤器位形下边缘等离子体特性的差异,特别是两种位形下边缘温度和密度衰减长度的变化。分析了在多脉冲超声分子束加料和低杂波注入条件下的边界等离子体特性,以及雷诺协强的径向梯度与极向流和径向电场梯度与湍流损失的相互关系。     

Observations of Edge Plasma on HL-2A Tokamak

The edge plasma characteristics are studied by a movable array of Mach/Reynolds stress/Langmuir 10-probes and fast reciprocating 4-probes in the boundary region. These probes can measure edge plasma temperature, density, poloidal electric field, radial electric field, Reynolds stress, poloidal rotation velocities and their profiles obtained by changing the radial positions of the probe array in different discharges. Measurement resuits are used to analyze plasma confinement, turbulent fluctuations and their correlation. The fixed flush 3-probe arrays are mounted on the 4-divertor neutralization plates at the same toroidal cross-section in divertor chamber. These probes are used to measure the profiles of the electron temperature, density and float potential in divertor chamber.     

Study of density and potential fluctuations in the TEXT tokamakwith a heavy ion beam probe

A heavy ion beam probe was used to study the characteristics of density and potential fluctuations in the TEXT tokamak. Fluctuations of density and space potential are nearly Boltzmann like, n˜/n~φ˜/kT_e, near the edge of the plasma (0.80.9). The turbulent E&oarr;×B&oarr; radial particle flux is sufficient to account for all of the particle loss from the tokamak. No poloidal asymmetries, within a poloidal angle range of about 70°, are observed in the fluctuation levels. The fluctuation spectral shape, the density potential phase angle, and the fluctuation propagation speed show a strong radial dependence     

Turbulence investigations during ergodic divertor operation with induced 2/1 tearing mode

Within the last year of TEXTOR operation a major part of the experiments were dedicated to the interaction of the ergodized plasma edge, induced by the dynamic ergodic divertor (DED), with the core plasma. Systematic experiments are performed in the 3/1 configuration of the DED. Depending on , the DED generates a locked 2/1 mode in the plasma at a critical current in the DED coils. Different diagnostics were used to measure the plasma response in the core and edge. The investigations in this paper are focused on the measurement of density fluctuation and the analysis of the coherent-mode structure outside the q = 2 surface using O-mode poloidal correlation reflectometry. A reduction of the quasi-coherent mode amplitude and frequency is observed, caused by the 2/1 mode together with a decrease of the density scale length. Moreover, the deduced poloidal rotation velocity at the q = 3 surface changes from the electron to the ion diamagnetic drift direction with the onset of the 2/1 island. Also a reduction of the density fluctuations is observed as well as a decrease in the poloidal correlation length. From Ar-injection a delayed inward propagation of the emission maximum is observed for different Ar ionization stages when the 2/1 mode is generated.Similar experiments with a slowly rotating DED show that the steepened density gradients are spatially localized and confirm the hypothesis that the 2/1 mode is responsible for the observations.Presented at the Workshop Electric Fields Structures and Relaxation in Edge Plasmas, Nice, France, October 26–27, 2004.     

Magnetic Fluctuation Measurement in Sino United Spherical Tokamak Plasma

To investigate the magnetic fluctuations and for further transport study, the poloidal and radial magnetic field t is conducted on the Sino United Spherical Tokamak （SUNIST）. Auto-power spectral density indicares that the magnetic fiuctuation energy mainly concentrates in the frequency region lower than lO kttz. The magnetic field oscillations, which are characterized by harmonic frequencies of 40 kHz, are observed in the scrape- off layer; by contrast, in the plasma core, the magnetic fluctuations are of Gaussian type. The time-frequency profiles show that the poloidal magnetic fluctuations are temporally intermittent. The autocorrelation calculation indicates that the fluctuations in decorrelation time vary between the core and the edge.     

