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Title: ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials in the SOL of Alcator C-Mod

Abstract

We performed an extensive survey of the plasma potential in the scrape-off layer (SOL) of Ion Cyclotron Range-of Frequencies (ICRF)-heated discharges on Alcator C-Mod. Our results show that plasma potentials are enhanced in the presence of ICRF power and plasma potential values of >100 V are often observed. Such potentials are high enough to induce sputtering of high-Z molybdenum (Mo) plasma facing components by deuterium ions on C-Mod. For comparison, the plasma potential in Ohmic discharges is typically less than 10 V, well below the threshold needed to induce Mo sputtering by deuterium ions. ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials are observed in the SOL regions that both magnetically map and do not map to active ICRF antennas. Regions that magnetically map to active ICRF antennas are accessible to slow waves directly launched by the antennas and these regions experience plasma potential enhancement that is partially consistent with the slow wave rectification mechanism. One of the most defining features of the slow wave rectification is a threshold appearance of significant plasma potentials (>100 V) when the dimensionless rectification parameter Λ{sub −o} is above unity and this trend is observed experimentally. We also observe ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials >100 V in regions that do notmore » magnetically map to the active antennas and, hence, are not accessible for slow waves launched directly by the active antennas. However, unabsorbed fast waves can reach these regions. The general trend that we observe in these 'un-mapped' regions is that the plasma potential scales with the strength of the local RF wave fields with the fast wave polarization and the highest plasma potentials are observed in discharges with the highest levels of unabsorbed ICRF power. Similarly, we find that core Mo levels scale with the level of unabsorbed ICRF power suggesting a link between plasma potentials in the SOL and the strength of the impurity source.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. PSFC MIT, NW17, 175 Albany Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)
  2. Lodestar Research Corporation, 2400 Central Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80301 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22263864
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 1580; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: 20. topical conference on radiofrequency power in plasmas, Sorrento (Italy), 25-28 Jun 2013; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; ALCATOR DEVICE; ANTENNAS; DEUTERIUM IONS; FIRST WALL; ICR HEATING; IMPURITIES; ION CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE; MOLYBDENUM; PLASMA POTENTIAL; PLASMA SCRAPE-OFF LAYER; POLARIZATION; SPUTTERING

Citation Formats

Ochoukov, R., Whyte, D. G., Brunner, D., LaBombard, B., Lipschultz, B., Terry, J. L., Wukitch, S. J., D'Ippolito, D. A., and Myra, J. R. ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials in the SOL of Alcator C-Mod. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4864539.
Ochoukov, R., Whyte, D. G., Brunner, D., LaBombard, B., Lipschultz, B., Terry, J. L., Wukitch, S. J., D'Ippolito, D. A., & Myra, J. R. ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials in the SOL of Alcator C-Mod. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4864539
Ochoukov, R., Whyte, D. G., Brunner, D., LaBombard, B., Lipschultz, B., Terry, J. L., Wukitch, S. J., D'Ippolito, D. A., and Myra, J. R. 2014. "ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials in the SOL of Alcator C-Mod". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4864539.
@article{osti_22263864,
title = {ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials in the SOL of Alcator C-Mod},
author = {Ochoukov, R. and Whyte, D. G. and Brunner, D. and LaBombard, B. and Lipschultz, B. and Terry, J. L. and Wukitch, S. J. and D'Ippolito, D. A. and Myra, J. R.},
abstractNote = {We performed an extensive survey of the plasma potential in the scrape-off layer (SOL) of Ion Cyclotron Range-of Frequencies (ICRF)-heated discharges on Alcator C-Mod. Our results show that plasma potentials are enhanced in the presence of ICRF power and plasma potential values of >100 V are often observed. Such potentials are high enough to induce sputtering of high-Z molybdenum (Mo) plasma facing components by deuterium ions on C-Mod. For comparison, the plasma potential in Ohmic discharges is typically less than 10 V, well below the threshold needed to induce Mo sputtering by deuterium ions. ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials are observed in the SOL regions that both magnetically map and do not map to active ICRF antennas. Regions that magnetically map to active ICRF antennas are accessible to slow waves directly launched by the antennas and these regions experience plasma potential enhancement that is partially consistent with the slow wave rectification mechanism. One of the most defining features of the slow wave rectification is a threshold appearance of significant plasma potentials (>100 V) when the dimensionless rectification parameter Λ{sub −o} is above unity and this trend is observed experimentally. We also observe ICRF-enhanced plasma potentials >100 V in regions that do not magnetically map to the active antennas and, hence, are not accessible for slow waves launched directly by the active antennas. However, unabsorbed fast waves can reach these regions. The general trend that we observe in these 'un-mapped' regions is that the plasma potential scales with the strength of the local RF wave fields with the fast wave polarization and the highest plasma potentials are observed in discharges with the highest levels of unabsorbed ICRF power. Similarly, we find that core Mo levels scale with the level of unabsorbed ICRF power suggesting a link between plasma potentials in the SOL and the strength of the impurity source.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4864539},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22263864}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 1580,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Feb 12 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Wed Feb 12 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}