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An infrared imaging system, based on an Amber Radiance 1 infrared camera, is used at Alcator C-Mod to measure the surface temperatures in the lower divertor region. Due to the supra-linear dependence of the thermal radiation with temperature it is important to make use of the 12-bit digitization of the focal plane array of the Amber camera and not be limited by the 8 bits inherent to the video signal. It is also necessary for the image capture device (i.e., fast computer) to be removed from the high magnetic field environment surrounding the experiment. Finally, the coupling between the digital camera output and the capture device should be nonconductive for isolation purposes (i.e., optical coupling). A digital video remote camera interface (RCI) coupled to a PCI bus fiber optic interface board is used to accomplish this task. Using this PCI-RCI system, the 60 Hz images from the Amber Radiance 1 camera, each composed of 256×256 pixels and 12 bits/pixel, are captured by a Windows NT computer. An electrica...

I-mode is a high-performance tokamak regime characterized by the formation of a temperature pedestal and enhanced energy confinement, without an accompanying density pedestal or drop in particle and impurity transport. I-mode operation appears to have naturally occurring suppression of large Edge-Localized Modes (ELMs) in addition to its highly favorable scalings of pedestal structure and overall performance. Extensive study of the ELMy H-mode has led to the development of the EPED model, which utilizes calculations of coupled peeling-ballooning MHD modes and kinetic-ballooning mode (KBM) stability limits to predict the pedestal structure preceding an ELM crash. We apply similar tools to the structure and ELM stability of I-mode pedestals. Analysis of I-mode discharges prepared with high-resolution pedestal data from the most recent C-Mod campaign reveals favorable pedestal scalings for extrapolation to large machines—pedestal temperature scales strongly with power per particle P[subscript net] [over [bar over n][subscript e]], and likewise pedestal pressure scales as the net heating power (consistent with weak degradation of confinement with heating power). Matched discharges in current, field, and shaping demonstrate the decoupling of energy and particle transport in I-mode, increasing fueling to span nearly a factor of two in density while maintaining matched temperature pedestals with consistent levels of P[subscript net] [over [bar over n][subscript e]]. This is consistent with targets for increased performance in I-mode, elevating pedestal β [subscript p] and global performance with matched increases in density and heating power. MHD calculations using the ELITE code indicate that I-mode pedestals are strongly stable to edge peeling-ballooning instabilities. Likewise, numerical modeling of the KBM turbulence onset, as well as scalings of the pedestal width with poloidal beta, indicates that I-mode pedestals are not limited by KBM turbulence—both features identified with the trigger for large ELMs, consistent with the observed suppression of large ELMs in I-mode., United States. Dept. of Energy (Agreement DE-FC02-99ER54512), United States. Dept. of Energy (Agreement DE-FG02-99ER54309)

Cross-field particle transport increases sharply with distance into the SOL and plays a dominant role in the `main-chamber recycling' regime in Alcator C-Mod, a regime in which most of the plasma particle efflux recycles on the main-chamber walls rather than flows into the divertor volume. This observation has potentially important implications for a reactor: contrary to the ideal picture of divertor operation, a tightly baffled divertor may not offer control of the neutral density in the main-chamber such that charge exchange heat losses and sputtering of the main-chamber walls can be reduced. The conditions that give rise to the main-chamber recycling regime can be understood by considering the plasma-neutral particle balance: when the flux surface averaged neutral density exceeds a critical value, flows to the divertor can no longer compete with the ionization source and particle fluxes must increase with distance into the SOL. This critical neutral density condition can be recast into a critical cross-field plasma flux condition: particle fluxes must increase with distance into the SOL when the plasma flux crossing a given flux surface exceeds a critical value. Thus, the existence of the main-chamber recycling regime is intrinsically tied to the level of anomalous cross-field particle transport. Direct measurement of the effective cross-field particle diffusivities Deff in a number of ohmic L mode discharges indicates that Deff near the separatrix strongly increases as plasma collisionality increases. Convected heat fluxes correspondingly increase, implying that there exists a critical plasma density (or perhaps collisionality) beyond which no steady state plasma can be maintained, even in the absence of radiation.

