25 Search Results

A novel spectroscopy diagnostic for measuring internal magnetic fields in high temperature magnetized plasmas has been developed. It involves spectrally resolving the Balmer- α (656 nm) neutral beam radiation split by the motional Stark effect with a spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS). The unique combination of high optical throughput (3.7 mm²sr) and spectral resolution (δλ ~ 0.1 nm) allows these measurements to be made with time resolution $$\ll$$1 ms. The high throughput is effectively utilized by incorporating a novel geometric Doppler broadening compensation technique in the spectrometer. The technique significantly reduces the spectral resolution penalty inherent to using large area, high-throughput optics whilemore » still collecting the large photon flux provided by such optics. In this work, fluxes of order 10¹⁰ s^–1 support the measurement of deviations of <5 mT (Δ λ_Stark ~ 10^–4 nm) in the local magnetic field with 50 µs time resolution. Example high time resolution measurements of the pedestal magnetic field throughout the ELM cycle of a DIII-D tokamak plasma are presented. Local magnetic field measurements give access to the dynamics of the edge current density, which is essential to understanding stability limits, edge localized mode generation and suppression, and predicting performance of H-mode tokamaks.« less

New high speed localized measurements of the pedestal magnetic field during the edge localized mode (ELM) cycle of a DIII-D High confinement mode (H-mode) discharge indicate a temporally and spatial complex redistribution of the edge current density profile, jedge. The measurement technique extracts the magnetic field magnitude, B, via the spectral separation of Stark-split neutral beam radiation in the pedestal. Single spatial channel measurements from a novel spatial heterodyne spectrometer are validated in discharges with core current profile changes. The technique measures Stark-splitting changes that imply B changes as small as 1 mT with high time resolution (50 μs). At normalized poloidalmore » flux ψn=1.0, B appears saturated in the inter-ELM period and then rapidly decreases in <200 μs by ∼1%, before edge recycling emission begins to increase. Radially inboard of jedge, B increases at the ELM crash. The behavior is consistent with a rapid collapse of jedge at the ELM crash and subsequent pedestal recovery. In some discharges, at ψn<0.96, changes in B are observed throughout the ELM cycle. In others, B recovers and is relatively stable until a few ms leading up to the next crash. Measurements of B during the H-mode transition show a large increase at ψn=1 with little change at ψn=0.9, consistent with the formation of the edge bootstrap current density peak. The ψn=0.9 spectrum is complicated by predicted changes to the Stark component intensities with density at the L–H transition.« less

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This public data set contains openly-documented, machine readable digital research data corresponding to figures published in M.G. Burke et al., 'Spatial Heterodyne Spectroscopy for High Speed Measurements of Stark Split Neutral Beam Emission in a High Temperature Plasma,' Review of Scientific Instruments 89, 10D114 (2018).

This public data set contains openly-documented, machine readable digital research data corresponding to figures published in M.W. Bongard et al., 'Advancing Local Helicity Injection for Non-Solenoidal Tokamak Startup,' Nucl. Fusion 59, 076003 (2019).

Experiments on the A ~ 1 PEGASUS ST are advancing the physics and technology basis of Local Helicity Injection (LHI). LHI injects helicity with relatively intense electron current sources in the plasma edge. It creates high toroidal current, toroidally-averaged tokamak-like plasmas that have been efficiently transitioned to Ohmically driven tokamak plasmas. Tradeoffs between physics and engineering goals are tested with LHI systems on the low-field-side and the high-field-side of PEGASUS, producing plasmas predominantly driven by non-solenoidal induction and DC helicity drive, respectively. An extensive LHI source development campaign comparing active arc sources, passive and gas-effused electrode sources lead to themore » selection of active arc sources for present and next-step LHI deployments. LHI plasmas with net toroidal current I_p=0.225 MA, T_e>100 eV, and n_e ~ 10¹⁹ m^-3 are attained to date. A predictive 0D power-balance model describes experimental I_p (t) and partitions the active current drive sources. High-frequency MHD activity is found to be present during LHI current drive, in addition to n=1 modes previously found in NIMROD simulation and experiment. A new system of reduced MHD activity was detected where n=1 activity is suppressed, LHI CD efficiency improves, and long-pulse plasmas are sustained with V_IND ~ 0.« less

Measurement of electrostatic potential, or local electric field, turbulence is a critical missing component in validating nonlinear turbulence and transport simulations of fusion plasmas. A novel diagnostic is being developed for measuring local electric field fluctuations, $$\sim\atop{E}$$(r,t), via high-speed measurements of the light emitted from a hydrogenic neutral beam. It exploits the proportionality of the spectral line splitting from the Motional Stark Effect to the total electric field experienced by the neutral atom at the excitation site. The measurement is localized by the usual cross-beam geometry of beam-spectroscopy measurements. The corner stone of the diagnostic is a high spectral resolution,more » high etendue spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS). A SHS design with high etendue (~5 mm² sr) and resolution (~0.14 nm) meets the formidable spectrometer requirements. Field tests of the spectrometer at the DIII-D tokamak demonstrate that the beam emission spectrum produced by the SHS agrees with that of a traditional spectrometer and that the measured flux is adequate for turbulence studies.« less

This public data set contains openly-documented, machine readable digital research data corresponding to figures published in J.L. Barr et. al, 'A Power-Balance Model for Local Helicity Injection Startup in a Spherical Tokamak,' Nuclear Fusion 58, 076011 (2018).

A 0D circuit model for predicting I_p(t) in Local Helicity Injection (LHI) discharges is developed. Analytic formulas for estimating the surface flux of finite-A plasmas developed are modified and expanded to treat highly shaped, ultralow-A tokamak geometry using a database of representative equilibria. Model predictions are compared to sample LHI discharges in the A ~ 1 Pegasus spherical tokamak, and are found to agree within 15% of experimental I_p(t). High performance LHI discharges are found to follow the Taylor relaxation current limit for approximately the first half of the current ramp, or I_p ≲ 75 kA. The second half ofmore » the current ramp follows a limit imposed by power-balance as plasmas expand from high-A to ultralow-A. Here, this shape evolution generates a significant drop in external plasma inductance, effectively using the plasma’s initially high inductance to drive the current ramp and provide > 70% of the current drive V-s. Projections using this model indicate the relative influences of higher helicity input rate and injector current on the attainable total plasma current.« less

This public data set contains openly-documented, machine readable digital research data corresponding to figures published in J.M. Perry et al., 'Initiation and Sustainment of Tokamak Plasmas with Local Helicity Injection as the Majority Current Drive,' Nuclear Fusion 58, 096002 (2018).