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High confinement mode and edge localized mode characteristics in a near-unity aspect ratio tokamak

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters

Tokamak experiments at near-unity aspect ratio A ≲ 1.2 offer new insights into the self-organized H-mode plasma confinement regime. In contrast to conventional A ~ 3 plasmas, the L–H power threshold PLH is ~15× higher than scaling predictions, and it is insensitive to magnetic topology, consistent with modeling. Edge localized mode (ELM) instabilities shift to lower toroidal mode numbers as A decreases. Furthermore, these ultralow-A operations enable heretofore inaccessible Jedge(R,t) measurements through an ELM that show a complex multimodal collapse and the ejection of a current-carrying filament.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) (SC-24)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-96ER54375
OSTI ID:
1253176
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1249936
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 116; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (50)

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Public Data Set: Continuous, Edge Localized Ion Heating During Non-Solenoidal Plasma Startup and Sustainment in a Low Aspect Ratio Tokamak dataset January 2017
Public Data Set: A Power-Balance Model for Local Helicity Injection Startup in a Spherical Tokamak dataset May 2018
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dataset March 2018
Public Data Set: Initiation and Sustainment of Tokamak Plasmas with Local Helicity Injection as the Majority Current Drive
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Cited By (14)

A novel, cost-effective, multi-point Thomson scattering system on the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment (invited) journal September 2016
Public Data Set: High Confinement Mode and Edge Localized Mode Characteristics in a Near-Unity Aspect Ratio Tokamak dataset January 2016
Public Data Set: H-mode Plasmas at Very Low Aspect Ratio on the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment dataset January 2016
Public Data Set: On Virial Analysis at Low Aspect Ratio
  • Bongard, Michael; Barr, Jayson; Fonck, Raymond
  • Pegasus-Supplementary information for journal article at DOI: 10.1063/1.4959808, 1 file (440 KB) https://doi.org/10.18138/1240359
dataset July 2016
Public Data Set: A Novel, Cost-Effective, Multi-Point Thomson Scattering System on the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment dataset September 2016
Public Data Set: Control and Automation of the Pegasus Multi-point Thomson Scattering System dataset January 2016
Public Data Set: Erratum: "Multi-point, high-speed passive ion velocity distribution diagnostic on the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment" [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 10D516 (2012)] dataset January 2016
Public Data Set: Continuous, Edge Localized Ion Heating During Non-Solenoidal Plasma Startup and Sustainment in a Low Aspect Ratio Tokamak dataset January 2017
Public Data Set: A Power-Balance Model for Local Helicity Injection Startup in a Spherical Tokamak dataset May 2018
Public Data Set: Non-inductively Driven Tokamak Plasmas at Near-Unity βt in the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment
  • Reusch, Joshua; Bodner, Grant; Bongard, Michael
  • Pegasus-Supplementary information for journal article at DOI: 10.1063/1.5017966, 1 file (5.1 MB) https://doi.org/10.18138/1410490
dataset March 2018
Public Data Set: Initiation and Sustainment of Tokamak Plasmas with Local Helicity Injection as the Majority Current Drive
  • Perry, Justin; Bodner, Grant; Bongard, Michael
  • Pegasus-Supplementary information for journal article at DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/aac72e, 1 file (17.1 MB) https://doi.org/10.18138/1419641
dataset July 2018
Public Data Set: Radially Scanning Magnetic Probes to Study Local Helicity Injection Dynamics
  • Richner, Nathan; Bongard, Michael; Fonck, Raymond
  • Pegasus-Supplementary information for journal article at DOI: 10.1063/1.5036527, 1 file (9.4 MB) https://doi.org/10.18138/1432455
dataset July 2018
Public Data Set: Spatial Heterodyne Spectroscopy for High Speed Measurements of Stark Split Neutral Beam Emission in a High Temperature Plasma dataset January 2018
Public Data Set: Advancing Local Helicity Injection for Non-Solenoidal Tokamak Startup dataset January 2019

Figures / Tables (6)