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The evolution of plasma profiles and radial electric fields in the edge of tokamaks during a transition to an improved confinement regime is explored in an unfavorable configuration based on self-consistent, flux-driven simulations of reduced Braginskii models with ion pressure dynamics. The edge plasma response to the heating power is explored by varying the heat source strength. The energy transfer from turbulent to mean flows is induced by the large-amplitude fluctuations as the power input becomes sufficiently strong. It is found that ion pressure fluctuations play an important role in the generation of the Reynolds power. Consequently, the plasma spontaneously forms radial electric fields localized at the edge, which reduces the radial correlation and amplitudes of edge fluctuations. An edge temperature pedestal also forms while the density profiles remain nearly unchanged, featuring an I-mode-like regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main limiter in EAST was observed to endure a high heat load and was cracked near the midplane at the right side during the plasma operation. To explore the heat load carried by fast ion loss toward the main limiter, the neutral beam injection (NBI) and radio frequency power proportion experiment was conducted in EAST where the plasma stored energy and line integrated density were kept almost constant. The hot spot at the right side of the main limiter was observed to be enhanced by co-current perpendicular (co-perp) NBI. An NBI ion loss simulation was performed in the presence of the toroidal field ripple and the Coulomb collision by using the orbit code GYCAVA and the NBI code TGCO. The result indicates that the NBI ion loss by ripple and collision mainly causes a bright area below the midplane of the right side of the main limiter as observed in the EAST experiment. The peak heat load of lost fast ions generated by co-perp NBI is ∼0.5 MW/m2 as obtained by 1 MW of NBI deposited power and comparable with the heat load carried by fast electrons induced by lower hybrid current drive. In addition, increasing the gap between the separatrix and the first-wall limiters in the simulation is found to reduce this heat load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative divertor concept, the fish tail divertor, is proposed in this paper, aimed at reducing the surface temperature on the tokamak divertor plate as well as that due to the edge localized modes. This new concept has been implemented in experiments to demonstrate its capability of strike point sweeping on the plate at a frequency range from 10 to 100 Hz by using an oscillating magnetic field. A strike point movement of 5–6 cm is achieved by applying a coil current of several percent of plasma current, leading to a significant reduction of divertor surface temperature. The result indicates a possible application in a fusion reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new in-vessel water-cooled coil has been placed below the lower tungsten-covered divertor in EAST, aiming at moving the strike points in the divertor and spreading the heat flow on the targets. To achieve controlled movement of the strike points by the plasma control system (PCS) when applying the in-vessel coil, the plasma equilibrium configurations are predicted by the tokamak equilibrium (TEQ) code. The divertor coil current is involved in these calculations. The shape control parameters in the PCS are adjusted according to the predesigned equilibria from the TEQ code. The strike point movement over a wide range has been achieved in the experiment while keeping the main plasma stable. Thus, this method for divertor strike point movement with the assistance of the divertor coil is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of divertor detachment with a high-performance (βN ∼ 3, βp > 2, H98 ∼ 1.5) core plasma has been demonstrated in DIII-D high-βp (poloidal beta) plasmas associated with a sustained core internal transport barrier (ITB) and an H-mode edge transport barrier (ETB). Such good core-edge integration has been achieved for both neon and nitrogen seeding, for both favorable and unfavorable B-field directions, independently from the impurity puffing locations, though these variations play important roles on divertor characteristics. Compared to the standard H-mode plasmas, the high-βp plasma exhibits a much wider window of detachment compatible with high confinement core. Fully detached divertor plasmas with low plasma temperature (Te < 5 eV), low particle flux, and low heat flux across the entire divertor target plate were obtained by using nitrogen seeding. This detached high-βp plasma is compatible with a newly developed detachment control system which can help optimize the nitrogen gas flow rate. Several features, i.e., the high edge safety factor in the high-βp scenario, impurity injection, closed divertor and reduced heating power requirement due to the high confinement, facilitate the achievement of full divertor detachment at lower density. Instead of degrading global performance, the divertor detachment facilitates the access to an even stronger ITB at large radius with a relatively weak ETB through self-organized synergy between ITB and ETB, leading to sustained high confinement. The strengthening of the large-radius ITB compensates for the ETB degradation associated with divertor detachment. In addition, a weak ETB naturally has smaller edge localized modes (ELMs). In particular, with neon injection, a long-period no-ELM H-mode phase has been achieved simultaneously with high-performance core and partially detached divertor plasmas. These results demonstrate the possibility of integrating excellent core plasma performance with an effective divertor solution, an essential step toward steady-state operation of reactor-grade plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental and modeling investigations of high βp scenarios on DIII-D and EAST tokamaks show advantages in high energy confinement, avoidance of n = 1 MHD, and core-edge integration with reduced heat flux, making this scenario an attractive option for