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The formation of the radial electric field, $E_{\rm r}$ in the SOL has been experimentally studied for attached divertor conditions in stellarator W7-X. The main objective of this study is to test the validity in a complex 3D island divertor of simple models, typically developed in tokamaks, relating $E_{\rm r}$ to the sheath potential drop gradient at the target. Additionally, we investigate the effect of the edge $E_{\rm r}$ shear on the reduction of density fluctuation amplitude, a well-established phenomenon according to the existing bibliography. The main diagnostic for measurements in the SOL is a V-band Doppler reflectometer that can provide the measurement of the $E_{\rm r}$ and density fluctuations with good spatial resolution. Three-dimensional measurements of divertor parameters has been carried out using infrared cameras, with $\lambda_{\rm q}$ resulting a suitable proxy for the model-relevant $\lambda_{\rm T}$. In the investigated attached regimes, it is shown for the first time that the formation of the $E_{\rm r}$ in the SOL depends on parameters at the divertor, following a $E_{\rm r} \propto T_{\rm e} /\lambda_q$ qualitatively similar to that found in a tokamak. Then, from the analyzed plasmas, the observed $E_{\rm r}$ shear at the edge is linked to a moderate local reduction of the amplitude of density fluctuations.

A recent characterization of core turbulence carried out with a Doppler reflectometer in the optimized stellarator Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) found that discharges achieving high ion temperatures at the core featured an ITG-like suppression of density fluctuations driven by a reduction of the gradient ratio $\eta_i = L_n/L_{T_i}$ [D. Carralero et al., Nucl. Fusion, 2021]. In order to confirm the role of ITG turbulence in this process, we set out to establish experimentally the relation between core density fluctuations, turbulent heat flux and global confinement. With this aim, we consider the scenarios found in the previous work and carry out power balance analysis for a number of representative ones, including some featuring high ion temperature. As well, we evaluate the global energy confinement time and discuss it in the context of the ISS04 inter-stellarator scaling. We find that, when turbulence is suppressed as a result of a reduction of $\eta_i$, there is a reduction of ion turbulent transport, and global performance is improved as a result. This is consistent with ITG turbulence limiting the ion temperature at the core of W7-X. In contrast, when turbulence is reduced following a decrease in collisionality, no changes are observed in transport or confinement. This could be explained by ITG modes being combined with TEM turbulence when the later is destabilized at low collisionalities., Comment: Submitted to PPCF, 47th EPS special issue

In this work we present the first measurements obtained by the V-band Doppler reflectometer during the second operation phase of Wendelstein 7-X to discuss the influence in the velocity shear layer and the radial electric field, E$_r$, of several plasma parameters such as magnetic configuration, rotational transform or degree of detachment. In the first place, we carry out a systematic characterization of the turbulence rotation velocity profile in order to describe the influence of density and heating power on E$_r$ under the four most frequent magnetic configurations. The $|$E$_r|$ value in the edge is found to increase with configurations featuring higher $\iota$, although this does not apply for the high mirror configuration, KJM. As well, the E$_r$ value in the SOL and the velocity shear near the separatrix are found to display a clear dependence on heating power and density for all configurations. For a number of relevant cases, these results are assessed by comparing them to neoclassical predictions obtained from the codes DKES and KNOSOS, finding generally good agreement with experimental results. Finally, the evolution of E$_r$ at the edge is evaluated throughout the island-divertor detachment regime achieved for the first time in the 2018 campaign. After detachment, $|$E$_r|$ is reduced both at the SOL and edge, and the plasma column shrinks, with the shear layer seemingly moving radially inwards from the separatrix., Comment: Sent for publication to Nuclear Fusion

Long pulse operation of present and future magnetic fusion devices requires sophisticated methods for protection of plasma facing components from overheating. Typically, thermographic systems are being used to fulfill this task. Steady state operation requires, however, autonomous operation of the system and fully automatic detection of abnormal events. At Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X), a large advanced stellarator, which aims at demonstrating the capabilities of the stellarator line as a future fusion power plant, significant efforts are being undertaken to develop a fully automatic system based on thermographic diagnostics. In October 2018, the first divertor-based experimental campaign has been finished. One of the goals of this operation phase (named OP1.2) was to study the capabilities of the island divertor concept using an uncooled test divertor made of fine-grain graphite tiles. Throughout this campaign, it was possible to test the infrared imaging diagnostic system, which will be used to protect the actively water-cooled plasma facing components (PFCs) during the steady-state operation in the next experimental campaign. An overview of the most relevant thermal events on the PFCs that were detected in OP1.2 using this system are presented. This includes events that limited operation during the campaign, like baffe hot spots and divertor overloads, events that are potentially critical in steady state operation like leading edges, events caused by the ECRH and NBI heating systems and other events which are a common source of false alarms like surface layers. The detected thermal events are now part of an important and extensive image database which will be used to further automate the system by means of computer vision and machine learning techniques in preparation for steady-state operation, when the system must be able to detect dangerous events and protect the machine in real-time.

