Predicted thresholds for RMP ELM suppression access in double-null configurations

Lunia, P.; Dudkovskaia, A. V.; Logan, N. C.; Leuthold, N.; Lyons, B. C.; Paz-Soldan, C.; Shafer, M. W.

doi:10.1088/1741-4326/adf124

Predicted thresholds for RMP ELM suppression access in double-null configurations

Journal Article · Mon Jul 28 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Nuclear Fusion

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/adf124· OSTI ID:2589158

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Columbia University, New York, NY (United States)
University of York (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Modeling of DIII-D plasmas spanning shapes from single to double-null (DN) reveals new insights into the nature of resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) conditions necessary for edge-localized mode (ELM) suppression. The suppression of ELMs with RMPs has proven difficult in DN configurations, where no device has thus far reported any hints of suppression. Modeling using the GPEC code finds a reduced high-field side response closer to DN shaping. The resulting synthetic diagnostic measurements are consistent with what has been observed in experiments on DIII-D, validating the plasma response model in this regime. While common metrics for suppression do not illustrate a clear distinction between single-null (SN) and DN cases, the pedestal top resonant field does show a ∼20% decrease at DN shaping in modeling. Field penetration is assessed using linear tearing theory, which demonstrates a lack of sufficient pedestal top resonant flux in the DN shape, requiring at least 1.5 × greater RMP coil currents than what was used in experiment. Analysis from drift kinetic simulations further indicate up to 2 × larger critical island widths are required at the pedestal top for tearing mode growth compared to SN cases. Effective island widths inferred from 3D ideal MHD are also analyzed, where maximum widths in lab coordinates indicate a threshold of ∼18–24× the ion gyroradius for sufficient profile flattening for ELM suppression. These results suggest that ELM suppression may be possible in DN with sufficiently large RMP coil amplitude. Future prospects of achieving RMP ELM suppression in the DN configuration may involve going to lower triangularity, which is also highlighted in this work.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; FC02-04ER54698; FG02-95ER54309; SC0020298; SC0022270

OSTI ID:: 2589158

Journal Information:: Nuclear Fusion, Journal Name: Nuclear Fusion Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 65; ISSN 0029-5515; ISSN 1741-4326

Publisher:: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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