China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor steady-state operation. Experiments show that plasmas with high confinement and high density can be achieved with neutral beam injection on DIII-D (βp ∼ 2.2, βN ∼ 3.5, fBS ∼ 50%, fGw ∼ 1.0, and H98y2 ∼ 1.5) and pure RF power on EAST (βP ∼ 2.0, βN ∼ 1.6, fBS ∼ 50%, fGw ∼ 0.8, and H98y2 > 1.3). By tailoring the current density profile, a q-profile with local (off-axis) negative shear is achieved, which yields improved confinement and MHD stability. Transport analysis and simulation suggest that the combination of a high density gradient and high Shafranov shift allows turbulence stabilization and higher confinement. Using on-axis Electron Cyclotron Heating injection, tungsten accumulation is avoided on EAST, and this is reproduced in modeling. Reduced heat flux (by > 40%) and maintenance of high core confinement is achieved with active feedback control of the radiated divertor, an important result for long pulse operation in tokamaks. The improved physics understanding and validated modeling tools are used to design a 1 GW steady-state scenario for CFETR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Divertor detachment offers a promising solution to the challenge of plasma-wall interactions for steady-state operation of fusion reactors. Here, we demonstrate the excellent compatibility of actively controlled full divertor detachment with a high-performance (βN ~ 3, H98 ~ 1.5) core plasma, using high-βp (poloidal beta, βp > 2) scenario characterized by a sustained core internal transport barrier (ITB) and a modest edge transport barrier (ETB) in DIII-D tokamak. The high-βp high-confinement scenario facilitates divertor detachment which, in turn, promotes the development of an even stronger ITB at large radius with a weaker ETB. This self-organized synergy between ITB and ETB, leads to a net gain in energy confinement, in contrast to the net confinement loss caused by divertor detachment in standard H-modes. These results show the potential of integrating excellent core plasma performance with an efficient divertor solution, an essential step towards steady-state operation of reactor-grade plasmas. Plasma fusion devices like tokamaks are important for energy generation but there are many challenges for their steady state operation. Here, the authors show that full divertor detachment is compatible with high-confinement high-poloidal-beta core plasmas and this prevents the damage to the divertor target plates and the first wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot spots induced by lower hybrid wave in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak tokamak have caused high performance experiment disruption and serious damages to the guard limiters. Experimental and theoretical analyses have been carried out to study its physical mechanism. Plasma density scan experiments indicate that the wall temperature within the hot spots enhanced by a factor of 5 and increases with the plasma density near the antenna. A lower hybrid current drive (LHCD)-only density climb experiment shows that the carbon impurity decreases to a minimum value at certain plasma density and then increases with the line averaged plasma density. A model has been developed to explain the mechanism of sputtering of graphite tiles due to hot spots as the plasma density near the LHCD antenna and the time increases. A theoretical scaling of the heat flux driven by LHCD is also presented and is consistent with the experimental scaling in the Tore Supra tokamak. The simulation results show that the total sputtering flux density has a minimum at a certain plasma density and gradually increases as the plasma density increases or decreases away from the minimum value, and the increase in parallel heat flux near the antenna would enhance the sputtering flux density. The sputtering flux density trend is qualitatively consistent with the density scan experiments. The simulated temporal evolution of sputtered flux implies that the chemical sputtering could be a candidate for the carbon impurity explosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flush-mounted Langmuir probe system has been built on the lower graphitic divertor targets in the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) in 2016, which is revised from the previous divertor Langmuir probes, aimed to reduce the erosion from high-energy particle and strong heat flux on the probe surfaces exposed in the plasma, and explore new structure applications. The theories of single and triple flush-mounted probes relevant to their dimensions and the plasma parameters in the EAST divertor region are reviewed. During the 2016 EAST campaign, the flush-mounted probe system measured the plasma parameters by using single and triple probes, respectively, to obtain plasma parameters. The results were compared with the previous measurements by the domed probe in the similar condition. The results showed a good agreement between measurements using different probe geometries and techniques. This demonstrated the reliability of the flush-mounted probe system as a diagnostic tool in the EAST divertor. Optimization of these Langmuir probe system for the next generation of EAST lower divertor, which will be upgraded to a full tungsten divertor with active water cooling, is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel bi-directional Retarding Field Analyzer (RFA) probe has been installed on a fast reciprocating drive system on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) to measure the ion temperature and fast electron fluxes. A Langmuir probe assembly was added on the top of the RFA head to control the RFA position relative to the last closed flux surface and to have a possibility to measure the electron density and temperature as well. Except the ion temperature, the fast electron fluxes from both ion and electron drift sides have been measured during lower hybrid current drive. The RFA probe has been also used to measure the fast electrons associated with edge localized modes (ELMs), indicating their substantial presence in the scrape-off-layer plasma of EAST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutron diagnostics have become a significant means to study energetic particles in high power auxiliary heating plasmas on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). Several kinds of neutron diagnostic systems have been implemented for time-resolved measurements of D-D neutron flux, fluctuation, emission profile, and spectrum. All detectors have been calibrated in laboratory, and in situ calibration using 252Cf neutron source in EAST is in preparation. A new technology of digitized pulse signal processing is adopted in a wide dynamic range neutron flux monitor, compact recoil proton spectrometer, and time of flight spectrometer. Improvements will be made continuously to the system to achieve better adaptation to the EAST's harsh γ-ray and electro-magnetic radiation environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to withstand rapid increase in particle and power impact onto the divertor and demonstrate the feasibility of the ITER design under long pulse operation, the upper divertor of the EAST tokamak has been upgraded to actively water-cooled, ITER-like tungsten mono-block structure since the 2014 campaign, which is the first attempt for ITER on the tokamak devices. Therefore, a new divertor Langmuir probe diagnostic system (DivLP) was designed and successfully upgraded on the tungsten divertor to obtain the plasma parameters in the divertor region such as electron temperature, electron density, particle and heat fluxes. More specifically, two identical triple probe arrays have been installed at two ports of different toroidal positions (112.5-deg separated toroidally), which can provide fundamental data to study the toroidal asymmetry of divertor power deposition and related 3-dimension (3D) physics, as induced by resonant magnetic perturbations, lower hybrid wave, and so on. The shape of graphite tip and fixed structure of the probe are designed according to the structure of the upper tungsten divertor. The ceramic support, small graphite tip, and proper connector installed make it possible to be successfully installed in the very narrow interval between the cassette body and tungsten mono-block, i.e., 13.5 mm. It was demonstrated during the 2014 and 2015 commissioning campaigns that the newly upgraded divertor Langmuir probe diagnostic system is successful. Representative experimental data are given and discussed for the DivLP measurements, then proving its availability and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent DIII-D experiments have increased the normalized fusion performance of the high bootstrap current fraction tokamak regime toward reactor-relevant steady state operation. The experiments, conducted by a joint team of researchers from the DIII-D and EAST tokamaks, developed a fully noninductive scenario that could be extended on EAST to a demonstration of long pulse steadystate tokamak operation. Improved understanding of scenario stability has led to the achievement of very high values of βp and βN, despite strong internal transport barriers. Good confinement has been achieved with reduced toroidal rotation. These high βp plasmas challenge the energy transport understanding, especially in the electron energy channel. A new turbulent transport model, named TGLF-SAT1, has been developed which improves the transport prediction. Experiments extending results to long pulse on EAST, based on the physics basis developed at DIII-D, have been conducted. More investigations will be carried out on EAST with more additional auxiliary power to come online in the near term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbulence induced toroidal momentum transport in boundary plasma is investigated in H-mode discharge using Langmuir-Mach probes on EAST. The Reynolds stress is found to drive an inward toroidal momentum transport, while the outflow of particles convects the toroidal momentum outwards in the edge plasma. The Reynolds stress driven momentum transport dominates over the passive momentum transport carried by particle flux, which potentially provides a momentum source for the edge plasma. The outflow of particles delivers a momentum flux into the scrape-off layer (SOL) region, contributing as a momentum source for the SOL flows. At the L-H transitions, the outward momentum transport suddenly decreases due to the suppression of edge turbulence and associated particle transport. The SOL flows start to decelerate as plasma entering into H-mode. The contributions from turbulent Reynolds stress and particle transport for the toroidal momentum transport are identified. These results shed lights on the understanding of edge plasma accelerating at L-H transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power threshold for low (L) to high (H) confinement mode transition achieved by radio-frequency heating and molybdenum first wall with lithium coating has been experimentally investigated on the EAST tokamak for two sets of divertor geometries and materials: tungsten/carbon divertor and full carbon divertor. For both sets of divertors, the power threshold was found to decrease with gradual accumulation of the lithium wall coating, suggesting the important role played by the low Z impurities and/or the edge neutral density on the L–H power threshold. When operating in the upper single null configuration, with the ion grad-Bdrift direction away from the primary X-point, a lower normalized power threshold is observed in EAST with the tungsten/carbon divertor, compared to the carbon divertor after intensive lithium wall coating. A newly installed cryopump increasing the pumping efficiency also plays an important part in the observed lower threshold. In addition, the H-mode in the Quasi-Snowflake divertor configuration has been obtained on EAST, exhibiting higher L–H power threshold compared to the lower single null configuration with similarIP/BTpairs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Heat exhaust is one of the most challenging issues to be addressed for tokamak magnetic confinement fusion research. Detailed modeling with SOLPS5.0/B2.5-Eirene code package is carried out to examine an alternative advanced divertor configuration, i.e., quasi