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Recent experiments on DIII-D have shown it is possible to create and sustain wide pedestal quiescent H-mode (QH-mode) plasmas with zero net torque from neutral beam injection (NBI) for the full discharge duration. Wide pedestal QH-mode has many of the features of the previously investigated QH-mode while having the advantage of increased edge pedestal pressure and energy confinement time. Both QH-mode variants operate without edge localized modes. Accordingly, these discharges demonstrate that significant input torque is not essential to the exploitation of wide pedestal QH-mode in future devices that are expected to have small or non-existent NBI torque. Developing operating conditions that allowed net zero torque access to wide pedestal QH-mode required implementing several techniques to avoid locked modes including minimizing intrinsic error fields, avoiding large sawteeth, and driving toroidal rotation via neoclassical toroidal viscosity.

A new, long-lived limit cycle oscillation (LCO) regime has been observed in the edge of near zero torque high performance DIII-D tokamak plasma discharges. These LCOs are localized and composed of density turbulence, gradient drives, and E×B velocity shear damping (E and B are the local radial electric and total magnetic fields). Density turbulence sequentially acts as a predator (via turbulence transport) of profile gradients and a prey (via shear suppression) to the E×B velocity shear. Reported here for the first time is a unique spatiotemporal variation of the local E×B velocity, which is found to be essential for the existence of this system. The LCO system is quasistationary, existing from 3 to 12 plasma energy confinement times (∼30-900 LCO cycles) limited by hardware constraints. This plasma system appears to contribute strongly to the edge transport in these high performance and transient-free plasmas, as evident from oscillations in transport relevant edge parameters at LCO time scale.

Stochastic boundaries in fusion devices have been investigated in tokamaks, stellarators and reversed field pinch experiments for many years. However, since edge localized modes (ELMs) have been successfully eliminated in H-mode plasmas at the DIII-D tokamak [1,2] with small, edge resonant magnetic perturbations, they have become a widely investigated topic in tokamaks. In DIII-D stochastic boundaries are produced by coils external to the plasma. The magnetic field there consists of field lines with very different connection lengths, which produces a three dimensional, heterogenous structure of stochastic volume. The most obvious manifestation of the perturbed plasma edge is the strike line splitting observable in heat and particle fluxes, which changes with collisionality. The interaction of the magnetic perturbation and the magnetic equilibrium is of a resonant nature and the structure of the stochastic volume is a strong function of q(95). This is observed as a modulation of e.g. electron temperature as measured by ECE or Thomson scattering. In this work we summarize recent experimental findings on properties of the stochastic boundary in DIII-D. (C) 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Understanding the physics of the edge pedestal and edge localized modes (ELMs) is of great importance for ITER and the optimization of the tokamak concept. The peeling–ballooning model has quantitatively explained many observations, including ELM onset and pedestal constraints, in the standard H-mode regime. The ELITE code has been developed to efficiently evaluate peeling–ballooning stability for comparison with observation and predictions for future devices. We briefly review recent progress in the peeling–ballooning model, including experimental validation of ELM onset and pedestal height predictions, and nonlinear 3D simulations of ELM dynamics, which together lead to an emerging understanding of the physics of the onset and dynamics of ELMs in the standard intermediate to high collisionality regime. We also discuss new studies of the apparent power dependence of the pedestal, and studies of the impact of sheared toroidal flow. Recently, highly promising low collisionality regimes without ELMs have been discovered, including the quiescent H-mode (QH) and resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) regimes. We present recent observations from the DIII-D tokamak of the density, shape and rotation dependence of QH discharges, and studies of the peeling–ballooning stability in this regime. We propose a model of the QH-mode in which the observed edge harmonic oscillation (EHO) is a saturated kink/peeling mode which is destabilized by current and rotation, and drives significant transport, allowing a near steady-state edge plasma. The model quantitatively predicts the observed density dependence and qualitatively predicts observed mode structure, rotation dependence and outer gap dependence. Low density RMP discharges are found to operate in a similar regime, but with the EHO replaced by an applied magnetic perturbation.

Neutral beam injection is used in tokamaks to heat, apply torque, drive non-inductive current, and diagnose plasmas. Neutral beam diagnostics need accurate spatial calibrations to benefit from the measurement localization provided by the neutral beam. A new technique has been developed that uses in situ measurements of neutral beam emission to determine the spatial location of the beam and the associated diagnostic views. This technique was developed to improve the charge exchange recombination (CER) diagnostic at the DIII-D tokamak and uses measurements of the Doppler shift and Stark splitting of neutral beam emission made by that diagnostic. These measurements contain information about the geometric relation between the diagnostic views and the neutral beams when they are injecting power. This information is combined with standard spatial calibration measurements to create an integrated spatial calibration that provides a more complete description of the neutral beam-CER system. The integrated spatial calibration results are very similar to the standard calibration results and derived quantities from CER measurements are unchanged within their measurement errors. The methods developed to perform the integrated spatial calibration could be useful for tokamaks with limited physical access.