X-ray spectra of 2l-3l' transitions in the elements krypton (Z = 36), zirconium (Z = 40), niobium (Z = 41) and molybdenum (Z = 42) from charge states around neon-like have been observed from Alcator C and Alcator C-Mod plasmas. Accurate wavelengths (±0.5 mA) have been determined with reference to neighbouring aluminium, silicon, sulfur, chlorine and argon lines with relatively well known wavelengths. Line identifications have been made by comparison to ab initio atomic structure calculations, using a fully relativistic, parametric potential code. Calculated wavelengths and oscillator strengths are presented for 2l-3l' transitions in neon-like ions and neighbouring Na-, Mg-, F- and O-like satellites. Electric quadrupole transitions in neon-like ions of the form 2s-3d and 2p-3p are found to be relatively bright, and their measured intensities agree well with the results of collisional-radiative modelling. The 2p-3s magnetic quadrupole transition is also relatively intense in the absence of collisional de-excitation at tokamak densities (1013-1015 cm-3). For krypton, transitions with upper levels up to n = 9 have been observed, and the measured wavelengths and intensities have been compared with calculations. For some neon-like transitions with nearly degenerate upper levels, there can be substantial configuration interaction which alters the line intensities.

Neutral particle densities and energy losses have been measured in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak [Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)]. Their effect on the formation and evolution of the edge barrier which accompanies the enhanced confinement regime are discussed. The neutrals can enter the edge dynamics through the particle, momentum, and energy balance. Neutral densities of up to 5×1016 m−3 have been measured in the edge barrier region. Neutrals enter the local dynamics around most of the periphery, not just at the X-point. High resolution measurements of the ionization profile have been obtained for the region near the separatrix. The profile shifts inside the separatrix as the plasma is making a transition from low-to high-mode confinement (H-mode) regimes, partly accounting for the dramatic rise in edge density. The measured neutral density is large enough to affect the bulk ion momentum by charge exchange, and thereby introduces a negative radial electric field at the edge. At the same time, significant edge heat flux, carried by the neutrals, contributes to the measured power loss. At very high edge densities, this loss mechanism could contribute to quenching H-modes.

The effect of divertor baffling on Alcator C-Mod [Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] discharges has been investigated using a novel divertor bypass. The bypass allows the in situ variation of the mechanical conductance from the divertor plenum to the main chamber between or even during discharges. The results indicate a strong dependence on baffling for the compression of deuterium and recycling impurity gases in the divertor plenum in a variety of C-Mod discharges, indicating that tight baffling would be desirable in a future tokamak reactor. There is no apparent effect of the divertor baffling for the Ohmic, L-mode and EDA (Enhanced Dα) H-mode discharges in this study on main chamber neutral particle populations, scrape-off-layer flows, nonrecycling impurity screening, global energy confinement or H-mode threshold powers.

Observations of spectral line profiles commonly represent the integration of emission along the line of sight. Depending on the number of views and the symmetries involved, one can use techniques ranging from simple Abel inversion to complex tomographic reconstruction to find the spatial distribution emitters. In tokamak experiments, the spatial dependence of the magnetic field is typically available and can be used to gain important insights into the absence of other spatial information. The Zeeman patterns of spectral lines from neutral atoms and low-Z ions in tokamak plasmas can contain enough information to restrict the location of emission to well defined positions along a given line of sight. Simple modeling of observations with high spectral resolution from Alcator C-Mod plasmas demonstrates the application of this technique to the interpretation of experimental data. This localization of emission is not only of interest to spectroscopists and modelers of tokamak edge and divertor regions, it could...

In the present study recycling and transport in the edge plasma of Alcator C-Mod [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] is modeled and analyzed with the multi-fluid code UEDGE [T. D. Rognlien et al., J. Nucl. Mater. 196–198, 347 (1992)]. Matching the experimental plasma density profiles in the scrape-off layer (SOL) requires a spatially dependent effective anomalous diffusion coefficient D⊥ growing rapidly towards the wall. The midplane pressure of neutral gas, Pmid, is a key parameter that reflects the magnitude of anomalous transport of plasma from the core. Recycling of plasma on the main chamber wall appears to be quite significant, especially in the case of high Pmid∼0.3 mTorr when the main wall provides ∼70% of recycling neutrals in the main chamber. In the upper SOL (well above the x point) draining of particles by the poloidal flow is weak and thus the particle balance is predominantly radial. For the radial heat transport it is found that energy flux carried by radial plasma conv...

