Award Description
Purpose of Experiment:
This experiment aims to validate the calculation of the particles, momentum, and heat deposited by the neutral beams. By measuring the prompt acceleration of the plasma associated with neutral beam injection, comparisons can be made to the accelerations predicted by the commonly used neutral beam model, NUBEAM. These comparisons will determine how accurate NUBEAM predicts the prompt torque that causes this acceleration, and thereby provide a basic validation of the NUBEAM model as a whole since this prompt torque depends on the beam deposition and fast-ion distribution.
Experimental Approach:
The prompt accelaration of the plasma as a result of periodic neutral beam injection will be measured with conditional averaging in relatively basic discharges. These measurements will be made for various conditions that are expected to affect the beam deposition and the prompt torque: the plasma density, the beam energy, the beam geometry, the plasma shape, and the magnetic field pitch.