snowflake (QSF), for long pulse operation in EAST. Comparison is also made with the lower single null (LSN) divertor configuration. SOLPS predicts that the quasi snowflake configuration significantly reduces the peak heat flux at the lower divertor outer target, by a factor of 2-3, owing to the magnetic flux expansion. Furthermore, the density threshold for detachment is much lower for QSF, compared to LSN under the same upstream conditions. This indicates that QSF provides a promising tool for controlling heat flux at divertor target while maintaining a lower separatrix density, which is highly desirable for current drive, thus greatly facilitating long-pulse operation in EAST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-energy soft x-ray (ME-SXR) diagnostic has been built for electron temperature profile in the edge plasma region in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) after two rounds of campaigns. Originally, five preamplifiers were mounted inside the EAST vacuum vessel chamber attached to five vertically stacked compact diode arrays. A custom mechanical structure was designed to protect the detectors and electronics under constraints of the tangential field of view for plasma edge and the allocation of space. In the next experiment, the mechanical structure was redesigned with a barrel structure to absolutely isolate it from the vacuum vessel. Multiple shielding structures were mounted at the pinhole head to protect the metal foils from lithium coating. The pre-amplifiers were moved to the outside of the vacuum chamber to avoid introducing interference. Twisted copper cooling tube was embedded into the back-shell near the diode to limit the temperature of the preamplifiers and diode arrays during vacuum vessel baking when the temperature reached 150ºC. Electron temperature profiles were reconstructed from ME-SXR measurements using neural networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power fall-off width in the H-mode scrape-off layer (SOL) in tokamaks shows a strong inverse dependence on the plasma current, which was noticed by both previous multi-machine scaling work [T. Eich et al., Nucl. Fusion 53, 093031 (2013)] and more recent work [L. Wang et al., Nucl. Fusion 54, 114002 (2014)] on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. To understand the underlying physics, probe measurements of three H-mode discharges with different plasma currents have been studied in this work. The results suggest that a higher plasma current is accompanied by a stronger E × B shear and a shorter radial correlation length of turbulence in the SOL, thus resulting in a narrower power fall-off width. A simple model has also been applied to demonstrate the suppression effect of E × B shear on turbulence in the SOL and shows relatively good agreement with the experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dependence of divertor asymmetry and scrape-off layer (SOL) flow on heating power has been investigated in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). Divertor plasma exhibits an outboard-enhanced in-out asymmetry in heat flux in lower single null configuration for in reversed (ion ∇B drift direction toward the upper X-point) field directions. Upper single null exhibits an inboard-favored asymmetry in low heating power condition, while exhibits an outboard-favored asymmetry when increasing the heating power. Double null has the strongest in-out asymmetry in heat flux, favoring the outer divertor. The in-out asymmetry ratios of qt,out/qt,in and Pout/Ptotal increase with the power across the separatrix Ploss, which is probably induced by the enhanced radial particle transport due to a large pressure gradient. The characteristics of the measured SOL parallel flow under various discharge conditions are consistent with the Pfirsch-Schlüter (PS) flow with the parallel Mach number M∥ decreasing with the line averaged density but increasing with Ploss, in the same direction as the PS flow. The contributions of both poloidal E×B drift and parallel flow on poloidal particle transport in SOL on EAST are also assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-confinement regime with high-frequency and low-energy-loss small edge localized modes (ELMs) was achieved in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak by using the lower hybrid current drive and ion cyclotron resonance heating with lithium wall conditioning. The small ELMs are usually accompanied with a quasi-coherent mode at frequency around 30 kHz, as detected by the Langmuir probes near the separatrix. The coherent mode, with weak magnetic perturbations different from the precursor of conventional ELMs, propagates in the electron diamagnetic drift direction in the lab frame with the poloidal wavelength λθ ~ 14 cm, corresponding to both high poloidal and toroidal mode numbers (m > 60 and n > 12). This coherent mode, carrying high-temperature high-density filament-like plasma, drives considerable transport from the pedestal region into the scrape-off layer towards divertor region. The co-existence of small ELMs and quasi-coherent modes is beneficial for the sustainment of long pulse H-mode regime without significant confinement degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental measurements of edge localized modes (ELMs) observed on the EAST experiment are compared to linear and nonlinear theoretical simulations of peeling-ballooning modes using the BOUT++ code. Simulations predict that the dominant toroidal mode number of the ELM instability becomes larger for lower current, which is consistent with the mode structure captured with visible light using an optical CCD camera. The poloidal mode number of the simulated pressure perturbation shows good agreement with the filamentary structure observed by the camera. The nonlinear simulation is also consistent with the experimentally measured energy loss during an ELM crash and with the radial speed of ELM effluxes measured using a gas puffing imaging diagnostic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) system with power up to 6.0MW and a lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) system up to 4MW have