Detailed measurements of the magnitude and location of volumetric recombination occurring in the detached divertor of Alcator C-Mod tokamak [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] are presented. The drop in divertor plate ion current during detachment is due to two mechanisms: (1) volumetric recombination in the divertor plasma; and (2) reductions in the divertor ion source. Depending on plasma conditions, each of these can be the primary mechanism for the observed ion current reduction in detachment. The ion source during detachment is inferred and its magnitude is consistent with the measured divertor power flow. A scaling of the density in the divertor recombining region for L- (low confinement) mode plasmas is found, ne,r∝ne0.8⋅PSOL2/7. A model based on pressure variation along a flux surface during detachment is consistent with the main features of this scaling.

Alcator C-Mod [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] has operated a High-confinement-mode (H-mode) plasma together with a dissipative divertor and low core Zeff. The initially attached plasma is characterized by steady-state enhancement factor, HITER89P [P. N. Yushmanov et al., Nucl. Fusion 30, 1999 (1990)], of 1.9, central Zeff of 1.1, and a radiative fraction of ∼50%. Feedback control of a nitrogen gas puff is used to increase radiative losses in both the core/edge and divertor plasmas in almost equal amounts. Simultaneously, the core plasma maintains HITER89P of 1.6 and Zeff of 1.4 in this nearly 100% radiative state. The power and particle flux to the divertor plates have been reduced to very low levels while the core plasma is relatively unchanged by the dissipative nature of the divertor.

Regimes of high-confinement mode have been studied in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak [Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)]. Plasmas with no edge localized modes (ELM-free) have been compared in detail to a new regime, enhanced Dα (EDA). EDA discharges have only slightly lower energy confinement than comparable ELM-free ones, but show markedly reduced impurity confinement. Thus EDA discharges do not accumulate impurities and typically have a lower fraction of radiated power. The edge gradients in EDA seem to be relaxed by a continuous process rather than an intermittent one as is the case for standard ELMy discharges and thus do not present the first wall with large periodic heat loads. This process is probably related to fluctuations seen in the plasma edge. EDA plasmas are more likely at low plasma current (q>3.7), for moderate plasma shaping, (triangularity ∼0.35–0.55), and for high neutral pressures. As observed in soft x-ray emission, the pedestal width is found to scale with the same parameters that determine the EDA/ELM-free boundary.

A method for evaluating the volume recombination rate within a cold ( T e ≲1 eV), relatively dense ( n e ≳1×10 21 m −3 ) plasma is described. These conditions often exist in the detached divertor plasmas of the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak. Temperatures ≲1 eV are measured spectroscopically. Densities in the 0.4 × 10 21 –2.5 × 10 21 m −3 range are measured using the Stark-broadened D 0 Balmer series lines. D 0 line emissions in both the Lyman and Balmer series show that the D 0 excited state populations ( n ≳3) in the recombining regions are close to those given by the Saha–Boltzmann distribution and are essentially independent of the ground state density. The intensities of lines from these excited states are related to the recombination rate. The number of recombinations per D 0 photon is a function of opacity of the Lyman series lines, T e and n e . Determinations of the recombination rates corresponding to the line intensities are made by using a collisional radiative model describing the level populations, ionization and recombination of D 0 and a model which accounts for the radiation transfer of the Lyman lines. The effects of the trapping of Lyman photons on the `recombinations per photon' curves have been calculated using both modelling which considers only spatial diffusion of the photons and modelling by a radiative transfer code which calculates photon transport in space and frequency. Subject to imperfect knowledge of the 2D profiles of opacity and temperature, total recombination rates in the detached divertor plasma are determined. In the Alcator C-Mod divertor region, volume recombination can be a significant sink for ions under detached conditions.

Recent breakthroughs in silicon detector technology now permit measurement of radiated power over a wide range in photon energies. These detectors (also known as AXUV photodiodes) have a flat spectral power response from ultraviolet to x-ray energies, and with a slightly reduced efficiency all the way down to visible wavelengths. Since they can be made small, multichannel detectors allow high spatial resolution to be combined with an intrinsic high temporal resolution, which can reach the microsecond range, depending on the application. Additional features include ease of use and installation, and relatively low cost compared to other techniques. A combination of two multichannel toroidally viewing systems has been recently installed on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. The first array, which is composed of 16 channels, sees tangentially the outer-half of the plasma at the midplane, and is used to measure the total power radiated. The second array, also located at the midplane, consists of 19 channels and views ...