Quiescent double barrier (QDB) conditions often form when an internal transport barrier is created with high-power neutral-beam injection into a quiescent H-mode (QH) plasma. These QH-modes offer an attractive, high-performance operating scenario for burning plasma experiments due to their quasi-stationarity and lack of edge localized modes. Our initial experiments and modelling using ECH/ECCD in QDB shots were designed to control the current profile and, indeed, we have observed a strong dependence on the q-profile when EC-power is used inside the core transport barrier region. While strong electron heating is observed with EC power injection, we also observe a drop in the other core parameters, namely ion temperature and rotation, electron density and impurity concentration. At onset and termination of the EC pulse, dynamically changing conditions are induced that provide a rapid evolution of Te/Ti profiles accessible with 0.3 < (Te/Ti)axis < 0.8 observed in QDB discharges. We are exploring the correlation and effects of observed density profile changes with respect to these time-dependent variations in the temperature ratio. Increases in the measured ion thermal and particle diffusivities inside the barrier region during an ECH pulse correlate with electron heating and a rise in the core Te/Ti ratio as the ion temperature and density profiles flatten with this change in transport. The change in transport is consistent with a destabilization of ITG turbulence as inferred from the reduction of the stability threshold due to the change in Te/Ti.

An approach has been implemented on the DIII-D tokamak to allow the correct determination of the plasma poloidal velocity from charge exchange spectroscopy measurements. Unlike usual techniques, the need for detailed atomic physics calculations to properly interpret the results is alleviated. Instead, the needed atomic physics corrections are self-consistently determined directly from the measurements, by making use of specially chosen viewing chords. Modeling results are presented that were used to determine a set of views capable of measuring the correction terms. We present the analysis of a quiescent H-mode discharge, illustrating that significant modifications to the velocity profiles are required in these high ion temperature conditions. We also present preliminary measurements providing a direct comparison of the standard cross-section correction to the atomic physics calculations.

An experimental technique is presented that permits diagnostics viewing light from the plasma edge to be spatially calibrated relative to one another. By sweeping the plasma edge, each chord of each diagnostic sweeps out a portion of the light emission profile. A nonlinear least-squares fit to such data provides superior cross-calibration of diagnostics located at different toroidal locations compared with simple surveying. Another advantage of the technique is that it can be used to monitor the position of viewing chords during an experimental campaign to ensure that alignment does not change over time. Moverover, should such a change occur, the data can still be cross-calibrated and its usefulness retained.

Zonal flows, thought crucial to the saturation and self-regulation of turbulence and turbulent transport in magnetically confined plasmas, have been observed and characterized in the edge region of DIII-D plasmas. These flows exhibit temperature scaling characteristics and spatial features predicted for geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs), a class of higher-frequency zonal flows seen in nonlinear simulations of plasma turbulence. The zonal flows (GAMs) have been observed in the turbulence flow-field in the radial region 0.85 ≤ r/a ≤ 1.0 via application of time-delay-estimation techniques to two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations, obtained with beam emission spectroscopy. Spatial and temporal analysis of the resulting flow-field demonstrates the existence of a coherent oscillation (approximately 15 kHz) in the poloidal flow of density fluctuations that has a long poloidal wavelength, possibly m = 0, narrow radial extent (krρi < 0.2), and a frequency that varies monotonically with the local temperature. The approximate effective shearing rate, dvθ/d r, of the flow is of the same order of magnitude as the measured nonlinear decorrelation rate of the turbulence. These characteristics are consistent with predicted features of zonal flows, specifically identified as GAMs, observed in three-dimensional Braginskii simulations of core/edge turbulence.

A271 EXPERIMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF COHERENT, RADIALLY-SHEARED ZONAL FLOWS IN THE DIII-D TOKAMAK. Application of time-delay-estimation techniques to two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations, obtained with beam emission spectroscopy in DIII-D plasmas, has provided temporally and spatially resolved measurements of the turbulence flow-field. Features that are characteristic of self-generated zonal flows are observed in the radial region near 0.85 {

Two power scans were carried out in H-mode plasmas in DIII-D; one employed standard co-current neutral beam injection (NBI), while the other used a mixture of co-current and counter-current NBI to scan power while holding the torque to a low fixed value. Analysis of the ion and electron heat transport, ion toroidal angular momentum transport, and thermal deuterium transport from these scans is presented. Invariance of the gradients or gradient scalelengths, as might be expected from stiff transport, was not generally observed. When invariance was seen, it was not accompanied by a strong increase in transport, except in the case of the absolute deuterium ion transport. Conduction in the ion channel is the dominant energy loss mechanism. The variation of the ion heat transport with applied power is similar for the co-injection and fixed torque scans, indicating that E × B shearing is not determining the plasma response to additional power. There is however, a quantitative difference in the transport between the two scans, indicating E × B shearing does play a role in the transport. Comparison of these results with a previous experiment that directly probed stiffness at a single radius leads to the following conclusion: while local stiffness as formally defined may hold, invariance of the gradients or normalized scalelengths does not follow from stiff transport in more practical scaling experiments, such as the power scans discussed here. Possible reasons for the lack of correspondence between the local picture and the global expectations are discussed.

