Initial Measurements of Plasma Potential in the Core of the MST Reversed Field Pinch with a Heavy Ion Beam Probe

Measurement of the plasma potential in the core of MST marks both the first interior potential measurements in an RFP, as well as the first measurements by a Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP) in an RFP. The HIBP has operated with (20-110) keV sodium beams in plasmas with toroidal currents of (200-480) kA over a wide range of densities and magnetic equilibrium conditions. A positive plasma potential is measured in the core, consistent with the expectation of rapid electron transport by magnetic fluctuations and the formation of an outwardly directed ambipolar radial electric field. Comparison between the radial electric field and plasma flow is underway to determine the extent to which equilibrium flow is governed by E×B. Measurements of potential and density fluctuations are also in progress.Unlike HIBP applications in tokamak plasmas, the beam trajectories in MST (RFP) are both three-dimensional and temporally dynamic with magnetic equilibrium changes associated with sawteeth. This complication offers new opportunity for magnetic measurements via the Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP). The ion orbit trajectories are included in a Grad-Shafranov toroidal equilibrium reconstruction, helping to measure the internal magnetic field and current profiles. Such reconstructions are essential to identifying the beam sample volume locations, and they are vital in MST's mission to suppress MHD tearing modes using current profile control techniques. Measurement of the electric field may be accomplished by combining single point measurements from multiple discharges, or by varying the injection angle of the beam during single discharges.The application of an HIBP on MST has posed challenges resulting in additional diagnostic advances. The requirement to keep ports small to avoid introducing magnetic field perturbations has led to the design and successful implementation of cross-over sweep systems. High levels of ultraviolet radiation are driving alternative methods of sweep plate operation. While, substantial levels of plasma flux into the HIBP diagnostic chambers has led to the use of magnetic plasma suppression.     

Topology of toroidal helical fields in non-circular cross-sectional tokamaks

The ordinary differential magnetic field line equations are solved numerically; the tokamak magnetic structure is studied on Hefei Tokamak-7 Upgrade （HT-TU） when the equilibrium field with a monotonic q-profile is perturbed by a helical magnetic field. We find that a single mode （m, n） helical perturbation can cause the formation of islands on rational surfaces with q=m/n and q=（m±1,±2,±3,...）/n due to the toroidicity and plasma shape （i.e. elongation and triangularity）, while there are many undestroyed magnetic surfaces called Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser （KAM） barriers on irrational surfaces. The islands on the same rational surface do not have the same size. When the ratio between the perturbing magnetic field Br（r） and the toroidal magnetic field amplitude Bφ0 is large enough, the magnetic island chains on different rational surfaces will overlap and chaotic orbits appear in the overlapping area, and the magnetic field becomes stochastic. It is remarkable that the stochastic layer appears first in the plasma edge region.     

Uncompensated moments in the MnPd/Fe exchange bias system

The element-specific magnetic structure of an epitaxially grown Mn_52Pd_48/Fe bilayer showing exchange bias was investigated with atomic-layer depth sensitivity at the antiferromagnet/ferromagnet interface by soft-x-ray magnetic circular dichroism and magnetic reflectivity. A complex magnetic interfacial configuration, consisting of a 2-monolayer-thick induced ferromagnetic region, and pinned uncompensated Mn moments that reach far deeper (approximately 13 A), both in the antiferromagnet, were found. For the latter, a direct relationship with the magnitude of the exchange bias is verified by similar measurements perpendicular to the field cooling direction.     

Symmetry of multiferroicity in a frustrated magnet TbMn2O5

Based on measurements of soft-x-ray magnetic scattering and symmetry considerations, we demonstrate that the magnetoelectric effect in TbMn2O5 arises from an internal field determined by S-->q--> x S-->-q--> with S-->q--> being the magnetization at modulation vector q-->, whereas the magnetoelastic effect in the exchange energy governs the response to external electric fields. Our results set fundamental symmetry constraints on the microscopic mechanism of multiferroicity in frustrated magnets.     

Electron acceleration during magnetic islands coalescence and division process in a guide field reconnection

The magnetic merging process related to pairwise magnetic islands coalescence is investigated by two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations with a guide field.Owing to the force of attraction between parallel currents within the initial magnetic islands,the magnetic islands begin to approach each other and merge into one big island.We find that this newly formed island is unstable and can be divided into two small magnetic islands spontaneously.Lastly,these two small islands merge again.We follow the time evolution of this process,in which the contributions of three mechanisms of electron acceleration at different stages,including the Fermi,parallel electric field,and betatron mechanisms,are studied with the guide center theory.     