The design of two beam-based diagnostic systems for C-Mod, charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy (CXRS) and beam-emission spectroscopy (BES) will be presented. A 50-keV diagnostic neutral beam (DNB) will be installed on C-Mod for these and other diagnostics. By adding BES and CXRS to the set of C-Mod diagnostics, it will be possible to test theory-based models of turbulent transport, which are typically based on marginal stability and the existence/dominance of ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes. Tests that coordinate turbulence measurements with transport measurements are largely unavailable at present.

A new infrared imaging system has been installed on Alcator C-Mod. This system uses an Amber Radiance 1 IR video camera (filtered to the 4.2–4.4 μm band) to view a 30 cm×30 cm region of the lower divertor from above by means of a re-entrant 5-m long ZnSe based periscope. Capture of the standard 30 Hz video frames (8-bit) and camera control are performed remotely over fiber optic links by a Windows 95 PC, using a MuTech MV-1000 video grabber board. Plans are under way to directly capture the 60 Hz, 12-bit, 256×256 pixel images using a digital video camera interface with a fiber optic link from EDT (Beaverton, Oregon). Preliminary results show that during nondisruptive discharges no substantial surface temperature increase is observed on the upper sections of the divertor, with the exception of “hot spots,” although occasionally, increased heating in toroidal bands is seen. Bands can also be observed after disruptions that result in a downward movement of the plasma.

Under detached plasma conditions in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, the measured spectra show pronounced merging of the Balmer series lines and a photo-recombination continuum edge which is not a sharp step. This phenomenon, known as a smooth discrete-to-continuum (D-C) transition, is typical only for high-density , low-temperature (Te≈1 eV), and recombining plasma. As we will discuss, this type of transition emphasizes the degree of plasma non-ideality. A theoretical model capable of treating spectra from a detached divertor plasma, and those with a smooth D-C transition in particular, has been developed. It is comprised of three parts: (i) a collisional-radiative model for the population densities of the excited states, (ii) atomic structure and collision rates for an atom affected by statistical plasma microfields, and (iii) a model for calculating the line profiles and the extended photo-recombination continuum. The effects of statistical plasma microfields on the population densities of excited states, on the profiles of Balmer series lines, and on the photo-recombination continuum edge are discussed. The changes in spectrum characteristics with plasma parameter variation, leading to the smooth D-C transition, are analysed. The relevance of volumetric plasma recombination to the spectra observed from a detached divertor plasma is discussed. A comparison of the calculated and measured spectra is used to determine the plasma parameters in the recombining plasma region. Along with other properties of measured spectrum, the smooth D-C transition provides evidence in support of the recombining state of the plasma attained under detached divertor conditions.

MARFEs are experimentally studied using spectroscopic techniques to determine their internal characteristics. We find the local density and temperature in the MARFE to be $(2--3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{21}\mathrm{m}{}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ and 0.7--1.0 eV, respectively. The volume recombination rate is also large in the MARFE, $(5--10)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{22}\mathrm{s}{}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, similar in magnitude to the plasma source rate in the core. Because this plasma sink is located in confined regions of the plasma, the MARFE acts like a limiter; ions ``recycle'' from the MARFE as neutrals. These characteristics have not been predicted by current models.

Analysis of the experimental data from tokamaks and linear divertor simulators leads to the conclusion that plasma recombination is a crucial element of plasma detachment. Different mechanisms of plasma recombination relevant to the experimental conditions of the tokamak scrape-off layer (SOL) and divertor simulators are considered. The physics of Molecular Activated Recombination (MAR) involving vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen are discussed. Although conventional Electron–Ion Recombination (EIR) alone can strongly alter the plasma parameters, MAR impact can be substantial for both tokamak SOL plasma and divertor simulators. Investigation of the effects of EIR on the plasma flow in divertor simulators shows that due to the balances of (a) energy transport and electron cooling, and (b) the plasma flow and recombination, that EIR extinguishes the simulator plasma at an electron temperature about 0.15 eV.

A series of experiments has been carried out to determine the relative screening of the low recycling gaseous impurities, nitrogen and methane, in Alcator C-Mod tokamak [Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] discharges. The impurity density in the core plasma is directly proportional to the rate of impurity injection. Screening was found to vary weakly with plasma density but to be markedly dependent on the poloidal position of injection. Detachment of the plasma results in significantly less screening both in Ohmic and in high confinement (H-mode) discharges, particularly when the gas is injected into the divertor or at the inner vessel wall. Evidence of impurity transport from the scrape-off layer into the divertor using bolometry and visible spectroscopy is presented and modeling of the transport using a two-dimensional Monte Carlo code is described.