H-mode operation is the choice for next-step tokamak devices based either on conventional or advanced tokamak physics. This choice, however, comes at a significant cost for both the conventional and advanced tokamaks because of the effects of edge-localized modes (ELMs). ELMs can produce significant erosion in the divertor and can affect the β limit and reduced core transport regions needed for advanced tokamak operation. Recent experimental results from DIII-D have demonstrated a new operating regime, the quiescent H-mode regime, which solves these problems. We have achieved quiescent H-mode operation which is ELM-free and yet has good density control. In addition, we have demonstrated that an internal transport barrier can be produced and maintained inside the H-mode edge barrier for long periods of time (>3.5 s or >25 energy confinement times τE). By forming the core barrier and then stepping up the input power, we have achieved βNH89 = 7 for up to 10 times the τE of 160 ms. The βNH89 values of 7 substantially exceed the value of 4 routinely achieved in standard ELMing \mbox{H-mode.} The key factors in creating the quiescent H-mode operation are neutral beam injection in the direction opposite to the plasma current (counter injection) plus cryopumping to reduce the density. Density control in the quiescent H-mode is possible because of the presence of an edge MHD oscillation, the edge harmonic oscillation, which enhances the edge particle transport while leaving the energy transport unaffected.

Modulation of neutral beams on tokamaks is performed routinely, enabling background rejection for active spectroscopic diagnostics, and control of injected power and torque. We find that there exists an anomalous initial transient in the beam neutrals delivered to the tokamak that is not accounted for by the accelerator voltage and power supply current. Measurements of the charge-exchange and beam photoemission on the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42, 614 (2002)] at high speed (200 μs) reveal that the energy of the beam neutrals is constant, but the density of beam neutrals displays dramatic variation in the first 2–3 ms following beam turn-on. The impact of this beam density variation on inferred ion densities and impurity transport is presented, with suggested means to correct for the anomalous transient.

High-confinement (H-mode) operation is the choice for next-step tokamak devices based either on conventional or advanced tokamak physics. This choice, however, comes at a significant cost for both the conventional and advanced tokamaks because of the effects of edge localized modes (ELMs). ELMs can produce significant erosion in the divertor and can affect the beta limit and reduced core transport regions needed for advanced tokamak operation. Experimental results from DIII-D [J. L. Luxon et al., Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research 1986 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1987), Vol. I, p. 159] this year have demonstrated a new operating regime, the quiescent H-mode regime, which solves these problems. We have achieved quiescent H-mode operation that is ELM-free and yet has good density and impurity control. In addition, we have demonstrated that an internal transport barrier can be produced and maintained inside the H-mode edge barrier for long periods of time (>3.5 s or >25 en...

The modification of turbulence in the edge plasma of the DIII-D tokamak at the transition from the low to the high mode of confinement is investigated with a phase-contrast imaging diagnostic. The amplitude and radial correlation length of the turbulence in the confinement region decrease at the transition, whereas the decorrelation time increases. The transition model of Biglari, Diamond, and Teny [Phys. Fluids B 2 (1990) 1], based on turbulence decorrelation by E x B velocity shear, is quantitatively substantiated by measurements of the theoretical control parameter. Further quantitative predictions of the theory are tested for the first time. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

A prime goal in physics research is the development of theories which have the universality needed to explain a wide range of observations. Developed over the past decade, the model of turbulence decorrelation and stabilization by sheared E×B flow has the universality needed to explain the turbulence reduction and confinement improvement seen in the edge and core of a wide range of magnetic confinement devices. Because the E×B shear, turbulence, and transport are all intimately intertwined in multiple feedback loops, devising experiments to test whether E×B shear causes a change in turbulence and transport has been a major challenge for experimentalists. Over the past five years, there have been at least four clear demonstrations of causality performed in tokamak plasmas, both at the plasma edge on Doublet III-D (DIII-D) [Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Research 1985 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1986) Vol. I, p.159] and Tokamak Experiment for Technologically Oriented Research (TEXTOR)...

A beam emission spectroscopy system has been installed on DIII-D to provide localized density fluctuation measurements for long-wavelength turbulent modes with k⩽3 cm−1 which are typically associated with anomalous radial transport. High signal-to-noise fluctuations measurements are accomplished through use of high speed electronics to maintain a frequency response of over 500 KHz and cryogenically cooled amplifiers and detectors to reduce electronic noise. The optics and neutral beam-sightline geometry have been optimized to allow for spatial resolution of Δr⩽1 cm. In addition, a half-scale two-dimensional (2D) fiber array to measure the 2D turbulent density field, necessary to measure the full S(kr,kθ) wavenumber spectra, has been implemented and initial results obtained.