The first fast ion experiments in Wendelstein 7-X were performed in 2018. They are one of the first steps in demonstrating the optimised fast ion confinement of the stellarator. The fast ions were produced with a neutral beam injection (NBI) system and detected with infrared cameras (IR), a fast ion loss detector (FILD), fast ion charge exchange spectroscopy (FIDA), and post-mortem analysis of plasma facing components. The fast ion distribution function in the plasma and at the wall is being modelled with the ASCOT suite of codes. They calculate the ionisation of the injected neutrals and the consecutive slowing down process of the fast ions. The primary output of the code is the multidimensional fast ion distribution function within the plasma and the distribution of particle hit locations and velocities on the wall. Synthetic measurements based on ASCOT output are compared to experimental results to assess the validity of the modelling. This contribution presents an overview of the various fast ion measurements in 2018 and the current modelling status. The validation and data-analysis is on-going, but the wall load IR modelling already yield results that match with the experiments., Comment: Presented in the 3rd European Conference on Plasma Diagnostics; 6th to 9th of May 2019; Lisbon, Portugal

The first neutral beam injection (NBI) experiments in Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator were conducted in the summer of 2018. The NBI system is used to heat the magnetically confined plasma by neutralising an accelerated hydrogen ion beam and directing it into the plasma, where the resulting energetic ions release their energy to heat the plasma. The modelling of the NBI fast ion experiments has commenced, including estimation of the shine-through and the orbit-losses. The stellarator has a wide-angle infra red (IR) imaging system to monitor the machine plasma facing component surface temperatures. This work validates the NBI model "Beamlet Based NBI (BBNBI)" and the newly written synthetic IR camera model. The validation is accomplished by comparing the measured and the synthetic IR camera measurements of an experiment where the NBI was injected into the vacuum vessel without a plasma. A good qualitative and quantitative match was found. This agreement is further supported by spectroscopic and calibration measurements of the NBI and and IR camera systems.

Sustained ELM mitigation has been achieved on MAST and AUG using RMPs with a range of toroidal mode numbers over a wide region of low to medium collisionality discharges. The ELM energy loss and peak heat loads at the divertor targets have been reduced. The ELM mitigation phase is typically associated with a drop in plasma density and overall stored energy. In one particular scenario on MAST, by carefully adjusting the fuelling it has been possible to counteract the drop in density and to produce plasmas with mitigated ELMs, reduced peak divertor heat flux and with minimal degradation in pedestal height and confined energy. While the applied resonant magnetic perturbation field can be a good indicator for the onset of ELM mitigation on MAST and AUG there are some cases where this is not the case and which clearly emphasise the need to take into account the plasma response to the applied perturbations. The plasma response calculations show that the increase in ELM frequency is correlated with the size of the edge peeling-tearing like response of the plasma and the distortions of the plasma boundary in the X-point region., Comment: 31 pages, 28 figures. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article submitted for publication in Nuclear Fusion. IoP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it

An analytical model previously developed to study the structure of the magnetic field for the TEXTOR-DED [S.S. Abdullaev et al. Phys. Plasmas, 6, 153 (1999)] is applied to the similar study of the Ergodic Divertor of Tore Supra tokamak [Ph. Ghendrih, Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion, 38, 1653 (1996)]. The coil configuration of ED Tore Supra consists of six modules equidistantly located along the toroidal direction on the low-field-side of the torus with given toroidal and poloidal extensions. The Hamiltonian formulation of field line equations in straight-field-line coordinates (Boozer coordinates) and the computationally efficient mapping method for integration of the Hamiltonian field line equations are used to study the magnetic field structure in the ED. Asymptotical formulas for the perturbation magnetic field created by the ED coils are obtained and the spectrum of magnetic perturbations is analyzed and compared with the one of the TEXTOR-DED. The structure of ergodic and laminar zones are studied by plotting Poincare sections, so-called laminar plots (contour plots of wall to wall connection lengths) and magnetic footprints. The radial profiles of field line diffusion coefficients are calculated for different perturbation currents and it is found that for the Tore Supra case in the ergodic zone the numerical field line diffusion coefficients perfectly follow the quasilinear formula for smaller perturbation currents although the situation is different for the maximum perturbation current., Comment: 32 pages, 27 figures