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)     

Cause of sudden magnetic reconnection in a laboratory plasma

The cause for sudden reconnection in reversed field pinch plasmas is determined experimentally for two cases: large reconnection events (the sawtooth crash) and small reconnection events during improved confinement. We measure the term in the MHD equations which represents the driving (or damping) of edge tearing modes due to the axisymmetric magnetic field. The term is negative for large reconnection events (the modes are stable, implying that reconnection may be driven by nonlinear coupling to other modes) and positive for small reconnection events (modes are unstable, reconnection is spontaneous).     

The role of helicity in turbulent MHD flows

We have studied the behavior of a helical homogeneous small-scale MHD turbulent flow under the influence of a weak inhomogeneous large-scale disturbance. We have shown that turbulent energy redistribution in the presence of nonzero helicity occurs mainly over large scales. Helicity increases correlation time, leading to the weakening of a direct cascade and to the formation of steep spectra over small scales, with simultaneous turbulent energy growth over large scales. Furthermore, an expression for the effective viscosity of the mean flow is derived. It is shown that the magnetic field, in addition to the helicity, reduces the effective viscosity of the medium. This may be important in the study of MHD flow around obstacles in the presence of an external magnetic field. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 114, 171–181 (July 1998) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Reproduced here with stylistic changes by the Translation Editor.     

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.     

Plasma flow in MST: Effects of edge biasing and momentum transport from nonlinear magnetic torques

Edge biasing in MST plasmas decreases electrostatic turbulent particle transport and increases the global particle confinement time. New Langmuir probe measurements in the edge identify decreased electric field fluctuations and increased anti-correlation of density and potential fluctuations to be responsible. Fast loss of momentum in the core of MST during sawtooth crash events can be explained as a result of nonlinear magnetic torques which allow viscous coupling over relatively distant regions of the plasma. Flow modifications resulting from biasing, plus other experiments, help reveal the nonlinear nature of this process, most directly measured by the triple product bispectral correlation between the nonlinearly interacting modes. Presented at the Workshop on the Role of Electric Fields in Plasma Confinement and Exhaust, Budapest, 18–19 June, 2000.     

On interrelation between inward turbulent flux and lower order rational magnetic surfaces at plasma edge

The interrelation between experimentally measured inward turbulent flux and lower order rational magnetic surfaces is demonstrated by the example of system with externally imposed magnetic surfaces—L-2M stellarator [Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 50, 045001 (2008)]. In this note we show that average turbulent flux change sign from outward to inward in the vicinity of lower order rational magnetic surface located at plasma edge. There exists an upper threshold in plasma density for inward flux observation.     

Scattering of polarized electromagnetic radiation by turbulent fluctuations of a high-temperature plasma

An investigation was made of the process of Raman scattering of polarized electromagnetic radiation by turbulent fluctuations in a plasma with a magnetic field. It was found that a turbulent plasma with a magnetic field scatters left- and right-handed circularly polarized radiation in different ways. The possibility is analyzed of using the results obtained in order to provide diagnostics for different plasma characteristics in thermonuclear fusion devices employing magnetic plasma confinement. Institute of Solar and Terrestrial Physics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 4, pp. 102–107, April, 1998.     

Modelling of Lévy walk kinetics of charged particles in edge electrostatic turbulence in tokamaks

We model and discuss the possible types of motion that charged particles may undergo in a stationary and spatially periodic electrostatic potential and a homogeneous magnetic field. The model is considered to be the simplest approximation of more complex phenomena of plasma edge turbulence in tokamaks. Therein, low frequency turbulence appears in the plasma edge, resulting in a fluctuation of the electron density, and also in the generation of a turbulent electrostatic field. Typical parameters of this turbulent electrostatic field are an electrical potential amplitude of 10–100 V and wave numbers k≈10³ m^-1. In our model, we consider these regimes, together with a homogeneous magnetic field with a magnitude of 1 T. We investigate the dynamics of singly-ionized carbon ions – a typical plasma impurity – with kinetic energies on the order of 10 eV. Besides the obvious Larmor and drift motions, a motion of random-walk and of Lévy walk character appear therein. All of these types of motion can play an important role in the modelling of the anomalous diffusion of particles from the plasma edge turbulence region. The dynamics mentioned will cause an inevitable escape of energetic particles and thus of power loss from the thermonuclear reactor. Moreover, Lévy walk kinetics represents a very interesting kind of kinetics, currently of great interest, which was previously not so often discussed.     