been applied for heating and current drive experiments in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokomak (EAST). Significant progress has been made with ICRF heating and LHCD for realizing the H-mode plasma operation in EAST. During 2010 and 2012 experimental campaigns, ICRF heating experiments were carried out at the fixed frequency of 27MHz, achieving effective ions and electrons heating with the H minority heating (H-MH) mode. The H-MH mode produced good plasma performance, and realized H-mode using ICRF power alone in 2012. In 2010, H-modes were generated and sustained by LHCD alone, where lithium coating and gas puffing near the mouth of the LH launcher were applied to improve the LHCD power coupling and penetration into the core plasmas of H-modes. In 2012, the combination of LHCD and ICRH power extended the H-mode duration up to over 30 s. H-modes with various types of edge localized modes (ELMs) have been achieved with HIPB98(y, 2) ranging from 0.7 to over unity. A brief overview of LHCD and ICRF Heating experiment and their application in achieving H-mode operation during these two campaigns will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-pulse high confinement plasma regime known as H-mode is achieved in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) with a record duration over 30 s, sustained by Lower Hybrid wave Current Drive (LHCD) with advanced lithium wall conditioning and divertor pumping. This long-pulse H-mode plasma regime is characterized by the co-existence of a small Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) instability, i.e., Edge Localized Modes (ELMs) and a continuous quasi-coherent MHD mode at the edge. We find that LHCD provides an intrinsic boundary control for ELMs, leading to a dramatic reduction in the transient power load on the vessel wall, compared to the standard Type I ELMs. LHCD also induces edge plasma ergodization, broadening heat deposition footprints, and the heat transport caused by ergodization can be actively controlled by regulating edge plasma conditions, thus providing a new means for stationary heat flux control. In addition, advanced tokamak scenarios have been newly developed for high-performance longpulse plasma operations in the next EAST experimental campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance and long-pulse operation is a crucial goal of current magnetic fusion research. Here, we demonstrate a high-confinement plasma regime known as an H-mode with a record pulse length of over 30 s in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak sustained by lower hybrid wave current drive (LHCD) with advanced lithium wall conditioning. We find that LHCD provides a flexible boundary control for a ubiquitous edge instability in H-mode plasmas known as an edge-localized mode, which leads to a marked reduction in the heat load on the vessel wall compared with standard edge-localized modes. LHCD also induces edge plasma ergodization that broadens the heat deposition footprint. The heat transport caused by this ergodization can be actively controlled by regulating the edge plasma conditions. This potentially offers a new means for heat-flux control, which is a key issue for next-step fusion development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ohmic heated low confinement mode (L-mode) discharges, the intermittent statistical characteristics of turbulent fluctuations have been investigated in the edge and the scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma on EAST (the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak) by fast reciprocating Langmuir probe measurements. Plasma structures (blobs and holes) are observed and found to originate together inside the edge shear layer where the skewness (S) of the ion-saturation current fluctuations is close to zero. The probability density functions of the density fluctuations in edge and SOL plasma show a well-defined parabolic relation between the S and the kurtosis (K). In edge plasma with holes, the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) is identified with a dominant frequency fpeak ∼ 5–7 kHz both in floating potential fluctuations and ion-saturation current fluctuations. However, the GAM can only be detected in the floating potential fluctuations rather than the ion-saturation current fluctuations in the edge plasma with blobs. The ESEL (edge-SOL electrostatic) code based on interchange dynamics is used to simulate the experimental results on EAST. Reasonable agreement between the ESEL simulation and the EAST experiment is reached. Experimentally, the parallel SOL flow shows a remarkable dependence on the plasma density, which resembles the theoretical predicted Pfirsch–Schlüter flow but with a much higher magnitude at the outboard mid-plane of EAST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), the world's first fully superconducting tokamak with modern divertor configurations and actively water-cooled plasma facing components, commenced operation on September 26, 2006. In the 2012 experimental campaign, EAST has achieved reproducible stationary H-mode plasmas of over 30 s and long-pulse diverted plasmas over 410 s, which set the new world records for H-mode and diverted-discharge durations. A brief introduction of the EAST project, its history and recent advances is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first high confinement H-mode plasma has been obtained in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) with about 1MW lower hybrid current drive after wall conditioning by lithium evaporation and real-time injection of Li powder. Following the L-H transition, a small-amplitude, low-frequency oscillation, termed a limit-cycle state, appears at the edge during the quiescent phase with good energy and particle confinement. Detailed measurements by edge Langmuir probes show modulation interaction and strong three-wave coupling between the low-frequency oscillations and high-frequency-broadband (80-500 kHz) turbulences that emerge after the L-H transition or in the inter-ELM phase. The potential fluctuations at the plasma edge are correlated with the limit-cycle oscillations, and the