The `back' transition from H-mode to L-mode has been studied on DIII-D as a part of our investigation of the L-H transition power threshold scaling. Based on a density-dependent scaling for the H-mode power threshold, ITER will require substantial hysteresis in this parameter to remain in H-mode as rises. Defining the hysteresis in terms of the ratio of sustaining to threshold power, may need to be as small as 50% for ITER. Operation of DIII-D at injection powers slightly above the H-mode threshold results in an oscillatory behaviour with multiple forward-backward transitions in the course of a discharge. These discharges represent a unique system for studying various control parameters that may influence the state transition. Careful analysis of the power flow through the edge gives values for the sustaining power well below the corresponding threshold powers , indicating that substantial hysteresis can be achieved in this parameter. Studies of other control parameter candidates such as the edge temperature during the back transitions are less clear: the amount of hysteresis seen in these parameters, if any, is primarily dependent on the nature (ELMing, ELM-free) of the parent H-state.

The paradigm of shear suppression of turbulence as the mechanism for the low to high confinement mode (L to H) transition is examined by quantitative comparison of the predictions of the paradigm with experimental results from the DIII‐D tokamak [Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Research (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1986), p. 159]. The L to H transition trigger is V×B rotation, not the main ion pressure gradient. The radial electric field Er shear increases before the fluctuation suppression, consistent with increasing Er shear as the cause of the turbulence suppression. The spatial dependence of the turbulence reduction is consistent with shear suppression for negative Er shear. For positive Er shear, the turbulence suppression is consistent with the effect of Er curvature for modes for which an Er well is destabilizing. Finally, the transport barrier depends on the phase angle between the density and potential fluctuations inside the Er well, an effect not included in existing L to H...

The suppression of turbulence by the E×B flow shear and parallel flow shear is studied in an arbitrary shape finite aspect ratio tokamak plasma using the two point nonlinear analysis previously utilized in a high aspect ratio tokamak plasma [Phys. Plasmas 1, 2940 (1994)]. The result shows that only the E×B flow shear is responsible for the suppression of flute‐like fluctuations. This suppression occurs regardless of the plasma rotation direction and is, therefore, relevant for the very high (VH) mode plasma core as well as for the high (H) mode plasma edge. Experimentally observed in–out asymmetry of fluctuation reduction behavior can be addressed in the context of flux expansion and magnetic field pitch variation on a given flux surface. The adverse effect of neutral particles on confinement improvement is also discussed in the context of the charge exchange induced parallel momentum damping.

In the quiescent H-mode (QH-mode) regime, edge harmonic oscillations (EHOs) play an important role in avoiding transient edge localized mode (ELM) power fluxes by providing benign and continuous edge particle transport. A detailed theoretical, experimental and modeling comparison has been made of low-n (n ⩽ 5) EHO in DIII-D QH-mode plasmas. The calculated linear eigenmode structure from the extended magentoohydrodynamics (MHD) code M3D-C1 matches closely the coherent EHO properties from external magnetics data and internal measurements using the ECE, BES, ECE-Imaging and microwave imaging reflectometer (MIR) diagnostics, as well as the kink/peeling mode properties found by the ideal MHD code ELITE. Numerical investigations indicate that the low-n EHO-like solutions from M3D-C1 are destabilized by rotation and/or rotational shear while high-n modes are stabilized. This effect is independent of the rotation direction, suggesting that EHOs can be destabilized in principle with rotation in either direction. The modeling results are consistent with observations of EHO, support the proposed theory of the EHO as a low-n kink/peeling mode destabilized by edge E × B rotational shear, and improve our understanding and confidence in creating and sustaining QH-mode in present and future devices.

The hypothesis of stabilization of turbulence by shear in the E×B drift speed successfully predicts the observed turbulence reduction and confinement improvement seen at the L (low)–H (high) transition; in addition, the observed levels of E×B shear significantly exceed the value theoretically required to stabilize turbulence. Furthermore, this same hypothesis is the best explanation to date for the further confinement improvement seen in the plasma core when the plasma goes from the H mode to the VH (very high) mode. Consequently, the most fundamental question for H‐mode studies now is: How is the electric field Er formed? The radial force balance equation relates Er to the main ion pressure gradient ∇Pi, poloidal rotation vθi, and toroidal rotation vφi. In the plasma edge, observations show ∇Pi and vθi are the important terms at the L–H transition, with ∇Pi being the dominant, negative term throughout most of the H mode. In the plasma core, Er is primarily related to vφi. There is a clear temporal and spatial correlation between the change in E×B shear and the region of local confinement improvement when the plasma goes from the H mode to the VH mode. Direct manipulation of the vφi and E×B shear using the drag produced by a nonaxisymmetric magnetic perturbation has produced clear changes in local transport, consistent with the E×B shear stabilization hypothesis. The implications of these results for theories of the L–H and H–VH transitions will be discussed.