Improved confinement due to open ergodic field lines imposed by the dynamic ergodic divertor in TEXTOR

The ergodization of the magnetic field lines imposed by the dynamic ergodic diverter (DED) in TEXTOR can lead both to confinement improvement and to confinement deterioration. The cases of substantial improvement are in resonant ways related to particular conditions in which magnetic flux tubes starting at the X points of induced islands are connected with the wall. This opening process is connected with a characteristic modification of the heat deposition pattern at the divertor target plate and leads to a substantial increase and steepening of the core plasma density and pressure. The improvement is tentatively attributed to a modification of the electric potential in the plasma carried by the open field lines. The confinement improvement bases on a spontaneous density built up due to the application of the DED and is primarily a particle confinement improvement.     

Magnetic field in a finite toroidal domain

The magnetic field structure in a domain surrounded by a closed toroidal magnetic surface is analyzed. It is shown that ergodization of magnetic field lines is possible even in a regular field configuration (with nonvanishing toroidal component). A unified approach is used to describe magnetic fields with nested toroidal (possibly asymmetric) flux surfaces, magnetic islands, and ergodic field lines.     

Focusing coherent soft-x-ray radiation to a micrometer spot size with an intensity of 10(14) W/cm2

We investigate the focusability of intense coherent soft-x-ray radiation generated by high-order harmonic conversion. The 27th-harmonic wave at 29.6 nm is focused by an off-axis parabolic mirror with a SiC/Mg multilayer coating. Focal-spot images are observed from the visible fluorescence induced by the soft-x-ray photons on a Ce:YAG scintillator. We demonstrate focusing of the soft-x-ray beam to a 1-microm spot size with a peak intensity of 1 x 10(14) W/cm2, which is to our knowledge the highest ever reported in the soft-x-ray region.     

Improved particle confinement in transition from multiple-helicity to quasi-single-helicity regimes of a reversed-field pinch

The quasi-single-helicity (QSH) state of a reversed-field pinch (RFP) plasma is a regime in which the RFP configuration can be sustained by a dynamo produced mainly by a single tearing mode and in which a helical structure with well-defined magnetic flux surfaces arises. In this Letter, we show that spontaneous transitions to the QSH regime enhance the particle confinement. This improvement is originated by the simultaneous and cooperative action of the increase of the magnetic island and the reduction of the magnetic stochasticity.     

Structure and magnetic properties of epitaxial cobalt islands

Growth, structural and magnetic properties of cobalt island structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy on 4 nm thick island shaped Ru buffers are studied. The islands are characterized by a narrow distribution of sizes, and are separated on average by spacing of around one hundred nanometers. Growth of the islands into continuous films is found to proceed in three well defined stages, and corresponding magnetic behaviors are identified. The particles formed in the first stage of growth appear to be similar in shape and size, and their magnetic behavior suggest the presence of superparamagnetism. Particles in the second stage of growth are ferromagnetic and display a reorientation transition of their magnetization out of the film plane, consistent with that seen in patterned magnetic dot arrays. Particles coalesce in the last stage of growth and magnetic properties of continuous films are observed. Received 24 August 2001     

Individual bit island reversal and switching field distribution in perpendicular magnetic bit patterned media

The switching of single bit magnetic islands in bit patterned media (BPM) for two cases with 10 times difference in coercivity, as well as the switching field distribution (SFD) of the islands, has been studied using magnetic force microscopy (MFM) measurements. The intrinsic SFD is measured to be ∼9-11% of the remanence coercivity (H_cr), which contributes only ∼20-50% of the total SFD broadening (∼23-41% of H_cr). High resolution MFM observations clearly showed the influence of surrounding islands on the switching behaviour and switching fields of individual bit islands, resulting in significant contributions in SFD broadening due to non-intrinsic dipolar interactions. It was further observed that single magnetic islands could be switched within a very narrow switching field range as small as 4 Oe, which indicates very sharp and uniform switching for each individual island of BPM.     

RCD Large Aspect-Ratio Tokamak Equilibrium with Magnetic Islands:a Perturbed Approach

Solutions of Grad-Shafranov(GS) equation with Reversed Current Density(RCD) profiles present magnetic islands when the magnetic flux is explicitly dependent on the poloidal angle.In this work it is shown that a typical cylindrical(large aspect-ratio) RCD equilibrium configuration perturbed by the magnetic field of a circular loop(simulating a divertor) is capable of generate magnetic islands,due to the poloidal symmetry break of the GS equilibrium solution.     

