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In addition to the relaxation of the pedestal, edge localised modes (ELMs) introduce changes to the divertor and scrape-off layer (SOL) conditions. Their impact on the inter-ELM pedestal recovery is investigated, with emphasis on the electron density (ne) evolution. The typical ELM cycle occurring in an exemplary ASDEX Upgrade discharge interval at moderate applied gas puff and heating power is characterised, utilising several divertor, SOL and pedestal diagnostics. In the studied discharge interval the inner divertor target is detached before the ELM crash, while the outer target is attached. The particles and power expelled by the ELM crash lead to a re-attachment of the inner target plasma. After the ELM crash, the outer divertor target moves into a high recycling regime with large ne in front of the plate, which is accompanied by high main chamber neutral fluxes. On similar timescales, the inner target fully detaches and the high field side high density region (HFSHD) is formed reaching up to the high field side midplane. This state evolves again to the pre-ELM state, when the main chamber neutral fluxes are reduced later in the ELM cycle. Neither the timescale of the appearance of the HFSHD nor the increase of the main chamber neutral fluxes fit the timescale of the ne pedestal, which is faster. It is found that during the ne pedestal recovery, the magnetic activity at the low field side midplane is strongly reduced indicating a lower level of fluctuations. A rough estimation of the particle flux across the pedestal suggests that the particle flux is reduced in this period. In conclusion, the evolution of the ne pedestal is determined by a combination of neutral fluxes, HFSHD and reduced particle flux across the pedestal. A reduced particle flux explains the fast, experimentally observed re-establishment of the ne pedestal best, whereas neutrals and HFSHD impact on the evolution of the SOL and separatrix conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatio-temporal interplay between turbulence, mean and zonal flows has been investigated at the L–H and H–L transitions in the edge region of the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. Close to both transitions, an intermediate phase (I-phase) characterized by ‘limit cycle like oscillations’ (LCOs) is observed in which periodic bursts of turbulence correlate with flow reduction and relaxation of gradients. During the I-phase, the velocity is dominated by the mean flows indicating that turbulence driven flows are small. Periodic dithers between L-mode and the phases with LCOs are also observed just before the H-mode onset where the edge density and temperature profile gradients evolve on similar timescale as the flows. Thus connection between mean and flows holds during the all evolution from L-mode to H-mode demonstrating the fundamental role of the neoclassical flows in the L–H transition physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]