Poloidal and toroidal rotation of the main ions (${\mathrm{He}}^{2+}$) and the impurity ions (${\mathrm{C}}^{6+}$ and ${\mathrm{B}}^{5+}$) in H-mode helium plasmas have been measured via charge exchange recombination spectroscopy in the DIII-D tokamak. It was discovered that the main ion poloidal rotation is in the ion diamagnetic drift direction while the impurity ion rotation is in the electron diamagnetic drift direction, in qualitative agreement with the neoclassical theory. The deduced radial electric field in the edge is of the same negative-well shape regardless of which ion species is used, validating the fundamental nature of the electric field in L-H transition phenomenology.

Direct evidence of zonal flow (ZF) predator-prey oscillations and the synergistic roles of ZF- and equilibrium $\mathbit{E}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathbit{B}$ flow shear in triggering the low- to high-confinement (L- to H-mode) transition in the DIII-D tokamak is presented. Periodic turbulence suppression is first observed in a narrow layer at and just inside the separatrix when the shearing rate transiently exceeds the turbulence decorrelation rate. The final transition to H mode with sustained turbulence and transport reduction is controlled by equilibrium $\mathbit{E}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathbit{B}$ shear due to the increasing ion pressure gradient.

A series of H-mode discharges from DIII-D has been analysed to find a possible correlation between turbulent fluctuations and thermal transport in the core of the DIII-D tokamak. The one-fluid thermal diffusivity as given by the transport code ONETWO is observed to peak in the region 0.7 ≤ ρ ≤ 0.9 where the bulk of the electrostatic fluctuations is located in the H-mode. Also the time evolution of the thermal diffusivity and the fluctuations in this region are very similar: both transport and fluctuations are suppressed after the L-H transition, but the suppression is not abrupt (as it is at the edge) but rather gradual, extending over tens of milliseconds. It is thus concluded that transport and microturbulence in the interior of the DIII-D plasmas appear to be strongly correlated

Combined theoretical and experimental work has resulted in the creation of a paradigm which has allowed semi-quantitative understanding of the edge confinement improvement that occurs in the H-mode. Shear in the E*B flow of the fluctuations in the plasma edge can lead to decorrelation of the fluctuations, decreased radial correlation lengths and reduced turbulent transport. Changes in the radial electric field, the density fluctuations and the edge transport consistent with shear stabilization of turbulence have been seen in several tokamaks. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the most recent data in the light of the basic paradigm of electric field shear stabilization and to critically compare the experimental results with various theories.

The details of the bulk transport in DIII-D across the L-H transition have been studied with a time dependent transport analysis of a series of repeat discharges. Time dependent profiles of ne, Te, Ti, Zeff, V and Prad were obtained for these discharges. The confinement properties were observed to improve in the plasma bulk after the transition. The dominant improvement is in the electron channel. The electron diffusivity profile flattens and drops to values comparable to those of the ion diffusivity. The changes in the ion diffusivity are within the error bars, thus preventing any definite conclusions, but after the transition the data show a consistent drop in the values. The drop in the electron diffusivity does not occur abruptly at the time of the transition; rather, the improvement starts within 30 ms after the transition and the improvement continues until at least 80 ms after the transition. The nature of changes in the electron density is similar to that of changes in the diffusivities, suggesting that the density gradient length is a critical quantity in the L-H transition. Experimental data are compared with a model for the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode. Stabilization of the ITG mode does not seem to take place in the L-H transition, but the plasma might be marginally stable against the ITG mode in both the L-mode and the H-mode

The L to H transition in the DIII‐D tokamak [Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, 1986 (IAEA, Vienna, 1987), Vol. I, p. 159] is associated with two clear signatures: edge density fluctuations are abruptly suppressed (in ≊100 μsec), while the edge poloidal rotation velocity vθ increases, implying that the radial electric field Er becomes more negative. Detailed new spectroscopic profile measurements show that the changes in vθ and Er generate a region of sheared electric field and poloidal flow of width ≊3–5 cm. This region develops simultaneously with, and has the same spatial extent as, the edge fluctuation suppression zone as measured using a reflectometer system. Furthermore, the radial extent of the shear and fluctuation suppression zones encompass the location of the H‐mode edge transport barrier. These observations are consistent with recent theoretical models of the L–H transition, and a comparison with these theories is presented. Data are also presented on the evolution of edge parameters and density fluctuations after the transition: the shear and fluctuation suppression layers are maintained for the duration of the quiescent H‐mode phase, while relative density fluctuation levels decrease and interior plasma confinement gradually improves. Precursors to several different types of edge localized mode (ELMs) are also discussed.

