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Title: First Direct Observation of Runaway-Electron-Driven Whistler Waves in Tokamaks

Abstract

DIII-D experiments at low density (ne~1019 m-3) have directly measured whistler waves in the 100–200 MHz range excited by multi-MeV runaway electrons. Whistler activity is correlated with runaway intensity (hard x-ray emission level), occurs in novel discrete frequency bands, and exhibits nonlinear limit-cycle-like behavior. The measured frequencies scale with the magnetic field strength and electron density as expected from the whistler dispersion relation. The modes are stabilized with increasing magnetic field, which is consistent with wave-particle resonance mechanisms. The mode amplitudes show intermittent time variations correlated with changes in the electron cyclotron emission that follow predator-prey cycles. These can be interpreted as wave-induced pitch angle scattering of moderate energy runaways. The tokamak runaway-whistler mechanisms have parallels to whistler phenomena in ionospheric plasmas. The observations also open new directions for the modeling and active control of runaway electrons in tokamaks.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [4];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [7];  [8];  [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
  3. General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
  4. Oak Ridge Associated Univ., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  5. Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
  6. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
  7. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
  8. XCEL Engineering, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1437151
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1432738; OSTI ID: 1494016; OSTI ID: 1807297
Grant/Contract Number:  
FC02-04ER54698; FG02-07ER54917; SC0016268; AC05-060R23100; FG03-94ER54271; AC02-09CH11466; AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 120; Journal Issue: 15; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Spong, D. A., Heidbrink, W. W., Paz-Soldan, C., Du, X. D., Thome, K. E., Van Zeeland, M. A., Collins, C., Lvovskiy, A., Moyer, R. A., Austin, M. E., Brennan, D. P., Liu, C., Jaeger, E. F., and Lau, C. First Direct Observation of Runaway-Electron-Driven Whistler Waves in Tokamaks. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.155002.
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Spong, D. A., Heidbrink, W. W., Paz-Soldan, C., Du, X. D., Thome, K. E., Van Zeeland, M. A., Collins, C., Lvovskiy, A., Moyer, R. A., Austin, M. E., Brennan, D. P., Liu, C., Jaeger, E. F., & Lau, C. First Direct Observation of Runaway-Electron-Driven Whistler Waves in Tokamaks. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.155002
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Spong, D. A., Heidbrink, W. W., Paz-Soldan, C., Du, X. D., Thome, K. E., Van Zeeland, M. A., Collins, C., Lvovskiy, A., Moyer, R. A., Austin, M. E., Brennan, D. P., Liu, C., Jaeger, E. F., and Lau, C. Wed . "First Direct Observation of Runaway-Electron-Driven Whistler Waves in Tokamaks". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.155002. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1437151.
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@article{osti_1437151,
title = {First Direct Observation of Runaway-Electron-Driven Whistler Waves in Tokamaks},
author = {Spong, D. A. and Heidbrink, W. W. and Paz-Soldan, C. and Du, X. D. and Thome, K. E. and Van Zeeland, M. A. and Collins, C. and Lvovskiy, A. and Moyer, R. A. and Austin, M. E. and Brennan, D. P. and Liu, C. and Jaeger, E. F. and Lau, C.},
abstractNote = {DIII-D experiments at low density (ne~1019 m-3) have directly measured whistler waves in the 100–200 MHz range excited by multi-MeV runaway electrons. Whistler activity is correlated with runaway intensity (hard x-ray emission level), occurs in novel discrete frequency bands, and exhibits nonlinear limit-cycle-like behavior. The measured frequencies scale with the magnetic field strength and electron density as expected from the whistler dispersion relation. The modes are stabilized with increasing magnetic field, which is consistent with wave-particle resonance mechanisms. The mode amplitudes show intermittent time variations correlated with changes in the electron cyclotron emission that follow predator-prey cycles. These can be interpreted as wave-induced pitch angle scattering of moderate energy runaways. The tokamak runaway-whistler mechanisms have parallels to whistler phenomena in ionospheric plasmas. The observations also open new directions for the modeling and active control of runaway electrons in tokamaks.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.155002},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 15,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Apr 11 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Wed Apr 11 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.155002
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

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    The role of kinetic instabilities in formation of the runaway electron current after argon injection in DIII-D
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    The effect of resonant magnetic perturbation on the electron density threshold of runaway electron generation during disruptions on J-TEXT
    journal, December 2019

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    Conservative magnetic moment of runaway electrons and collisionless pitch-angle scattering
    journal, August 2018

    DIII-D research towards establishing the scientific basis for future fusion reactors
    journal, June 2019

    Physics of runaway electrons in tokamaks
    journal, June 2019

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    MARS-F modeling of post-disruption runaway beam loss by magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in DIII-D
    journal, October 2019

    Observation of rapid frequency chirping instabilities driven by runaway electrons in a tokamak
    journal, September 2019

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