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Alfvén Waves (AW) were launched in tokamak (TCABR) density limit plasmas for the first time. Experimental evidence of plasma heating is backed up by calculations from an 1-D numerical cylindrical code, based on the toroidal electric field diffusion. Simultaneously, increase in the density limit and plasma pressure with negligible impurities level launched by the AW antennas were also observed, without major appearance of a resistive disruption. The increase in the density limit and the heating might be related to the expected edge and off-axis AW power deposition, respectively, in agreement with the calculation performed by an 1-D numerical code linked to ASTRA. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An overview of recent results obtained in TCABR is presented. Experiments on Alfvén wave heating have been carried out in both low and high density regimes. Controlling the density rise usually observed in Alfvén heating experiments, it was possible to get a clear confirmation of electron temperature increase in low-density discharges. In the high density regime, the Alfvén wave absorption occurs at mode numbers quite different from those for low density. Detailed experiments have been carried out on the transition between low and high-density confinement regimes, triggered by electrostatic polarization at the plasma edge. The results indicate that the flatness of the density profile and the decrease of edge recycling depend strongly on the level of MHD activity during transition. A preliminary analysis of the electromagnetic emission associated with the relaxation instability in the new regime of runaway discharges discovered in TCABR shows that the observations are coherent with theoretical models. The heat transport in the presence of large magnetic islands has been investigated, in the collisional regime, and found to be properly described by the Fitzpatrick model. Finally, two diagnostic techniques have been further improved, the determination of the position of the local Alfvén resonance by microwave reflectometry and the determination of the temperature and density at the plasma edge by the method based upon the uniqueness of the particle confinement time, determined from the hydrogen Balmer series emission. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results on comparative studies of Alfvén wave plasma heating by two different antenna types in TCABR are presented. Emphasis is placed on the excited wave spectra and parasitic coupling with the edge plasma. The antenna modules have two groups of RF current-carrying straps separated by a toroidal angle of approximately 22°. In type I antenna, each group consists of two circular loops that are cut in two half-turn windings. The feeders of each loop pair are rotated 90° in the poloidal direction with respect to each other, to decrease the mutual coupling between them and make it possible to excite single helicity plasma modes (M=+1 or M=-1). In type II antenna, each group consists of two poloidal straps located at the low-magnetic-field side of the vacuum chamber. The poloidal extension of each strap is around 90° and the angle between straps is also of the same value. In both antenna types, the straps have side protectors of boron nitride. Initial experiments indicate that the parasitic interaction with the edge plasma is quite different for the two antennae. Also the first type has larger self-inductance, making it more difficult to deliver high currents to the antenna without increasing the dynamic polarization voltage up to breakdown limits. Results on the excited spectrum and floating potential at the plasma edge are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brief review of the Alfvén Wave Excitation System (AWES) designed for the TCABR tokamak and the first experimental results on RF plasma heating are presented. One of four antenna modules has been completely installed in the vacuum chamber and the initial experiments were carried out in the low power regime using the four-phase RF generator. The main objectives were the antenna tuning according to the typical plasma parameters of TCABR and the evaluation of the antenna parasitic loading, as well as the calibration of the RF diagnostic tools in real discharge conditions. The first results have been obtained with standard diagnostics and with the RF signals measured using high sampling rate digital oscilloscopes. They showed that daily antenna cleaning and correct wave helicity excitation reduce significantly the parasitic loading and are crucial for efficient plasma coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]