The effect of sawtooth oscillations on the alpha particle distribution and energy balance in the ITER plasma

The mixing of toroidal plasma under the conditions of sawtooth oscillations is considered using the Kadomtsev model. A new mixing formula for the averaged distribution function of fast transit and trapped particles is proposed in the methodology of a kinetic equation averaged over drift trajectories. The proposed formula generalizes the known results for the case of non-circular magnetic surfaces, an arbitrary aspect ratio, and charged particle drift trajectories significantly deviating from the magnetic surfaces. The formula is applicable for a sufficiently wide class of instabilities. The 3D kinetic equation is numerically solved using the FPP- 3D computation code for parameters close to the ITER inductive scenario. The alpha particle distribution function and the power introduced by alpha particles in plasma when sawtooth oscillations occur are calculated. It is shown that such oscillations may change the energy input of a thermonuclear reaction in certain areas by several times.     

Design Features of the Neutral Particle Diagnostic System for the ITER Tokamak

The control of the deuterium–tritium (DT) fuel isotopic ratio has to ensure the best performance of the ITER thermonuclear fusion reactor. The diagnostic system described in this paper allows the measurement of this ratio analyzing the hydrogen isotope fluxes (performing neutral particle analysis (NPA)). The development and supply of the NPA diagnostics for ITER was delegated to the Russian Federation. The diagnostics is being developed at the Ioffe Institute. The system consists of two analyzers, viz., LENPA (Low Energy Neutral Particle Analyzer) with 10–200 keV energy range and HENPA (High Energy Neutral Particle Analyzer) with 0.1–4.0MeV energy range. Simultaneous operation of both analyzers in different energy ranges enables researchers to measure the DT fuel ratio both in the central burning plasma (thermonuclear burn zone) and at the edge as well. When developing the diagnostic complex, it was necessary to account for the impact of several factors: high levels of neutron and gamma radiation, the direct vacuum connection to the ITER vessel, implying high tritium containment, strict requirements on reliability of all units and mechanisms, and the limited space available for accommodation of the diagnostic hardware at the ITER tokamak. The paper describes the design of the diagnostic complex and the engineering solutions that make it possible to conduct measurements under tokamak reactor conditions. The proposed engineering solutions provide a safe—with respect to thermal and mechanical loads—common vacuum channel for hydrogen isotope atoms to pass to the analyzers; ensure efficient shielding of the analyzers from the ITER stray magnetic field (up to 1 kG); provide the remote control of the NPA diagnostic complex, in particular, connection/disconnection of the NPA vacuum beamline from the ITER vessel; meet the ITER radiation safety requirements; and ensure measurements of the fuel isotopic ratio under high levels of neutron and gamma radiation.     

Radial scanning diagnostics of bremsstrahlung and line emission in T-10 plasma

The paper describes the scanning spectroscopic diagnostics designed for measurement of line integrated plasma radiation in two visible spectral ranges. This diagnostic system is aimed at measuring the bremsstrahlung absolute values and profile with high spatial resolution. The bremsstrahlung absolute values are used to determine the value and radial distribution of effective plasma ion charge Z _eff(r) in T-10 discharges. The importance of Z _eff measurement is due to its strong influence on plasma heating, confinement, and stability. The spatial distribution of emission for one of the chosen spectral lines is measured simultaneously with bremsstrahlung. The spatial resolution of measurements is ~1 cm, and the temporal resolution is up to 10 ms. The spectral equipment and methods for its calibration are described. Examples of line integrated brightness distribution in a “continuum window” of 5236 ± 6 Å and brightness of the lines C⁵⁺ (5291 Å), He¹⁺ (4686 Å), and D_β (4861 Å) are given. Flattening of the bremsstrahlung brightness profile in the central region of the plasma column in some discharges with sawtooth oscillations in the T-10 is observed. The measured effective ion charge profiles in ohmic discharges with high plasma density and low discharge currents demonstrate accumulation of light impurities at the column axis; as a consequence, quenching of sawtooth oscillations in some discharges is observed. The developed diagnostics provides necessary data for investigation of heat, particle, and current transport in the plasma of the T-10. Successful application of the obtained data on Z _eff(r) for investigation of geodesic acoustic modes of plasma oscillations in the T-10 should be specially noted.     

