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Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) is the most advanced fusion experiment in the stellarator line and is aimed at proving that the stellarator concept is suitable for a fusion reactor. One of the most important issues for fusion reactors is the monitoring of plasma facing components when exposed to very high heat loads, through the use of visible and infrared (IR) cameras. In this paper, a new image processing system for the analysis of the strike lines on the inboard limiters from the first W7-X experimental campaign is presented. This system builds a model of the IR cameras through the use of spatial calibration techniques, helping to characterize the strike lines by using the information given by real spatial coordinates of each pixel. The characterization of the strike lines is made in terms of position, size, and shape, after projecting the camera image in a 2D grid which tries to preserve the curvilinear surface distances between points. The description of the strike-line shape is made by means of the Fourier Descriptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular beam epitaxy-grown layered structures Co/Mo/Co exhibit an antiparallel coupling of Co films magnetization in the Mo spacer thickness range between 0.5 nm and 1.0 nm and parallel beyond this range. Magnetic properties are substantially modified by beam irradiation of 35 keV Gaþ ions. With the increase in ion fluence, antiparallel coupling switches to the parallel one. Further increase in fluence results in gradual suppression of ferromagnetic behavior of the system. Experimental results are correlated with numerical simulations of layered structure evolution driven by irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) aims to demonstrate the reactor capability of the stellarator concept, by creating plasmas with pulse lengths of up to 30 min at a heating power of up to 10 MW. The divertor plasma facing components will see convective steady state heat flux densities of up to 10 MW/m2. These high heat flux target elements are actively cooled and are covered with carbon fibre reinforced carbon (CFC) as plasma facing material. The CFC is bonded to the CuCrZr cooling structure. Over the life time of the experiment this interface may weaken and cracks can occur, greatly reducing the heat conduction between the CFC tile and the cooling structure. Therefore, there is not only the need to monitor the divertor to prevent damage by overheating but also the need to detect these fatigue failures of the interface. A method is presented for an early detection of fatigue failures of the interface layer, solely by using the information delivered by the IR-cameras monitoring the divertor. This was developed and validated through experiments made with high heat flux target elements prior to installation in W7-X. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The status of the diagnostic developments for the quasistationary operable stellarator Wendelstein 7-X (maximum pulse length of 30 min at 10 MW ECRH heating at 140 GHz) will be reported on. Significant emphasis is being given to the issue of ECRH stray radiation shielding of in-vessel diagnostic components, which will be critical at high density operation requiring O2 and OXB heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of the plasma edge electron density ne and temperature Te fields during application of a fast rotating, resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) field show a characteristic modulation of both, ne and Te coherent to the rotation frequency of the RMP field. A phase delay [uppercase_phi_synonym] between the ne(t) and Te(t) waveforms is observed and it is demonstrated that this phase delay [uppercase_phi_synonym] is a function of the radius with [uppercase_phi_synonym](r) depending on the relative rotation of the RMP field and the toroidal plasma rotation. This provides for the first time direct experimental evidence for a rotation dependent damping of the external RMP field in the edge layer of a resistive high-temperature plasma which breaks down at low rotation and high resonant field amplitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-resolution imaging system, consisting of megapixel mid-IR and visible cameras along the same line of sight, has been prepared for the new W7-X stellarator and was operated during Operational Period 1.1 to view one of the five inboard graphite limiters. The radial line of sight, through a large diameter (184 mm clear aperture) uncoated sapphire window, couples a direct viewing 1344 × 784 pixel FLIR SC8303HD camera. A germanium beam-splitter sends visible light to a 1024 × 1024 pixel Allied Vision Technologies Prosilica GX1050 color camera. Both achieve sub-millimeter resolution on the 161 mm wide, inertially cooled, segmented graphite tiles. The IR and visible cameras are controlled via optical fibers over full Camera Link and dual GigE Ethernet (2 Gbit/s data rates) interfaces, respectively. While they are mounted outside the cryostat at a distance of 3.2 m from the limiter, they are close to a large magnetic trim coil and require soft iron shielding. We have taken IR data at 125 Hz to 1.25 kHz frame rates and seen that surface temperature increases in excess of 350 °C, especially on leading edges or defect hot spots. The IR camera sees heat-load stripe patterns on the limiter and has been used to infer limiter power fluxes (∼1-4.5 MW/m2), during the ECRH heating phase. IR images have also been used calorimetrically between shots to measure equilibrated bulk tile temperature, and hence tile energy inputs (in the range of 30 kJ/tile with 0.6 MW, 6 s heating pulses). Small UFO's can be seen and tracked by the FLIR camera in some discharges. The calibrated visible color camera (100 Hz frame rate) has also been equipped with narrow