fluctuations in the floating potential signals at different toroidal, poloidal and radial locations are strongly correlated with each other, with nearly no phase differences poloidally and toroidally, and finite phase difference radially, thus providing strong evidence for zonal flows. The growth, saturation and disappearance of the zonal flows are strongly correlated with those of the high-frequency turbulence. And the measurements demonstrate that the energy gain of zonal flows is of the same order as the energy loss of turbulence. This strongly suggests the interactions between zonal flows and high-frequency turbulences at the pedestal during the limit-cycle state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas puff imaging (GPI) offers a direct and effective diagnostic to measure the edge turbulence structure and velocity in the edge plasma, which closely relates to edge transport and instability in tokamaks. A dual GPI diagnostic system has been installed on the low field side on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST). The two views are up-down symmetric about the midplane and separated by a toroidal angle of 66.6°. A linear manifold with 16 holes apart by 10 mm is used to form helium gas cloud at the 130×130 mm (radial versus poloidal) objective plane. A fast camera is used to capture the light emission from the image plane with a speed up to 390 804 frames/s with 64×64 pixels and an exposure time of 2.156 μs. The spatial resolution of the system is 2 mm at the objective plane. A total amount of 200 Pa.L helium gas is puffed into the plasma edge for each GPI viewing region for about 250 ms. The new GPI diagnostic has been applied on EAST for the first time during the recent experimental campaign under various plasma conditions, including ohmic, L-mode, and type-I, and type-III ELMy H-modes. Some of these initial experimental results are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge-localized modes (ELMs) are the focus of tokamak edge physics studies because the large heat loads associated with ELMs have great impact on the divertor design of future reactor-grade tokamaks such as ITER. In the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST), the first ELMy high confinement modes (H-modes) were obtained with 1MW lower hybrid wave power in conjunction with wall conditioning by lithium (Li) evaporation and real-time Li powder injection. The ELMs in EAST at this heating power are mostly type-III ELMs. They were observed close to the H-mode threshold power and produced small energy dumps (1-2% of the stored energy). Type-III ELMs produced a time-averaged peak heat flux of about 2MWm-2 on the target plate, a value which is ∼10 times larger than that of ELM-free phases. A few isolated and large type-I-like ELM events were also observed in EAST with an energy loss of up to 5% of the stored energy. Statistically, the ELM frequencies are several hundred hertz and the frequency appears to decrease with q95, the safety factor at 95% of the flux surface. When an ion cyclotron resonance frequency wave was injected during the H-mode phases, the ELM repetition frequency increased immediately. The frequency and amplitude of type-III ELMs can be effectively influenced by puffing impurity argon gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of edge-localized modes (ELMs) on divertor particle and heat fluxes were investigated for the first time in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The experiments were carried out with both double null and lower single null divertor configurations, and comparisons were made between the H-mode plasmas with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) and those with combined ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH). The particle and heat flux profiles between and during ELMs were obtained from Langmuir triple-probe arrays embedded in the divertor target plates. And isolated ELMs were chosen for analysis in order to reduce the uncertainty resulting from the influence of fast electrons on Langmuir triple-probe evaluation during ELMs. The power deposition obtained from Langmuir triple probes was consistent with that from the divertor infra-red camera during an ELM-free period. It was demonstrated that ELM-induced radial transport predominantly originated from the low-field side region, in good agreement with the ballooning-like transport model and experimental results of other tokamaks. ELMs significantly enhanced the divertor particle and heat fluxes, without significantly broadening the SOL width and plasma-wetted area on the divertor target in both LHCD and LHCD+ ICRH H-modes, thus posing a great challenge for the next-step high-power, long-pulse operation in EAST. Increasing the divertor-wetted area was also observed to reduce the peak heat flux and particle recycling at the divertor target, hence facilitating long-pulse H-mode operation. The particle and heat flux profiles during ELMs appeared to exhibit multiple peak structures, and were analysed in terms of the behaviour of ELM filaments and the flux tubes induced by modified magnetic topology during ELMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quasiperiodic Er oscillation at a frequency of <4 kHz, much lower than the geodesic-acoustic-mode frequency, with a modulation in edge turbulence preceding and following the low-to-high (L-H) confinement mode transition, has been observed for the first time in the EAST tokamak, using two toroidally separated reciprocating probes. Just prior to the L-H transition, the Er oscillation often evolves into intermittent negative Er spikes. The low-frequency Er oscillation, as well as the Er spikes, is strongly correlated with the turbulence-driven Reynolds stress, thus providing first evidence of the role of the zonal flows in the L-H transition at marginal input power. These new findings not only shed light on the underlying physics mechanism for the L-H transition, but also have significant implications for ITER operations close to the L-H transition threshold power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a 2 MW 2.45 GHz lower hybrid wave (LHW) system installed