Highly localized direct electron heating [full width at half-maximum (FWHM)≅0.2a] via mode converted ion Bernstein waves has been observed in the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)]. Electron heating at or near the plasma center (r/a⩾0.3) has been observed in H(3He) discharges at B0=(6.0–6.5) T and ne(0)≅1.8×1020 m−3. [Here, the minority ion species is indicated parenthetically.] Off-axis heating (r/a⩾0.5) has also been observed in D(3He) plasmas at B0=7.9 T. The concentration of 3He in these experiments was in the range of n3He/ne≅(0.2–0.3) and the locations of the mode conversion layer and electron heating peak could be controlled by changing the 3He concentration or toroidal magnetic field (B0). The electron heating profiles were deduced using a rf modulation technique. Detailed comparisons with one-dimensional and toroidal full-wave models in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies have been carried out. One-dimensional full-wave code predictions were found to ...

Enhanced confinement modes up to a toroidal field of BT=8 T have been studied with up to 3.5 MW of radiofrequency (rf) heating power in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) at 80 MHz. H-mode is observed when the edge temperature exceeds a threshold value. The high confinement mode (H-mode) with higher confinement enhancement factors (H) and longer duration became possible after boronization by reducing the radiated power from the main plasma. A quasi-steady state with high confinement (H=2.0), high normalized beta (βN=1.5), low radiated power fraction (Pradmain/Ploss=0.3), and low effective charge (Zeff=1.5) has been obtained in Enhanced Dα H-mode. This type of H-mode has enhanced levels of continuous Dα emission and very little or no edge localized mode (ELM) activity, and reduced core particle confinement time relative to ELM-free H-mode. The pellet enhanced performance (PEP) mode is obtained by combining core fueling with pellet injection and core heating. A highly peaked pressure profile with a central value of 8 atmospheres was observed. The steep pressure gradient drives off-axis bootstrap current, resulting in a shear reversed safety factor (q) profile. Suppression of sawteeth appears to be important in maintaining the highly peaked pressure profile. Lithium pellets were found to be more effective than deuterium pellets in raising q0.

Local measurements of line emission of either intrinsic or gas puffed impurities will be performed around and below the X point. Such spectroscopic measurements, together with divertor Thomson scattering and bolometric imaging will enable estimates of divertor impurity particle distributions and power losses. A proposed multilayer mirror (MLM) diagnostic mounted inside the tokamak vessel will measure XUV (100–200 A) emission from impurities at multiple locations in the divertor region of the C-Mod tokamak. A prototype of this instrument measuring N V at 162.6 A is scheduled to be installed on C-Mod with a single chordal view of the X point. A multichordal/multispectral device using MLMs and gratings has been designed for the DIII-D tokamak. The instrument will measure the resonance emission of C II to C VI from 40–2000 A, thus enabling a more direct and reliable estimate of the impurity content in the divertor. At DIII-D, the device will be mounted on a port below the mid plane avoiding spectroscopic cont...

Joint experiment/theory/modelling research has led to increased confidence in predictions of the pedestal height in ITER. This work was performed as part of a US Department of Energy Joint Research Target in FY11 to identify physics processes that control the H-mode pedestal structure. The study included experiments on C-Mod, DIII-D and NSTX as well as interpretation of experimental data with theory-based modelling codes. This work provides increased confidence in the ability of models for peeling-ballooning stability, bootstrap current, pedestal width and pedestal height scaling to make correct predictions, with some areas needing further work also being identified. A model for pedestal pressure height has made good predictions in existing machines for a range in pressure of a factor of 20. This provides a solid basis for predicting the maximum pedestal pressure height in ITER, which is found to be an extrapolation of a factor of 3 beyond the existing data set. Models were studied for a number of processes that are proposed to play a role in the pedestal ne and Te profiles. These processes include neoclassical transport, paleoclassical transport, electron temperature gradient turbulence and neutral fuelling. All of these processes may be important, with the importance being dependent on the plasma regime. Studies with several electromagnetic gyrokinetic codes show that the gradients in and on top of the pedestal can drive a number of instabilities. © 2013 IAEA, Vienna.

