Importance of resistivity on edge-localized mode onset in spherical tokamaks

Kleiner, A.; Ferraro, N. M.; Diallo, A.; Canal, G. P.

doi:10.1088/1741-4326/abf416

Importance of resistivity on edge-localized mode onset in spherical tokamaks

Journal Article · Wed Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Nuclear Fusion

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/abf416· OSTI ID:1808308

^[1]; Ferraro, N. M. ^[1]; ^[1]; Canal, G. P. ^[2]

Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Univ. de Sao Paulo (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

In this work, we explore the impact of realistic plasma resistivity on the linear stability of peeling-ballooning (PB) modes in tokamak discharges with low-aspect ratio. For this study we consider discharges that are subject to edge-localized modes (ELMs) in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). Employing the state of the art extended-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code M3D-C1 it is demonstrated that non-ideal effects can significantly affect PB stability thresholds in NSTX discharges. In particular, robust resistive PB modes are found to exist well before the ideal PB stability threshold is met. These novel results can explain why ideal-MHD theory often does not accurately describe ELM onset in spherical torus configurations, and also present a valuable basis for the development of a predictive model for ELMs in low-aspect ratio tokamaks.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

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

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; AC02-09CH11466; FC02-04ER54698

OSTI ID:: 1808308

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 23129736

Journal Information:: Nuclear Fusion, Journal Name: Nuclear Fusion Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 61; ISSN 0029-5515

Publisher:: IOP ScienceCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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