Suppression of internal plasma oscillations by trapped high energy nuclei

The suppression of macroscopic oscillations (so-called “sawteeth”) of the central region of a magnetically confined plasma column is related to the effect of magnetically trapped energetic nuclei produced by the injection of rf waves or neutral beams. We evaluate the threshold for, and describe the process involved in, the transition of m⁰ = 1 modes, which trigger the crash phase of sawtooth oscillations, to a regime that is shown to be stable.     

X-ray-line plasma satellites of ions in solid target plasmas produced by picosecond laser pulse

The X-ray lines of ions in a solid target interacting with picosecond laser pulses of moderate intensity (2×10¹⁷ W/cm²) were measured on the “Neodim” laser facility. X-ray Ly _α emission spectra of hydrogen-like fluorine ions were observed. Satellite lines were also observed, evidencing the presence of intense plasma oscillations. The positions and separation between the satellites allow their assignment to the intense electrostatic oscillations with an amplitude larger than 10⁸ V/cm and a frequency of about 7× 10¹⁴ s^?1 that is noticeably lower than the laser frequency ω_las～1.8×10¹⁵ s^?1. It is suggested that these oscillations may be due to strong plasma turbulence caused by the development of plasma oscillations of the Bernstein-mode type under the action of a strong magnetic field generated in plasma. The experimental results are compared with the calculated spectra of multicharged ions.     

HT-7装置软X射线诊断系统及锯齿行为研究

利用HT-7装置上建立的多阵列软X射线诊断系统对等离子体放电中的锯齿不稳定性进行研究,发现锯齿的出现及其行为特点与等离子体电子密度N_e、电子温度T_e、边界安全因子q_α、壁条件等放电参数有密切关系。在低杂波电流驱动等离子体放电条件下,观察到m/n=1/1的中间模振荡出现在锯齿的上升阶段,并迅速发展、饱和、衰减,在锯齿塌陷或先兆振荡出现以前消失。分析和讨论了欧姆加热条件下和低杂波加热条件下的锯齿行为。     

HL—1装置逃逸电子产生硬X射线锯齿振荡的频谱计算

在HL-1装置上用硬X射线测得相应的打在孔栏处逃逸电子通量,其通量脉动呈现反锯齿振荡。为辨别这个振荡是一个真实的物理扰动,还是毫无意义的噪声涨落或背景振动,我们对获取的硬X射线通量作了频谱分析,证实逃逸电子打在限制器上产生的硬X射线受到一     

HL─1装置等离子体输运与锯齿特性的数值研究

本文利用一维圆柱等离子体输运编码（ＴＲＡＮＰＹ），编制了模拟锯齿振荡的大型编码（ＳＡＷＭＯＤ）。对锯齿振荡的研究，我们选用了两种具有代表性的理论模型：重联模型和湍流模型，后者特别适用于低ｑａ放电的锯齿特性研究。重联模型的锯齿振荡是由于磁力线的完全重联引起的，而湍流模型的锯齿振荡是因为微观湍流或磁力线的随机化而产生的。最后，我们将ＨＬ─１装置的一次典型高密放电的参数代入（ＳＡＷＭＯＤ）编码，运算结果表明，重联模型和湍流模型均能解释实验观测的锯齿现象，理论模拟与实验结果符合较好。     

Plasma satellites of X-ray lines of ions in a picosecond laser plasma

We present the results of our measurements of the spectra for multicharged ions in a plasma produced by moderately intense (about 10¹⁷Wcm^?2) picosecond laser pulses. They suggest the existence of intense plasma oscillations with a frequency appreciably lower than the frequency of the laser radiation. The observed spectrum for the plasma satellites of the Lyman Ly_α doublet of the hydrogenic F IX ion in a dense plasma was modeled theoretically. The resulting doublet profile was shown to have a complex structure that depends non-trivially both on the plasma density and on the frequency and amplitude of the plasma oscillations. The positions of the satellites and their separations allowed them to be associated with intense electrostatic oscillations with an amplitude of (4–6)×10⁸Vcm^?1 and a frequency near (0.7–1)×10¹⁵s^?1. Assuming the oscillation frequency to be determined by the strength of the magnetic field B generated in the plasma, we obtained an estimate of B that is in reasonable agreement with other measurements and estimates of this quantity. Our theoretical analysis allowed explanation of the emission spectra observed when flat fluoroplastic targets were heated by intense picosecond laser pulses.     