Application of lower hybrid range of frequencies (LHRF) waves can induce both co- and counter-current directed changes in toroidal rotation in Alcator C-Mod plasmas, depending on the target plasma current, electron density, confinement regime and magnetic shear. For ohmic L-mode discharges with good core LH wave absorption, and significant current drive at a fixed LH power near 0.8 MW, the interior (r/a q95/11.5, and in the co-current direction if ne(1020 m−3) 1, indicating a good correlation with driven current fraction, unifying the results observed on various tokamaks. For high density (ne ≥ 1.2 × 1020 m−3) L-mode target discharges, where core LH wave absorption is low, the rotation change is in the co-current direction, but evolves on a shorter momentum transport time scale, and is seen across the entire spatial profile. For H-mode target plasmas, both co- and counter-current direction increments have been observed with LHRF. The H-mode co-rotation is correlated with the pedestal temperature gradient, which itself is enhanced by the LH waves absorbed in the plasma periphery. The H-mode counter-rotation increment, a flattening of the peaked velocity profile in the core, is consistent with a reduction in the momentum pinch correlated with a steepening of the core density profile. Most of these rotation changes must be due to indirect transport effects of LH waves on various parameters, which modify the momentum flux.

We describe results from imaging observations of atomic line and continuum emission in the 550.6 nm region on Alcator C-Mod. Both the 550.6 nm neutral molybdenum emission and the adjacent 549 nm continuum emission are imaged separately to isolate line emission. A few complications of using imaging to infer erosion in this wavelength region are discussed including subtraction of continuum emission and determination of an appropriate S/XB coefficient. Diagnostics of surface erosion and thermography using these emissions are briefly reviewed, and used to study phenomenology during ohmic operation, ion cyclotron range of frequencies heating (ICRH), and lower hybrid current drive (LHCD). In addition to broadening of Mo I emission regions in the outer divertor and main limiter during ICRH compared to ohmic operation, mid-plane localized heating of the main limiter associated with fast-ion impact is observed which exceeds the divertor heat flux. During LHCD operation, several localized regions of increased brightness associated with hot spots are interpreted as heating due to localized density peaking, which re-iterates the importance of imaging continuum emission for subtraction. These sources of surface heating exacerbate plasma–material interactions at the device wall and may require additional mitigation if they cannot be avoided in future machines.

A model is developed which constrains heat width, λr based on global power balance, momentum conservation, pedestal stability and sheath heat transmission. The model relies on measurements of the ratio of separatrix to pedestal pressure; a ratio ∼5% is found to be expected for ITER. Applying this model indicates a constraint that the allowed λr ∼ 10–30 mm for ITER if the divertor is in the high-recycling regime as expected (T < 20 eV) while a λr ∼ 1–3 mm requires a separatrix pressure approximately equal to the top pedestal pressure in violation of physical reasoning and the concept of a pedestal. A weaker constraint is applied in the model that upstream separatrix temperature simultaneously satisfies power balance. The constrained model cannot satisfy power balance with λr < 3 mm, and in order to obtain λr ∼ 5 mm requires divertor plasma temperature >100 eV, a condition which would have very negative consequences for the divertor, but has never been observed experimentally., United States. Department of Defense (US DOE award DE-SC00-02060), United States. Department of Defense (contract DE-FC02-99ER54512), United States. Department of Defense (cooperative agreement DE-FC02- 04ER54698)

Fluctuations in the boundary region of the Alcator C-Mod tokamak have been analyzed using gas puff imaging data. It is found that the fluctuation amplitudes in the near scrape-off layer follow a normal distribution while the far scrape-off layer fluctuations are dominated by large amplitude bursts due to radial motion of blob-like structures and have a positively skewed and flattened amplitude probability distribution. Conditional averaging of the time series reveals burst wave forms with a fast rise and slow decay and exponentially distributed burst amplitudes and waiting times. Based on this, a stochastic model of the burst dynamics is constructed. The model predicts that fluctuation amplitudes should follow a Gamma distribution and that there is a parabolic relation between the skewness and the kurtosis moments of the fluctuations. This is shown to compare favorably with the gas puff imaging data over a range of line-averaged plasma densities.

