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Title: L to H mode transition: Parametric dependencies of the temperature threshold

Journal Article · · Nuclear Fusion
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [3];  [5];  [6];  [6];  [1];  [7];  [8];  [1]
  1. CEA, IRFM, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)
  2. CEA, IRFM, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, Marseille Cedex (France)
  3. Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, Marseille Cedex (France)
  4. CEA, IRFM, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); FOM Institute DIFFER-Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, Nieuwegein (The Netherlands)
  5. ITER Organization, Saint Paul Lez Durance (France)
  6. Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, Abingdon (United Kingdom)
  7. Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau (France)
  8. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

The L to H mode transition occurs at a critical power which depends on various parameters, such as the magnetic field, the density, etc. Experimental evidence on various tokamaks (JET, ASDEX-Upgrade, DIII-D, Alcator C-Mod) points towards the existence of a critical temperature characterizing the transition. This criterion for the L-H transition is local and is therefore easier to be compared to theoretical approaches. In order to shed light on the mechanisms of the transition, simple theoretical ideas are used to derive a temperature threshold (Tth). They are based on the stabilization of the underlying turbulence by a mean radial electric field shear. The nature of the turbulence varies as the collisionality decreases, from resistive ballooning modes to ion temperature gradient and trapped electron modes. The obtained parametric dependencies of the derived Tth are tested versus magnetic field, density, effective charge. Furthermore, various robust experimental observations are reproduced, in particular Tth increases with magnetic field B and increases with density below the density roll-over observed on the power threshold.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1263860
Journal Information:
Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 55, Issue 7; ISSN 0029-5515
Publisher:
IOP ScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 24 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

Theory based scaling of edge turbulence and implications for the scrape-off layer width journal November 2016
Effect of toroidal rotation on the linear stability of drift-resistive-inertial ballooning modes journal February 2019