band C-III and H-alpha filters, to compare with other diagnostics, and is used for absolute particle flux determination from the limiter surface. Sometimes, but not always, hot-spots in the IR are also seen to be bright in C-III light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpretation of spectroscopic measurements in the edge region of high-temperature plasmas can be a challenge since line of sight integration effects make direct interpretation in terms of quantitative, local emission strengths often impossible. The EMC3-EIRENE code--a 3D fluid edge plasma and kinetic neutral gas transport code--is a suitable tool for full 3D reconstruction of such signals. A versatile synthetic diagnostic module has been developed recently which allows the realistic 3D setup of various plasma edge diagnostics to be captured.We highlight these capabilities with two examples for Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X): a visible camera for the analysis of recycling, and a coherent-imaging system for velocity measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent DIII-D [J. L. Luxon et al., Nucl. Fusion 43, 1813 (2003)] experiments show a correlation between the extent of overlap of magnetic islands induced in the edge plasma by perturbation coils and complete suppression of Type-I edge localized modes (ELMs) in plasmas with ITER-like electron pedestal collisionality νe*∼0.1, flux surface shape and low edge safety factor (q95≈3.6). With fixed amplitude n=3 resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP), ELM suppression is obtained only in a finite window in the edge safety factor (q95) consistent with maximizing the resonant component of the applied helical field. ELM suppression is obtained over an increasing range of q95 by either increasing the n=3 RMP strength, or by adding n=1 perturbations to “fill in” gaps between islands across the edge plasma. The suppression of Type-I ELMs correlates with a minimum width of the edge region having magnetic islands with Chirikov parameter >1.0, based on vacuum calculations of RMP mode components excluding the plasma response or rotational shielding. The fraction of vacuum magnetic field lines that are lost from the plasma, with connection length to the divertor targets comparable to an electron-ion collisional mean free path, increases throughout the island overlap region in the ELM suppressed case compared with the ELMing case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A generic approach to study the stochastic field lines formed near the magnetic separatrix of poloidal divertor tokamaks due to nonaxisymmetric magnetic perturbations is proposed. The method is based on the determination of the so-called Poincaré integral [S. S. Abdullaev, Phys. Rev. E 70, 046202 (2004)] defined as an integral over the vector potential of the perturbation field taken along the closed field lines orbit. This integral allows us to obtain the analytical estimations for the characteristics of chaotic field lines near the magnetic separatrix, like the Chirikov parameter, the widths of the stochastic layer and magnetic footprints, also the statistical characteristics of chaotic field lines, the quasilinear field line diffusion coefficients, and the Kolmogorov lengths. These estimations are in good agreement with the direct numerical calculations of corresponding quantities. A field line convection coefficient is introduced to describe the preferential outward drift of open chaotic field lines near the separatrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental observations of heat fluxes on divertor plates of tokamaks show typical structures (boomerang wings) for varying edge safety factors. The heat flux patterns follow from general principles of nonlinear dynamics. The pattern selection is due to the unstable and stable manifolds of the hyperbolic fixed points of the last intact island chain. Based on the manifold analysis, the experimental observations can be explained in full detail. Quantitative results are presented in terms of the penetration depths of field lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of time-delay-estimation techniques to two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations, obtained with beam emission spectroscopy in DIII-D [J. L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42, 614 (2002)] 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 0.85 &les;r/a &les;1.0. These features include 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 (k[SUBr]ρ[SUBI] < 0.2), and whose frequency varies monotonically with the local temperature. The approximate effective shearing rate, dv[SUBθ/dr, of the flow is of the same order of magnitude as the measured nonlinear decorrelation rate of the turbulence, and the density fluctuation amplitude is modulated at the frequency of the observed flow oscillation. Some phase coherence is observed between the higher wavenumber density fluctuations and low frequency poloidal flow fluctuations, suggesting a Reynolds stress contribution. These characteristics are consistent with predicted features of zonal flows, specifically identified as geodesic acoustic modes, observed in 3-D Braginskii simulations of core/edge turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations are obtained in the radial and poloidal plane of the DIII-D tokamak with the Beam Emission Spectroscopy (BES) diagnostic system. The goals are to visualize the spatial structure and time evolution of turbulent eddies, as well as to obtain the 2D statistical properties of turbulence. The measurements are obtained with an array of localized BES spatial channels configured to image a midplane region of the plasma. 32 channels have been deployed, each with a spatial resolution of about 1 cm in the radial and poloidal directions, thus providing measurements of turbulence in the wave number range 0