Transport in the plasma edge of a tokamak with high MHD activity

Summary Electrostatic turbulence and various aspects of magnetic fluctuations have been investigated, in the edge region of the TBR-1 tokamak, by using a set of Langmuir and magnetic probes, and a triple probe. Measurements of plasma parameters such as plasma potential, density, temperature and magnetic field were taken in order to elucidate, the effect on transport of the electrostatic and magnetic fluctuations in the edge. The fluctuations levels are found to be higher than in most tokamaks. The particle flux is outward and slightly higher than that calculated from Bohm diffusion, and occurs in the frequency region typical of the macroscopic MHD oscillations. The Mirnov-oscillation frequencies in TBR-1 are higher than those observed in other tokamaks and, consequently, there is an uncommon superposition between the Mirnov and turbulent density fluctuations spectra. This fact and the presence of high MHD activity may contribute to elucidate the possible influence of the magnetic oscillations on the electrostatic transport observed in the plasma edge. Work partially supported by FAPESP and CNPq.     

Observation of floating potential asymmetry in the edge plasma of the SINP tokamak

Edge plasma properties in a tokamak is an interesting subject of study from the view point of confinement and stability of tokamak plasma. The edge plasma of SINP-tokamak has been investigated using specially designed Langmuir probes. We have observed a poloidal asymmetry of floating potentials, particularly the top-bottom floating potential differences are quite noticeable, which in turn produces a vertical electric field (E_v). This E_v remains throughout the discharge but changes its direction at certain point of time which seems to depend on applied vertical magnetic field (B_v).     

Investigation of a Hall MHD channel with an ionization-unstable plasma of inert gases

We investigate a promising scheme for using ionization-unstable plasmas of pure inert gases as the working medium for a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) closed-cycle generator. Our experiments were carried out using a disc Hall MHD channel, with the flux of ionized gas created in a shock tube. Our working gas was xenon. In these experiments we measured the gas pressure, the flow velocity, the concentration and temperature of the electrons, the azimuthal current density, the distribution of potential in the channel, and the value of the near-electrode voltage drop. We recorded voltage-current characteristics for various values of magnetic field and load resistances. The results of these experiment showed that in an ionization-unstable plasma of inert gases without admixtures of alkali metal, the effective conductivity in the Hall channel increases significantly with increasing degree of criticality of the magnetic field, and the value of the maximum specific power extracted increases more rapidly than the specific power calculated by assuming “frozen” ionization. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 6–11 (December 1997)     

Current drive for rotamak plasmas

Experiments which have been undertaken over a number of years have shown that a rotating magnetic field can drive a significant non-linear Hall current in a plasma. Successful experiments of this concept have been made with a device called rotamak. In its original configuration this device was a field reversed configuration without a toroidal magnetic field but with a vertical field to establish the MHD equilibrium. However, modifications have shown that current can also be driven if a central current-carrying rod is used to provide an applied toroidal field. The new rotamak has then a spherical tokamak magnetic field structure. Article presented at the International Conference on the Frontiers of Plasma Physics and Technology, 9–14 December 2002, Bangalore, India.     

Spontaneous edge <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis> × <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis> sheared flow development studies in the TJ-II stellarator

The influence of plasma density and edge gradients in the development of perpendicular sheared flow has been investigated in the plasma edge region of the TJ-II stellarator. It has been experimentally observed that the generation of spontaneous perpendicular sheared flow (i.e. the naturally occurring shear layer) requires a minimum plasma density or gradient. It has been found that there is a coupling between the onset of sheared flow development and an increase in the level of plasma edge turbulence; once sheared flow is fully developed the level of fluctuations and turbulent transport slightly decreases whereas edge gradients and plasma density increase. The resulting shearing rate is close to the one required to trigger a transition to improved confinement regimes with reduction of edge turbulence, showing that spontaneous sheared flows and fluctuations keep themselves near marginal stability. Presented at the Workshop “Electric Fields, Structures and Relaxation in Edge Plasmas”, Tarragona, Spain, July 3–4, 2005.     

