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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]

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]