A study of three-dimensional (3D) perturbed magnetic field structures and transport for edge localized mode control experiments with resonant magnetic perturbations at DIII-D is presented. We focus on ITER-Similar Shape plasmas at ITER relevant electron pedestal collisionalities . This study is performed in comparison with results from TEXTOR-Dynamic Ergodic Divertor circular limiter plasmas. For both experiments the magnetic field structure is analyzed in the vacuum paradigm—superimposing the external RMP field on the unperturbed equilibrium. For TEXTOR L-mode plasmas this description holds for normalized poloidal flux ΨN > 0.7 without tearing modes driven by the RMP field. For DIII-D H-mode plasmas the validity of this approach still needs to be established. In this paper a method is discussed to diagnose the degree of edge stochastization based on a comparison between modeled magnetic footprints on the divertor targets and experimental data. Clear evidence is presented for the existence of a generic separatrix perturbation causing striation of target particle fluxes. However, heat fluxes into these striations are small. This observation can be explained by accounting for the different heat and particle source locations and the 3D trajectories of the open, perturbed field lines toward the divertor target. Analysis of the transport characteristics filling the perturbed separatrix lobes based on initial EMC3/EIRENE modeling suggests the existence of open field lines connecting the stochastic edge to the target pattern. However, the width and inward most extent of the actual stochastic layer cannot yet be quantified.

Large Type-I edge localized modes (ELMs) are completely eliminated with small n = 3 resonant magnetic perturbations (RMP) in low average triangularity, , plasmas and in ITER similar shaped (ISS) plasmas, , with ITER relevant collisionalities . Significant differences in the RMP requirements and in the properties of the ELM suppressed plasmas are found when comparing the two triangularities. In ISS plasmas, the current required to suppress ELMs is approximately 25% higher than in low average triangularity plasmas. It is also found that the width of the resonant q95 window required for ELM suppression is smaller in ISS plasmas than in low average triangularity plasmas. An analysis of the positions and widths of resonant magnetic islands across the pedestal region, in the absence of resonant field screening or a self-consistent plasma response, indicates that differences in the shape of the q profile may explain the need for higher RMP coil currents during ELM suppression in ISS plasmas. Changes in the pedestal profiles are compared for each plasma shape as well as with changes in the injected neutral beam power and the RMP amplitude. Implications of these results are discussed in terms of requirements for optimal ELM control coil designs and for establishing the physics basis needed in order to scale this approach to future burning plasma devices such as ITER.

Recent experiments in DIII-D [J. L. Luxon et al., in Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research 1996 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1987), Vol. I, p. 159] have led to the discovery of a means of modifying edge turbulence to achieve stationary, high confinement operation without Edge Localized Mode (ELM) instabilities and with no net external torque input. Eliminating the ELM-induced heat bursts and controlling plasma stability at low rotation represent two of the great challenges for fusion energy. By exploiting edge turbulence in a novel manner, we achieved excellent tokamak performance, well above the H98y2 international tokamak energy confinement scaling (H98y2 = 1.25), thus meeting an additional confinement challenge that is usually difficult at low torque. The new regime is triggered in double null plasmas by ramping the injected torque to zero and then maintaining it there. This lowers E × B rotation shear in the plasma edge, allowing low-k, broadband, electromagnetic turbul...

Neoclassical transport of minority suprathermal alpha particles is investigated. This paper departs from previous investigations in that (a) the banana-width ordering parameter {rho}{sub {theta}}/L is not formally restricted to be a small parameter and (b) a linearized collision operator that retains the effects of pitch-angle scattering, electron and ion drag, and speed diffusion is used. A step model approximation for the large-aspect-ratio, circular-cross-section tokamak magnetic field is adopted to simplify the orbit-averaging procedure. Assuming that the suprathermal alphas are in the banana regime, an asymptotic expansion in {tau}{sub B}/{tau}{sub S} {much lt} l is carried out.

While operating a magnetic fusion device in H-mode has many advantages, care must be taken to understand and control the release of energy during the H-L back transition, as the extra energy stored within the H-mode transport barrier will have the potential to cause damage to material components of a large future tokamak such as ITER. Examining a scenario where the H-L back transition sequence begins before the E × B shearing layer decays on its own, we identify a long-lived precursor mode that is tied to the events of the H-L sequence and we develop a robust control strategy for ensuring gradual release of energy during the transition sequence. Back transitions in this scenario commonly begin with a rapid relaxation of the pedestal, which was previously shown to be inconsistent with ideal peeling-ballooning instability as the trigger [Eldon et al., Phys. Plasmas 22, 052109 (2015)], despite being otherwise similar to a large type-I Edge Localized Mode (ELM). This so-called transient occurs when the E × B ...

A new 'Super H-mode' regime is predicted, which enables pedestal height and predicted fusion performance substantially higher than for H-mode operation. This new regime is predicted to exist by the EPED pedestal model, which calculates criticality constraints for peeling–ballooning and kinetic ballooning modes, and combines them to predict the pedestal height and width. EPED usually predicts a single ('H-mode') pedestal solution for each set of input parameters, however, in strongly shaped plasmas above a critical density, multiple pedestal solutions are found, including the standard 'H-mode' solution, and a 'Super H-Mode' solution at substantially larger pedestal height and width. The Super H-mode regime is predicted to be accessible by controlling the trajectory of the density, and to increase fusion performance for ITER, as well as for DEMO designs with strong shaping. A set of experiments on DIII-D has identified the predicted Super H-mode regime, and finds pedestal height and width, and their variation with density, in good agreement with theoretical predictions from the EPED model. The very high pedestal enables operation at high global beta and high confinement, including the highest normalized beta achieved on DIII-D with a quiescent edge.

