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

Journal Article · · Nuclear Fusion

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.

Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231; AC02-09-CH11466; FC02-04ER54698
OSTI ID:
1808308
Journal Information:
Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 61, Issue 6; ISSN 0029-5515
Publisher:
IOP ScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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