Quasi-single-helicity reversed-field-pinch plasmas

The reversed field pinch (RFP) is a configuration for plasma magnetic confinement. It has been traditionally viewed as dominated by a bath of MHD instabilities producing magnetic chaos and high energy transport. We report experimental results which go beyond this view. They show a decrease of magnetic chaos and the formation of a coherent helical structure in the plasma, whose imaging and temperature profile are provided for the first time. These quasi-single-helicity states are observed both transiently and in stationary conditions. The last case is consistent with a theoretically predicted bifurcation. Our results set a new frame for improving confinement in high current nonchaotic RFP's.     

Energy limit of runaway electrons in the HT-7 tokamak

The energy limit of runaway electrons in the HT-7 tokamak is investigated by measuring the synchrotron radiation originated from the runaway electrons and the hard X-ray radiation (HXR) when they hit the first wall. An upper boundary on the runaway energy can appear due to the resonance between the electron gyromotion and the magnetic field ripple in the low field side. The experimental derived maximum energy in the core is about 26 MeV, and maximum energy in the edge region is blocked to no more than 5 MeV. This resonance interaction of runaways with the nth harmonic of the magnetic field ripple can account for the observed energy gap of the runaways.     

高磁雷诺数下剪切流对双撕裂模中二级磁岛的影响

在高磁雷诺数下,当双撕裂模发展进入快速磁场重联阶段时,会发生二级磁岛不稳定性,加剧磁场能量的释放。本文基于扰动形式的守恒磁流体方程组发展高精度的数值模拟程序,在平板位形下研究反对称位形剪切流对双撕裂模中二级磁岛的影响。结果表明：随着剪切流强度和剪切梯度的增加,二级磁岛的数目以及电流片横纵比变小。此外,较强的极向剪切流能够抑制二级磁岛不稳定性的发生。     

Using external coils to correct field errors in tokamaks

Non axisymmetric correction coils can be highly effective at canceling the low order magnetic islands generated by magnetic field errors. Correction coil currents which, by themselves, mould produce an island of the same size and opposite phase as the error field, will result in cancelled magnetic islands. In computing the magnetic island sizes and toroidal phases of perturbations, the use of a straight-cylinder approximation can cause substantial error. An n=1 error with arbitrary phase can be corrected at a single resonant surface with one set of four correction coils. Correcting higher n harmonics requires more coils toroidally. Correcting same-n errors at more than one rational surface requires more correction coil sets     

直线型变压器磁芯伏秒特性与层间绝缘关系

 理论分析表明,磁芯的层间电压与带材厚度、带材宽度、加载在磁芯两端的工作电压成正比,与磁芯的有效截面积成反比。实验研究表明磁芯在处理过程中自然形成的氧化膜的耐压能力可以达到3.0～3.6 V。当层间电压大于磁芯层间所能承受的最大电压时,负载上输出波形将出现拐点,导致磁芯的磁感应强度利用率不能达到设计值。在实际应用中,可以通过减小带材宽度等方法,控制磁芯层间电压在3 V以内,从而提高加载在磁芯两端的工作电压,充分利用磁芯磁感应增量至其最大值。     

Geodesic plasma compressibility effects on the magnetic islands in a tokamak

It is shown that the stability of rotating magnetic islands in a tokamak plasma is affected by plasma compressibility related to the geodesic curvature in an inhomogeneous magnetic field. A robust contribution has been found to the Rutherford evolution equation. It is shown that the sign of the geodesic curvature contribution is opposite to the sign of the polarization term. It is suggested that this mechanism plays a crucial role in the stability of small scale magnetic islands.     

Plasma Response to Resonant Perturbations at Tokamak Edge

In certain circumstances, plasma response suppresses magnetic islands expected at perturbed resonant magnetic surfaces. We investigate the plasma response to the resonant magnetic perturbations in a large aspect ratio tokamak perturbed by external resonant helical windings, considering polar toroidal coordinates for which analytical toroidal equilibrium solutions and perturbing fields are available. We apply an empirical approach to mimic the plasma screening effects by introducing presumed plasma current sheets on the resonance surfaces to cancel the RMP effects. Numerical examples show the effect of plasma response reducing magnetic islands at the plasma edge and also regularizing field lines around the resonant surface. The distribution of connection lengths along the plasma cross section indicates that the plasma response increases the connection lengths since more toroidal turns are performed until a field line reaches the tokamak wall.     

Soft-x-ray laser interferometry of a plasma with a tabletop laser and a Lloyd's mirror

We report what is believed to be the first demonstration of soft-x-ray interferometry of a plasma with a tabletop soft-x-ray laser. A Lloyd's mirror interferometer was used in combination with a very compact lambda = 46.9 nm capillary-discharge-pumped laser to map the electron density in the cathode region of a pinch plasma.