Erosion products of plasma facing materials formed under ITER-like transient load and deuterium retention in them

Erosion of the plasma-facing materials in particular evaporation of the materials in a fusion reactor under intense transient events is one of the problems of the ITER. The current experimental data are insufficient to predict the properties of the erosion products, a significant part of which will be formed during transient events (edge-localized modes (ELMs) and disruptions). The paper concerns the experimental investigation of the graphite and tungsten erosion products deposited under pulsed plasma load at the QSPA-T: heat load on the target was 2.6 MJ/m² with 0.5 ms pulse duration. The designed diagnostics for measuring the deposition rate made it possible to determine that the deposition of eroded material occurs during discharge, and the deposition rate is in the range (0.1–100) × 10¹⁹ at/(cm² s), which is much higher than that for stationary processes. It is found that the relative atomic concentrations D/C and D/(W + C) in the erosion products deposited during the pulse process are on the same level as for the stationary processes. An exposure of erosion products to photonic energy densities typical of those expected at mitigated disruptions in the ITER (pulse duration of 0.5–1 ms, integral energy density of radiation of 0.1–0.5 MJ/m2) significantly decreases the concentration of trapped deuterium.     

Sawtooth oscillation in current-carrying plasma in the large helical device

Sawtooth oscillations have been observed in current-carrying helical plasmas by using electron-cyclotron-emission diagnostics in the Large Helical Device. The plasma current, which is driven by neutral beam injection, reduces the beta threshold of the sawtooth oscillation. When the central q value is increased due to the plasma current, the core region crashes, and, when it is decreased, the edge region crashes annularly. Observed rapid mixture of the plasma in the limited region suggests that these sawtooth crashes are reconnection phenomena. Unlike previous experiments, no precursor oscillation has been observed.     

Effects of circulating energetic ions on sawtooth oscillations

In contrast to the well-known result that the effects of the trapped energetic ions (TEI) on the internal kink mode are due to the toroidal precession of the TEI, it is found that the effects of the circulating energetic ions (CEI) on sawtooth are due to the toroidal circulation of the CEI. The effects of the CEI on sawtooth oscillations are found to be different from the well-known purely stabilizing effects of the TEI on sawtooth oscillations; the toroidal circulation of the co-CEI provides an additional sink of free energy and stabilizes the mode; the toroidal circulation of the counter-CEI provides an additional source of free energy and destabilizes the mode.     

Modification of SXB Method for Hydrogen in ITER Main Chamber

A modification of the SXB method, used for evaluating the atom/ion flux from the tokamak first wall into plasma using the observed wavelength-integrated spectral line intensity, is proposed. The modification allows, using the high-resolution spectroscopy data, to estimate — in real time measurements — the fluxes of atomic and molecular hydrogen from the first wall of the tokamak main chamber into plasma without measurements of molecular spectra. The modified SXB method is tested by comparing the results with the SOLPS code simulations for six modelled types of the SOL plasma profiles in ITER. The proposed modification is motivated by the fact that the hydrogen molecular spectra will not be used for ITER operation diagnostics because of difficulties of their interpretation.     

Kinetic energy oscillations in annular regions of ultracold neutral plasmas

A study of ion equilibration in annular regions of ultracold strontium plasmas is reported. Plasmas are formed by photoionizing laser-cooled atoms with a pulsed dye laser. The experimental probe is spatially-resolved absorption spectroscopy using the ²S_1/2-²P_1/2 transition of the Sr⁺ ion. The kinetic energy of the ions is calculated from the Doppler broadening of the spectrum, and it displays clear oscillations during the first microsecond after plasma formation. The oscillations, which are a characteristic of strong coulomb coupling, are fit with a simple phenomenological model incorporating damping and density variation in the plasma.     