in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak, we have systematically carried out LHW-plasma coupling and lower hybrid current drive experiments in both divertor (double null and lower single null) and limiter plasma configuration with plasma current (Ip) ∼ 250 kA and central line averaged density (ne) ∼ 1.0-1.3 × 1019 m-3 recently. Results show that the reflection coefficient (RC) first is flat up to some distance between plasma and LHW grill, and then increases with the distance. Studies indicate that with the same plasma parameters, the best coupling is obtained in the limiter case (with plasma leaning on the inner wall), followed by the lower single null, and the one with the worst coupling is the double null configuration, explained by different magnetic connection length. The RCs in the different poloidal rows show that they have different coupling characteristics, possibly due to local magnetic connection length. Current drive efficiency has been investigated by a least squares fit with N//peak=2.1, where N//peak is the peak value of parallel refractive index of the launched wave. Results show that there is no obvious difference in the current drive efficiency between double null and lower single null cases, whereas the efficiency is somewhat small in the limiter configuration. This is in agreement with the ray tracing/Fokker-Planck code simulation by LUKE/C3PO and can be interpreted by the power spectrum up-shift factor in different plasma configurations. A transformer recharge is realized with ∼0.8 MW LHW power and the energy conversion efficiency from LHW to poloidal field energy is about 2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new fast reciprocating probe system (FRPS) has been built and installed on the outer midplane of the EAST tokamak to investigate the profiles of the boundary plasma parameters such as electron density and temperature. The system consists of a two-stage motion drive mechanism: slow motion and fast motion. The fast motion is powered by a servo motor, which drives the probe horizontally up to 50 cm to scan the edge region of the EAST tokamak. The maximum velocity achieved is 2 m/s. High velocity and flexible control of the fast motion are the remarkable features of this FRPS. A specially designed connector installed at the front end of the probe shaft makes it easy to install or replace the probe head on FRPS. During the latest experimental campaign in the spring of 2010, a probe head with seven tips, including two tips for a Mach probe, has been used. An example is given for simultaneous profile measurements of the plasma temperature, plasma density, and the plasma flow velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 12-tip poloidal probe array is used on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak [Li, Wan, and Mao, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 42, 135 (2000)] to measure plasma turbulence in the edge region. Some statistical analysis techniques are used to characterize the turbulence structures. It is found that the plasma turbulence is composed of multiscale coherent structures, i.e., turbulent eddies and there is self-similarity in a relative short scale range. The presence of the self-similarity is found due to the structural similarity of these eddies between different scales. These turbulent eddies constitute the basic convection cells, so the self-similar range is just the dominant scale range relevant to transport. The experimental results also indicate that the plasma turbulence is dominated by low-frequency and long-wavelength fluctuation components and its dispersion relation shows typical electron-drift-wave characteristics. Some large-scale coherent structures intermittently burst out and exhibit a very long poloidal extent, even longer than 6 cm. It is found that these large-scale coherent structures are mainly contributed by the low-frequency and long-wavelength fluctuating components and their presence is responsible for the observations of long-range correlations, i.e., the correlation in the scale range much longer than the turbulence decorrelation scale. These experimental observations suggest that the coexistence of multiscale coherent structures results in the self-similar turbulent state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fusion plasmas, intermittently occurring large-scale coherent structures in electrostatic turbulence sometimes contribute more than 50% of total transport, so the investigation on these coherent structures is important for understanding plasma confinement. New experimental techniques are required to extract these coherent structures from fluctuating signals. In this work a 12-tip poloidal rake probe was used on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak to measure plasma turbulence in the plasma edge region. Several signal analysis methods based on a biorthogonal wavelet were developed and applied to the probe data. Since the structure of the selected wavelet is every similar to that of the turbulence wave packet, information about large-scale coherent structures can be selectively extracted from the ambient turbulence. The spatiotemporal patterns of the large-scale coherent structures were reconstructed using the selected wavelets as well as those of small-scale details. These wavelet-based techniques can be applied to all kinds of plasma fluctuation diagnostics, so they possibly present a new opportunity for uncovering the mechanism underlying plasma turbulent transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Langmuir probes have been used to measure the electrostatic Reynolds stress and the floating potential fluctuation in the boundary plasma of the Hefei Tokamak-7 (HT-7) [J. Li, B. N. Wan, and J. S. Mao, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 42, 135 (2000)]. The cross bispectrum of 〈V˜rV˜θ&fgr;˜f〉 indicates the existence of difference-frequency nonlinear phase coupling and the generation of fluctuations near the geodesic acoustic mode frequency. The inverse cascade process might be linked to the generation of zonal flows by small-scale electrostatic drift-wave turbulence. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of the dynamical behavior associated with edge localized modes (ELMs) have been carried out in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) by direct probing near the separatrix and far scrape-off layer (SOL) using electrostatic as well as magnetic probes. Type-III ELMs and dithering cycles have been investigated near the threshold power for the transition from the low confinement mode (L-mode) to the high confinement mode (H-mode). A precursor is observed prior to type-III ELM events with chirping frequency (130–70 kHz). It is located inside the separatrix and does not lead to considerable particle transport into the SOL. Distinct from type-III ELMs, no precursor modes precede the dithering cycles. It is evident from our measurements that the absence of precursor activity is a good indicator to distinguish the dithering cycles from type-III ELMs. A number of distinct current filaments are identified slightly inside the separatrix, both during type-III ELM events and dithering cycles. The characteristic current topology in these filaments is still ambiguous in our investigations. Furthermore, small ELMs are observed in type-I ELMy-like H-mode discharge regimes on EAST, in which solitary monopolar current filaments are observed to propagate in the SOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of gas puffing from electron-side and ion-side on lower hybrid wave (LHW)-plasma is investigated in experimental advanced superconductive tokamak for the first time. Experimental results with different gas flow rates show that electron density at the grill is higher in the case of gas puffing from electron-side; consequently, a lower reflection coefficient is observed, suggesting better effect of puffing from electron-side on LHW-plasma. The difference in edge density between electron- and ion-side cases suggests that local ionization of puffed gas plays a dominant role in affecting the density at the grill due to different movement direction of ionized electrons and that part of gas has been locally ionized near the gas pipe before diffusing into the grill region. Such difference could be enlarged and important in ITER due to the improvement of plasma parameters and LHW power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new turbulence-flow cycle state has been discovered after the formation of a transport barrier in the H-mode plasma edge during a quiescent phase on the EAST superconducting tokamak. Zonal-flow modulation of high-frequency-broadband (0.05-1 MHz) turbulence was observed in the steep-gradient region leading to intermittent transport events across the edge transport barrier. Good confinement (H98y,2 ∼ 1) has been achieved in this state, even with input heating power near the L-H transition threshold. A novel model based on predator-prey interaction between turbulence and zonal flows reproduced this state well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetic energy transfer between shear flows and the ambient turbulence is investigated in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak during the L-H transition. As the rate of energy transfer from the turbulence into the shear flow becomes comparable to the energy input rate into the turbulence, the transition into the H-mode occurs. As the observed behavior exhibits several predicted features of zonal flows, the results show the key role that zonal flows play in mediating the transition into H-mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Divertor asymmetry and its dependence on the ion ▿B direction has been investigated in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak by changing the divertor configuration from lower single null (LSN), via double null (DN), to upper single null (USN) during one single discharge. Divertor plasmas exhibit the usual in-out asymmetry in particle and heat fluxes in LSN with the ion ▿B direction toward the lower X-point, favoring the outer divertor, especially at high density. The in-out asymmetry is reversed when changing the divertor configuration from LSN to USN, thus clearly demonstrating the effect of classical drifts. DN exhibits an even stronger in-out divertor asymmetry, favoring the outer divertor. A significant top-down asymmetry is also seen for DN, with greater particle and heat fluxes to the bottom divertor. In addition, the parallel plasma flow has been measured by a fast moving Mach probe at the outer midplane, which shows similar magnitude to the Pfirsch-Schlüter flow. Its contribution to the poloidal particle flux is also assessed and comparison is made with that from the poloidal E × B drift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical challenge facing the basic long-pulse high-confinement operation scenario (H mode) for ITER is to control a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability, known as the edge localized mode (ELM), which leads to cyclical high peak heat and particle fluxes at the plasma facing components. A breakthrough is made in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak in achieving a new steady-state H mode without the presence of ELMs for a duration exceeding hundreds of energy confinement times, by using a novel technique of continuous real-time injection of a lithium (Li) aerosol into the edge plasma. The steady-state ELM-free H mode is accompanied by a strong edge coherent MHD mode (ECM) at a frequency of 35-40 kHz with a poloidal wavelength of 10.2 cm in the ion diamagnetic drift direction, providing continuous heat and particle exhaust, thus preventing the transient heat deposition on plasma facing components and impurity accumulation in the confined plasma. It is truly remarkable that Li injection appears to promote the growth of the ECM, owing to the increase in Li concentration and hence collisionality at the edge, as predicted by GYRO simulations. This new steady-state ELM-free H-mode regime, enabled by real-time Li injection, may open a new avenue for next-step fusion development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "New Steady-State Quiescent High-Confinement Plasma in an Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak" that was published in the 2015 issue is presented.