For the first time, DIII-D experiments have achieved stationary quiescent H-mode (QH-mode) operation for many energy confinement times at simultaneous ITER-relevant values of beta, confinement, and safety factor, in an ITER-like shape. QH-mode provides excellent energy confinement, even at very low plasma rotation, while operating without edge localized modes (ELMs) and with strong impurity transport via the benign edge harmonic oscillation (EHO). By tailoring the plasma shape to improve the edge stability, the QH-mode operating space has also been extended to densities exceeding 80% of the Greenwald limit, overcoming the long-standing low-density limit of QH-mode operation. In the theory, the density range over which the plasma encounters the kink-peeling boundary widens as the plasma cross-section shaping is increased, thus increasing the QH-mode density threshold. The DIII-D results are in excellent agreement with these predictions, and nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic analysis of reconstructed QH-mode equilibria shows unstable low n kink-peeling modes growing to a saturated level, consistent with the theoretical picture of the EHO. Furthermore, high density operation in the QH-mode regime has opened a path to a new, previously predicted region of parameter space, named “Super H-mode” because it is characterized by very high pedestals that can be more than a factor of two above the peeling-ballooning stability limit for similar ELMing H-mode discharges at the same density.

Injected neutral beams ionize to create a population of beam ions. As they orbit around the tokamak and pass through the heating beams, some beam ions re-neutralize and emit D-alpha light. The intensity of this emission is weak compared to the signals from the injected neutrals, the warm (halo) neutrals, and the edge recombination neutrals but, for a favorable viewing geometry, the emission is Doppler shifted away from these bright interfering signals. Preliminary data from the DIII-D tokamak show that signals from re-neutralized beam ions have already been detected. A three-channel prototype instrument consisting of a spectrometer, mask, camera lenses, and frame-transfer charge coupled device is under development for measurements of the spatial profile of the beam ions. © 2004 American Institute of Physics.

A novel approach has been implemented on DIII-D to allow the correct determination of the plasma poloidal velocity from charge exchange spectroscopy measurements. Unlike usual techniques, the need for detailed atomic physics calculations to properly interpret the results is alleviated. Instead, the needed atomic physics corrections are self-consistently determined directly from the measurements, by making use of specially chosen viewing chords. Modeling results are presented that were used to determine a set of views capable of measuring the correction terms. We present the analysis of a quiescent H-mode discharge, illustrating that significant modifications to the velocity profiles are required in these high ion temperature conditions. We also present preliminary measurements providing the first direct comparison of the standard cross-section correction to the atomic physics calculations.

Charge exchange spectroscopy allows the determination of ion temperature, poloidal and toroidal velocity, impurity density and radial electric field, Er, in high temperature tokamak plasmas. Charge exchange spectroscopy has been one of the workhouse diagnostics of the Doublet III and DIII-D tokamaks since 1983. The ability to determine the Er, for example, has been essential in testing the model of E×B shear expression of turbulence. For the 2000 experimental campaign, we have replaced the intensified photodiode array detectors on the edge portion of the system with advanced CCD detectors mounted on faster (f/4.7) spectrometers. This combination has improved the photoelectron signal level by approximately a factor of 20 and the signal to noise by a factor of 2 to 8, depending on the absolute signal level. A major portion of the signal level improvement comes from the improved quantum efficiency of the back-illuminated, thinned CCD detectors (70–85% for the CCD versus 10–20% for the image intensifier) with the remainder resulting from faster spectrometers. The CCD camera also allows shorter minimum integration times: 320 μs while archiving to PC memory and 150 μs using temporary storage on the CCD chip. The PC memory option allows up to 4096 spectra per tokamak shot, which is only limited by available memory. The faster on-chip storage is limited to 254 spectra. Results from tokamak plasma shots will also be discussed.

Peaked pressure profiles and central ion temperatures up to 20 keV are observed in DIII-D $H$-mode discharges with a central region of strongly reversed magnetic shear. Short wavelength ballooning modes are stabilized by access to the second stable regime, longer wavelength modes by a conducting wall and possibly by rotational shear. Values of normalized beta, ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{N}=\frac{\ensuremath{\beta}\mathrm{aB}}{I}$, up to 4 (%-$m$-T/MA), energy confinement are a factor of 3 better than $L$ mode, and at least 50% of the noninductive plasma current in this regime demonstrates compatibility with requirements for a steady-state high-beta tokamak power plant.

