Linear gyrokinetic simulations of microinstabilities within the pedestal region of H-mode NSTX discharges in a highly shaped geometry

Coury, M.; Guttenfelder, W.; Mikkelsen, D. R.; Canik, J. M.; Canal, G. P.; Diallo, A.; Kaye, S.; Kramer, G. J.; Maingi, R.

doi:10.1063/1.4954911

Linear gyrokinetic simulations of microinstabilities within the pedestal region of H-mode NSTX discharges in a highly shaped geometry

Journal Article · Thu Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4954911· OSTI ID:1273406

Coury, M. ^[1]; Guttenfelder, W. ^[1]; ^[1]; Canik, J. M. ^[2]; Canal, G. P. ^[3]; Diallo, A. ^[1]; Kaye, S. ^[1]; Kramer, G. J. ^[1]; Maingi, R. ^[1]

Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)

Linear (local) gyrokinetic predictions of edge microinstabilities in highly shaped, lithiated and non-lithiated NSTX discharges are reported using the gyrokinetic code GS2. Microtearing modes dominate the non-lithiated pedestal top. The stabilization of these modes at the lithiated pedestal top enables the electron temperature pedestal to extend further inwards, as observed experimentally. Kinetic ballooning modes are found to be unstable mainly at the mid-pedestal of both types of discharges, with un- stable trapped electron modes nearer the separatrix region. At electron wavelengths, ETG modes are found to be unstable from mid-pedestal outwards for η_{e, exp} ~2.2 with higher growth rates for the lithiated discharge. Near the separatrix, the critical temperature gradient for driving ETG modes is reduced in the presence of lithium, re ecting the reduction of the lithiated density gradients observed experimentally. A preliminary linear study in the edge of non-lithiated discharges shows that the equilibrium shaping alters the electrostatic modes stability, found more unstable at high plasma shaping.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Contributing Organization:: NSTX-U team

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-09CH11466

OSTI ID:: 1273406

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1259972

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 23; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Linear gyrokinetic simulations of microinstabilities within the pedestal region of H-mode NSTX discharges in a highly shaped geometry Coury, M.; Guttenfelder, W.; Mikkelsen, D. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States) https://doi.org/10.11578/1367078	dataset	January 2016
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Linear gyrokinetic simulations of microinstabilities within the pedestal region of H-mode NSTX discharges in a highly shaped geometry Coury, M.; Guttenfelder, W.; Mikkelsen, D. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States) https://doi.org/10.11578/1562034	dataset	January 2016