Development of ionization in nonequilibrium inert-gas plasmas in magnetogasdynamic channels

Effects accompanying the interaction of a flow of preionized inert gas with a magnetic field are studied: selective electron heating, the development of nonequilibrium ionization, and the onset of the ionization instability. Local and average densities and temperatures of the electrons are measured and the average ionization rate is determined. It is found that the average electron density increases as the magnetic induction is raised, in both stable and ionization unstable plasmas. The difference in the rates at which ionization develops in these two states is revealed. The mechanism for the coupling between the average ionization rate in an ionization unstable plasma and the spatial-temporal characteristics of the plasma inhomogeneities is established. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 56–61 (November 1999)     

Numerical Simulation of Plasma Edge Turbulence Due to E×B Flow Velocity Shear

A numerical code is used to study the nonlinear evolution of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, and the existence and time evolution of a charge separation with the self-consistent electric field at a plasma edge. Both ions and electrons are described by gyrokinetic equations that include the ions finite Larmor radius correction and the polarization drift. We present results for the case where the plasma layer is two-dimensional, and the magnetic field makes an angle very close to the normal to the plane of the plasma. At = 88.5°, the nonlinear evolution of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability shows a spectrum which is turbulent and is dominated by higher harmonics, saturates at low level and has little effect on the electrons and ions initial equilibrium density profiles. At an angle of the magnetic field closer to 90°, when the component of the motion of the electrons along the magnetic field decreases, the behavior is in accordance with some basic physics associated with the set of equations describing the behavior of a guiding center plasma in a strong magnetic field, namely the energy condensing in the lowest k modes (inverse cascades). The results show the sensitivity of the turbulent spectrum to the motion of the electrons along magnetic field lines. In particular, we study the effect of different algorithms to compute this sensitive electrons motion, and their effect on the turbulent spectrum. We show that Eulerian Vlasov codes associated with cubic spline interpolations perform favorably when compared to other methods.     

Distribution of the electric field and current in a turbulent conducting fluid for small magnetic Reynolds numbers

Various aspects of the influence of an external magnetic field on turbulent flow of a conducting fluid are investigated. The distributions of electric variables are determined for weak magnetic fields (both the electric field and the current have nonzero values in this case). For very strong magnetic fields it is shown that turbulent motion acquires a two-dimensional character. The emergence of an electric current component perpendicular to the flow and to the magnetic field is described in the case of a temperature-stratified medium in the presence of turbulent heat flux. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 528–535 (February 1997)     

On the calculation of steady-state magnetohydrodynamic flows of liquid metals in circular ducts of a rectangular cross section

A numerical code has been designed to calculate two-dimensional steady-state magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows of incompressible conducting fluids (liquid metals) in linear and circular thin-wall ducts of a rectangular cross section. The flows are caused by the Lorentz force J × B that appears when an electric current passes through a fluid placed in a vertical uniform magnetic field. The code is the generalization of the well-known iteration Gauss-Seidel method to the case of a set of elliptical equations. The method proposed can be used to calculate steady-state flows over wide ranges of Hartmann (Ha = 1–10³) and Reynolds (Re = 1–10⁶) numbers.     

Negative edge plasma currents in the SINP tokamak

A tokamak plasma discharge having an increase in duration accompanied with enhanced runaway electron flux has been experimentally studied in this paper. The discharges have been obtained by controlling the applied vertical magnetic field (B_v^applB_{\rm{v}}^{\rm{appl}}) to below a critical value. Such discharges have been observed to have ‘negative edge plasma currents’, detected using an internal Rogowskii coil (IRC). We have tried to correlate the runaway behaviour with the negative edge plasma currents and have explained that these observations are a result of beam plasma instabilities.     

Heavy particle modes and signature of the I-Regime

The recently discovered properties of the I-confinement Regime are explained as resulting from the excitation of a heavy particle mode. The theoretically predicted mode phase velocity in the direction of the electron diamagnetic velocity and the induced confinement of impurities at the edge of the plasma column have been confirmed by the experiments. The direction of the mode phase velocity is consistent with that (opposite) of the spontaneous rotation in the plasma core. The mode is of the “ion-mixing” type, in that it does not produce any electron transport across the fields and it involves significant poloidal magnetic field fluctuations.     

Physics of spherical tokamaks

Spherical tokamaks are a limiting case of conventional tokamaks, combining simple design with attractive physical characteristics. Being of potential importance for the controlled nuclear fusion program in their own right, spherical tokamaks also contribute much to our understanding of the physics of conventional tokamaks. For instance, they are contributing to the modeling of confinement scalings for ITER and to research on general plasma properties such as energy confinement and MHD processes. Results obtained for the first generation of spherical prototype tokamaks are reviewed and the main trends for further research are indicated. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 50–57 (September 1999)