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Title: Validation of full-wave simulations for mode conversion of waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies with phase contrast imaging in Alcator C-Mod

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4927912· OSTI ID:1547024
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Univ. of Tokyo (Japan)
  2. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
  3. XCEL Engineering, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  4. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  5. CompX, Del Mar, CA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Mode conversion of fast waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) is known to result in current drive and flow drive under optimised conditions, which may be utilized to control plasma profiles and improve fusion plasma performance. To describe these processes accurately in a realistic toroidal geometry, numerical simulations are essential. Quantitative comparison of these simulations and the actual experimental measurements is important to validate their predictions and to evaluate their limitations. The phase contrast imaging (PCI) diagnostic has been used to directly detect the ICRF waves in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. The calculations have been compared with full-wave simulations through a synthetic diagnostic technique. Recently, the frequency response of the PCI detector array on Alcator C-Mod was recalibrated, which greatly improved the comparison between the measurements and the simulations. Here, mode converted waves for D-3He and D-H plasmas with various ion species compositions were re-analyzed with the new calibration. For the minority heating cases, self-consistent electric fields and a minority ion distribution function were simulated by iterating a full-wave code and a Fokker-Planck code. The simulated mode converted wave intensity was in quite reasonable agreement with the measurements close to the antenna ,yetdiscrepancies remain for comparison at larger distances.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR). Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-94ER54235; FC02-99-ER54512; FC02-01ER54648; FG02-94-ER54235
OSTI ID:
1547024
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1229573
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 22, Issue 8; ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 7 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

Validation metrics for turbulent plasma transport journal June 2016
A combined phase contrast imaging and heterodyne interferometer system for multiscale fluctuation measurements (invited) journal October 2018

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