A wavelet-transform-based spectral analysis is examined for application to beam emission spectroscopy (BES) data to extract poloidal rotation velocity fluctuations from the density turbulence data. Frequency transfer functions for a wavelet cross-phase extraction method are calculated. Numerical noise is reduced by shifting the data to give an average zero time delay, and the applicable frequency range is extended by numerical oversampling of the measured density fluctuations. This approach offers potential for direct measurements of turbulent transport and detection of zonal flows in tokamak plasma turbulence. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations have been performed in DIII-D using the beam emission spectroscopy diagnostic. The 32 spatial channels are arranged to image a 5×6 cm[sup 2] (radial×poloidal) region in the plasma cross section, at a nominal 1 cm spatial resolution and separation. The typical decorrelation time, poloidal and radial correlation lengths, as well as a time-averaged flow field plot are obtained from spatial and temporal correlation analyses. A biorthogonal decomposition algorithm is applied to expand the data set into a set of modes that are orthogonal in time and in space, thus providing a simultaneous analysis of the space and time dependencies of fluctuation data. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the impurity-induced turbulence suppression and reduced transport in the DIII-D tokamak. Effect of neon seeding of a low confinement mode negative central shear discharge; Use of beam emission spectroscopy; Reduction in growth rate of ion temperature gradient driven modes.