The Diffusion Coefficient Using Sawtooth Oscillation in IR-T1 Tokamak

The investigation of runaway electrons is expanded by different methods. The aim of this study is to show sawtooth oscillations of hard x-ray emission and with the help of sawtooth oscillations to obtain radial diffusion coefficient and magnetic fluctuations. In the same way, the hard x-ray spectral evaluation is compared in several time intervals and it is shown that during discharge,the energy of the runaway electrons is less than 200 keV. Also,for typical plasmas, population of runaway electrons is measured at seven time intervals of 5 ms and temporal evaluation of runaway electron mean energy. The sawtooth-like shape is observed in the hard x-ray range(10-1000 keV). By the sawtooth oscillation method, the RE diffusion coefficient in radial transport in the IR-T1 plasma is D_r~0.5 m~2 s~(-1). The magnetic field fluctuation due to magnetic diffusion D_m is given as br/Br~10~(-4).     

EAST 装置固有杂质驱动蛇形振荡行为研究

利用多阵列高时空分辨的软X 射线阵列成像系统对EAST 芯部固有杂质驱动的蛇形振荡进行时间动态演化和空间结构反演研究,研究了实验上发现的两种时空行为明显不同的两类蛇形振荡,一类具有字母V 或W形状的动态频谱,空间上为理想近圆状热芯结构;另外一类蛇形振荡和锯齿崩塌共存,振荡的频谱呈现手掌状,空间上为很大的电阻性月牙形磁岛结构。结果表明,锯齿共存的蛇形振荡的饱和径向扰动位移通常比无锯齿的蛇形振荡大,并且会触发边界的新经典撕裂模。     

Tomographic analysis of the central magnetohydrodynamic oscillations on the HT-7 tokamak

Multi-channel soft x-ray (SX) detectors are applied to generate images of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) oscillation on the HT-7 tokamak, and the data from SX cameras are analysed by using the Fourier--Bessel harmonic reconstruction method and the singular value decomposition. The image reconstruction of SX emissivity is obtained on the assumption of plasma rigid rotation. One of the important phenomena in the HT-7 discharge is the transition from the sawtooth oscillations to the MHD oscillations when the plasma density grows higher. The MHD structure observed in the SX tomography is featured as follows: the magnetic surface of MHD structure is made up of the crescent-shaped ``hot core' and the circular ``cold bubble'. The structure of the magnetic surface is relatively stable. It rotates in the direction of the electron diamagnetic drift at a frequency being the oscillation frequency of the MHD oscillations.     

Occurrence of transient cavitation in pulsed sawtooth ultrasonic fields

Thus far, studies conducted to assess the safety of diagnostic ultrasound have employed sinusoidal sound fields. To evaluate the influence of nonlinearly distorted acoustic fields, this article compares the responses of microbubbles of variable size, exposed to (1) a sinusoidal pulse and (2) a sawtooth pulse. The nonlinear oscillations of a spherical bubble in a viscous compressible liquid stimulated into motion by an ultrasonic pulse are predicted, using a theoretical model for bubble dynamics. The maximum gas pressures inside the bubble when it collapses under the influence of a sinusoid or a sawtooth are deduced. Experimental work on Drosophila larvae exposed to sinusoidal and to sawtooth fields is consistent with the theoretical analysis.     

Nonlinear evolution of q=1 triple tearing modes in a tokamak plasma

In magnetic configurations with two or three q=1 (with q being the safety factor) resonant surfaces in a tokamak plasma, resistive magnetohydrodynamic modes with poloidal mode numbers m much larger than 1 are found to be linearly unstable. It is found that these high-m double or triple tearing modes significantly enhance through nonlinear interactions the growth of the m=1 mode. This may account for the sudden onset of the internal resistive kink, i.e., the fast sawtooth trigger. Based on the subsequent reconnection dynamics that can proceed without formation of the m=1 islands, it is proposed that high-m triple tearing modes are a possible mechanism for precursor-free partial collapses during sawtooth oscillations.     

DEVELOPMENT OF A NEUTRAL PARTICLE ANALYZER FOR THE HL-1M TOKAMAK

1　IntroductionConfinementandheatingofplasmasareele mentarytopicsinfusionresearch .Tocharacterizethefusionplasmasinauxiliaryheatingexperimentsaswellasinohmicheatingexperiments,measure mentofionenergyinplasmasbecomesnecessary .Neutralparticleanalyzersaresuchdevicesthatareaimedatdirectanalysisofneutralparticlesemittedfromfusionplasmasandareusedinmanyfusionresearchlaboratories[1～ 4] .Detailsofparticledi agnosticprincipleforfusionplasmacanbefoundinReference [5].Emissionofneutralparticlesisintrin…