In this paper the manipulation of power deposition on divertor targets at DIII-D by the application of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) for suppression of large type-I edge localized modes (ELMs) is analysed. We discuss the modification of the ELM characteristics by the RMP applied. It is shown that the width of the deposition pattern in ELMy H-mode depends linearly on the ELM deposited energy, whereas in the RMP phase of the discharge those patterns are controlled by the externally induced magnetic perturbation. It was also found that the manipulation of heat transport due to the application of small, edge RMP depends on the plasma pedestal electron collisionality . We compare in this analysis RMP and no RMP phases with and without complete ELM suppression. At high , the heat flux during the ELM suppressed phase is of the same order as the inter-ELM and the no-RMP phase. However, below this collisionality value, a slight increase in the total power flux to the divertor is observed during the RMP phase. This is most likely caused by a more negative potential at the divertor surface due to hot electrons reaching the divertor surface from the pedestal area along perturbed, open field lines.

Following boronization, tokamak discharges in DIII-D have been obtained with confinement times up to a factor of 3.5 above the ITER89-P L-mode scaling and 1.8 times greater than the DIII-D/JET H-mode scaling relation. Very high confinement phases are characterized by relatively high central density with ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{e}}$(0)\ensuremath{\approxeq}1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{20}$ ${\mathrm{m}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$, and central ion temperatures up to 13.6 keV at moderate plasma currents (1.6 MA) and heating powers (12.5--15.3 MW). These discharges exhibit a low fraction of radiated power, P\ensuremath{\le}25%, ${\mathit{Z}}_{\mathit{e}\mathit{f}\mathit{f}}$(0) close to unity, and lower impurity influxes than comparable DIII-D discharges before boronization.

Marked changes in the edge radial electric field ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{r}}$ and in the edge poloidal rotation velocity ${\mathit{v}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}$ are important signatures of the L-H transition in the DIII-D tokamak. Shear exists in ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{r}}$ and ${\mathit{v}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}$ and increases from the L mode to the H mode. A comparison of experiment with theory shows that shear in ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{r}}$ and ${\mathit{v}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}$ is sufficient to suppress edge fluctuations, that ion-orbit loss is large enough to be the source of ${\mathit{v}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}$, and that ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{r}}$ and ${\mathit{v}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}$ may play a causal role in the L-H transition.

Achieving nuclear fusion in magnetically confined plasma has been frustrated by turbulence that rips the plasma apart. In his Perspective, Burrell discusses recent efforts to understand and control microturbulence-small-scale plasma eddies that dominate the loss of energy from tokamak plasmas. Such efforts include those reported by [ Lin et al. ][1] in the same issue, in which numerical simulations were used to examine the ability of velocity shear in the plasma to reduce microturbulence. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/281/5384/1835

The divertor magnetic geometry has a significant effect on the poloidal velocity and resulting velocity shear of turbulent density fluctuations in the outer region of L-mode tokamak plasmas, as determined via two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations with beam emission spectroscopy on DIII-D [J. L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42, 614 (2002)]. Plasmas with similar parameters, except that in one case the ion ∇B drift points towards the divertor X point (lower-single-null, LSN), and in the other case, the ion ∇B drift points away from the divertor X point (upper-single-null, USN), are compared. Inside r∕a=0.9, the turbulence characteristics (density fluctuation amplitude, flow direction, correlation lengths) are similar in both cases, while near r∕a=0.92, a dramatic reversal of the poloidal velocity of turbulent eddies relative to the core flow direction is observed in plasmas with the ion ∇B drift pointing towards the divertor X point. No such velocity reversal is observed in plasmas with the ion ∇B drif...

A special code describing transport of neutral hydrogen atoms in a hydrogenic plasma has been written. Test comparisons with solutions based on a neutron transport code show that the accuracy is good and the execution time is improved by a factor of six. The code accepts arbitrary, smooth electron and ion density and temperature profiles. Maximum temperatures permitted for accurate results are about 5 keV.

In DIII-D H-mode plasmas, large amplitude modulation of steep edge electron pressure gradients are observed during the occurrences of giant edge-localized modes (ELM's). For a considerable range of plasma currents (1 to 2 MA), the experimental pressure gradient before a giant ELM is close to the theoretically predicted marginal stability limit for the first regime of the ideal ballooning mode. These results, together with observations showing that ELM's originate in the region of bad curvature, strongly suggest that ELM's are triggered by ballooning mode instabilities.

A new diagnostic technique, based on elastic scattering of neutral atoms off the plasma ions, is proposed and analyzed. Space and time resolved measurements of the number densities and temperatures of the various components of the plasma are possible by energy analysis of the scattered neutral atoms. The ability to resolve ions of different masses is limited by ion thermal motion and the energy and angular dependence of the scattering cross sections. In hydrogenic plasmas with impurities, the scattering by the impurities is easily resolvable from the scattering of protons, even when the individual impurity contributions cannot be separately resolved. Detected particle count rates are calculated for a conceputal system for a tokamak plasma (n ~ 1013 cm-3, Ti ~ 300 eV). Time resolution of ~ 10 ms with spatial resolution of a few cm are predicted.