Discusses the application of wavelet spectral analysis to plasma fluctuation measurements using beam emission spectroscopy (BES). Measurement of localized density fluctuations in fusion plasma turbulence; Application of a wavelet transform method to BES spectral analysis; Observation of transient changes in turbulence via BES.

Describes the installation of a beam emission spectroscopy (BES) system on the DIII-D tokamak to provide localized density fluctuation measurements for long wavelength plasma turbulent modes which are typically associated with anomalous radial transport. Description of the D-III BES diagnostic system; Isolation of small fluctuation signal; Measurements of turbulence.

Investigates the transport and performance in DIII-D tokamak discharges with weak or negative central magnetic shear. Heating of electrons by low-power neutral beam injection; Formation of a region of reduced transport and highly peaked profiles in the cores when the neutral beam power is increased.

An overview of the diagnostics which are essential for the first operational phase of Wendelstein 7-X and the set of diagnostics expected to be ready for operation at this time are presented. The ongoing investigations of how to cope with high levels of stray Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) radiation in the ultraviolet (UV)/visible/infrared (IR) optical diagnostics are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy spectral measurements of runaway electrons were performed by a scanning probe with high spatial and temporal resolution in the TEXTOR tokamak. The probe consists of ten YSO (Y2SiO5:Ce) crystals, which are shielded by tungsten filters. The probe can resolve electrons with different energies between 4 and 30 MeV. An insertion of the probe to the plasma boundary several times during the discharge allowed spectral measurements of runaway electrons at different minor radial positions at the plasma edge as well as the study of runaway production in time. The high temporal resolution of the probe, 0.05 ms, enabled measurements of runaway electrons not only during low density discharges, but also during plasma disruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Note reports on experimental studies of ripple born fast electrons within the TORE-SUPRA facility, which were performed by means of a modified measuring head equipped with diamond detectors designed especially for recording the electron-induced Cherenkov radiation. There are presented signals produced by fast electrons in the TORE-SUPRA machine, which were recorded during two experimental campaigns performed in 2010. Shapes of these electron-induced signals are considerably different from those observed during the first measurements carried out by the prototype Cherenkov probe in 2008. An explanation of the observed differences is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical issues in the development of diagnostics, which need to work robust and reliable under quasi-steady state conditions for the discharge durations of 30 min and which cannot be maintained throughout the one week duration of each operation phase of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, are being discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wendelstein 7-X aims at quasi-steady state operation with up to 10 MW of heating power for 30 min. Power exhaust will be handled predominantly via 10 actively water cooled CFC (carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon) based divertor units designed to withstand power loads of 10 MW/m 2 locally in steady state. If local loads exceed this value, a risk of local delamination of the CFC and failure of entire divertor modules arises. Infrared endoscopes to monitor all main plasma facing components are being prepared, and near real time software tools are under development to identify areas of excessive temperature rise, to distinguish them from non-critical events, and to trigger alarms. Tests with different cameras were made in the recent campaign. Long pulse operation enforces additional diagnostic design constraints: for example, the optics need to be thermally decoupled from the endoscope housing. In the upcoming experimental campaign, a graphite scraper element, in front of the island divertor throat, will be tested as a possible means to protect the divertor pumping gap edges during the transient discharge evolution.

Two graphite divertor elements called scrapers have been installed on the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in the throat of the magnetic island divertor. To diagnose one, we have designed, built, calibrated, and installed a new infrared/visible imaging endoscope system to enable detailed observations of the plasma interactions and heat loads at one of the scrapers and the nearby divertor surfaces. The new system uses a shuttered pinhole-protected pair of 90° off-axis 228 mm focal length aluminum parabolic mirrors, and two flat turning metal mirrors, to send light to a sapphire vacuum window 1.6 meters away, beyond which we have co-located telephoto lens-based infrared and visible cameras. The back-to-back off-axis parabolas serve to cancel out most aberrations, enabling the use of off-the-shelf commercial optics outside of the vessel. For the infrared, we use a 3-5 μ m 1-megapixel FLIR SC8303HD camera and for the visible, a 5-megapixel CMOS PCO 5.5 edge camera. A short 1-m quartz pickoff fiber is used to send 200-1100 nm light to a compact spectrometer, also located in the same iron shield box as the cameras. The camera field of view covers the 700 mm length of the scraper, and includes locations monitored by thermocouples and Langmuir probes embedded in some of the scraper tiles. Predicted and actual optical test performances of the overall system are compared.

Wendelstein 7-X, a superconducting optimized stellarator built in Greifswald/Germany, started its first plasmas with the last closed flux surface (LCFS) defined by 5 uncooled graphite limiters in December 2015. At the end of the 10 weeks long experimental campaign (OP1.1) more than 20 independent diagnostic systems were in operation, allowing detailed studies of many interesting plasma phenomena. For example, fast neutral gas manometers supported by video cameras (including one fast-frame camera with frame rates of tens of kHz) as well as visible cameras with different interference filters, with field of views covering all ten half-modules of the stellarator, discovered a MARFE-like radiation zone on the inboard side of machine module 4. This structure is presumably triggered by an inadvertent plasma-wall interaction in module 4 resulting in a high impurity influx that terminates some discharges by radiation cooling. The main plasma parameters achieved in OP1.1 exceeded predicted values in discharges of a length reaching 6 s. Although OP1.1 is characterized by short pulses, many of the diagnostics are already designed for quasi-steady state operation of 30 min discharges heated at 10 MW of ECRH. An overview of diagnostic performance for OP1.1 is given, including some highlights from the physics campaigns.