Overview of edge electrostatic turbulence experiments on TCV

Experiments on edge turbulence in the TCV tokamak have been performed for the first time at the beginning of 2003. This paper presents an overview of some of the results obtained, concentrating in particular on two areas: universality of density fluctuations and the dynamical coupling between radial turbulent-driven fluxes and parallel flows.Plasma fluctuations in the edge of the TCV tokamak have been found to exhibit statistical properties which are universal across a broad range of discharge conditions. Analysis of the time series of density fluctuations in the entire scrape-off layer (SOL) region from just inside the magnetic separatrix to the plasma-wall interface, yields a probability distribution function (PDF) of density which conforms closely to a Gamma distribution. In the wall vicinity, the density fluctuations exhibit clear evidence of self-similarity and are characterised by a PDF with universal shape and with a standard deviation proportional to the mean density. It is also found that radial particle-flux fluctuations scale solely with the mean density. Such findings indicate that it may be possible to improve the prediction of transport in the critical plasma-wall interaction region of future large-scale tokamaks.Recent experiments on JET [C. Hidalgo et al.: Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 (2003) 065001] have investigated a possible link between turbulent transport and the parallel flows. Similar experiments have been performed on TCV for a variety of plasma conditions and flow magnitudes. Although correlations have been found as seen on JET, especially in the wall vicinity, it appears that the magnitude of the coupling is insufficient to drive any significant flow.Presented at the Workshop Electric Fields Structures and Relaxation in Edge Plasmas, Nice, France, October 26–27, 2004.     

HT-7超导托卡马克边界等离子体参量及其涨落的实验研究

利用径向可移动朗缪尔三探针和马赫探针对HT-7超导托卡马克边界等离子体参量及其涨落进行了空时空分辨测量.给出了欧姆放电及其与低杂波电流驱动共同作用下边界等离子体电位φ_p、电子温度T_e和电子密度n_e及其涨落的径向分布.实验表明,在限制器附近,存在一由E_r×B确定的极向旋转速度剪切层.在剪切层内,T_e和n_e分布较陡,且φ_p,T_e和n_e的相对涨落水平下降明显.这说明剪切层对边界区的等离子体涨落具有抑制作用.低杂波驱动使径向电场梯度变陡,从而使剪切程度加深但对剪切层宽度无影响.此外,测量表明等离子体环向速度马赫数M_φ存在径向梯度.环向流的这种径向梯度可能是形成径向电场所需的平均极向流的一种重要驱动源 关键词： 托卡马克 边界涨落 低杂波驱动     

Observation of extended poloidal structures in the turbulent edge plasma of the L-2M stellarator

Results are reported from an experimental study of the characteristics of the turbulent edge plasma in the L-2M stellarator. Extended coherent structures are observed to form in the poloidal direction. The poloidal coherence length of the fluctuations reaches 20 cm. The coherence of the fluctuations depends appreciably on the poloidal azimuth and is maximum along the outer edge, as is natural for unstable modes in a toroidal plasma. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 9, 634–639 (10 May 1998)     

EAST装置上W波段多道极向相关反射仪的研制

在EAST装置上安装了X模极化W波段多道相关反射仪,用于测量等离子体芯部密度涨落。该诊断利用低损耗(<3dB)多工器将4个不同频率(79.2GHz,85.2GHz,91.8GHz和96GHz)的微波耦合在一起,通过同一个天线发射。反射波由两个极向分离(~5cm)的天线接收,通过下变频技术实现外差测量。通过对两个极向天线接收的信号进行相关分析,获得芯部湍流垂直速度。对2018年低约束模式(L模)放电进行分析发现,在电子回旋共振加热(ECRH)等离子体中,芯部湍流垂直速度在电子逆磁漂移方向。而在注入同向中性束(co-NBI)后,芯部湍流垂直速度变为离子逆磁漂移方向。     

Observation of long-distance radial correlation in toroidal plasma turbulence

This Letter presents the discovery of macroscale electron temperature fluctuations with a long radial correlation length comparable to the plasma minor radius in a toroidal plasma. Their spatiotemporal structure is characterized by a low frequency of ～1-3 kHz, ballistic radial propagation, a poloidal or toroidal mode number of m/n=1/1 (or 2/1), and an amplitude of ～2% at maximum. Nonlinear coupling between the long-range fluctuations and the microscopic fluctuations is identified. A change of the amplitude of the long-range fluctuation is transmitted across the plasma radius at the velocity which is of the order of the drift velocity.     

Electrostatic Fluxes and Plasma Rotation in the Edge Region of EXTRAP-T2R

The EXTRAP-T2 reversed field pinch has undergone a significant reconstruction into the new T2R device. This paper reports the first measurements performed with Langmuir probes in the edge region of EXTRAP-T2R. The radial profiles of plasma parameters like electron density and temperature, plasma potential, electrical fields and electrostatic turbulence-driven particle flux are presented. These profiles are interpreted in a momentum balance model where finite Larmor radius losses occur over a distance of about two Larmor radii from the limiter position. The double shear layer of the E×B drift velocity is discussed in terms of the Biglari-Diamond-Terry theory of turbulence decorrelation.