Fully relativistic, ab initio calculations of the rate of dielectronic recombination (DR) have been performed for fluorinelike ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{33+}$ to magnesiumlike ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{30+}$ and chlorinelike ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{25+}$ and argonlike ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{24+}$. Calculations of the rate of excitation autoionization (EA) have been performed for neonlike ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{32+}$ to aluminumlike ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{29+}$ and argonlike ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{24+}$ and potassiumlike ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{23+}$. The detailed calculations of the atomic structure and rate coefficients for charge states in these groups allow interpolation of the DR and EA rates for the more complex ions having 3${\mathit{s}}^{2}$3${\mathit{p}}^{\mathit{k}}$ (k=1--4 for DR and k=2--5 for EA) ground states. The calculations for DR are broken up by different classes of excitation channels; simple, analytic formulas are then fit to the calculations. The effects of configuration interaction on the rates of DR and EA have been studied in detail and are found to have a slight effect on only a small class of the Auger rates needed for the present work. Radiative transitions between energy levels in the continuum are investigated and found to have a moderate effect on the DR rates and a small effect on the EA rates of the ions in this paper. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.

Brightness profiles of x-ray and VUV lines from eight molybdenum charge states between and have been measured in Alcator C-Mod plasmas. These spatial profiles agree very well with those predicted by a model which includes ionization, recombination, excitation and transport. Comparison with the profiles of many different charge states provides severe constraints upon the rates used in the model. The charge state density profiles are calculated using measured impurity transport coefficients, measured electron density and temperature profiles and newly calculated ionization and recombination rate coefficients. These new rate coefficients include direct collisional ionization, excitation - autoionization, dielectronic and radiative recombination. Excitation - autoionization is shown to be an important process, since the excellent agreement between the measurements and predictions is obtained only with its inclusion. Fits to newly calculated excitation rate coefficients for the transitions are also presented.

At energies below the threshold for direct electron impact excitation, resonant excitations can make a significant contribution to the total excitation rate of a given energy level. In this paper, the rates of resonant excitation into the levels of the 3{ital d}{sup 9}4{ital s} and 3{ital d}{sup 9}4{ital p} configurations of Mo{sup 14+} have been calculated using a fully relativistic, multiconfiguration atomic structure code and detailed accounting of energy levels. By including the effects of resonant excitations in collisional-radiative models for the spectrum of NiI{endash}like Mo{sup 14+} and (by isoelectronic scaling) Zr{sup 12+}, the ratio of the emissivity of the 3{ital d}{sup 10}-4{ital d}{sup 9}4{ital s} {ital E}2 transitions to the emissivity of the 3{ital d}{sup 10}-3{ital d}{sup 9}4{ital p} {ital E}1 transitions is greatly enhanced, and sensitivity to electron temperature in the ratio is introduced. This ratio is density sensitive for {ital n}{sub {ital e}}{ge}10{sup 13} cm{sup {minus}3}, and therefore, given knowledge of either local temperature or density conditions, the {ital E}2-{ital E}1 ratio can serve as a diagnostic for local conditions in magnetically confined fusion plasmas. The current work demonstrates the need to include resonant excitations in collisional-radiative models of the soft x-ray emission of nickel-like ions. Goodmore » agreement is found between measurements of {ital E}1 and {ital E}2 line brightness ratios made in a tokamak plasma, and the predictions of collisional-radiative models in the present work. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}« less

The regime of high particle and energy confinement known as the H mode [Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 1408 (1982)] has been extended to a unique range of operation for divertor tokamaks up to toroidal fields of nearly 8 T, line‐averaged electron densities of 3×1020 m−3, and surface power densities of nearly 0.6 MW/m2 in the compact high‐field tokamak Alcator C Mod [Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)]. H modes are achieved in Alcator C Mod with Ion Cyclotron Resonant Frequency (ICRF) heating and with Ohmic heating alone without boronization of the all molybdenum tiled first wall. Large increases in charge exchange flux are observed during the H mode over the entire range of energies from 2 to 10 keV. There appears to be an upper limit to the midplane neutral pressure, of about 0.08 Pa above which no H modes have been observed. The plasmas with the best energy confinement have the lowest midplane neutral pressures, below 0.01 Pa. There is an edge electron temperature threshold such that Te≥280 eV ±40 eV for sustaining the...

The divertor of the Alcator C‐Mod tokamak [Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] routinely radiates a large fraction of the power entering the scrape‐off layer. This dissipative divertor operation occurs whether the divertor is detached or not, and large volumetric radiative emissivities, up to 60 MW m−3 in ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) heated discharges, have been measured using bolometer arrays. An analysis of both Ohmic and ICRF‐heated discharges has demonstrated some of the relative merits of detached divertor operation versus high‐recycling divertor operation. An advantage of detached divertor operation is that the power flux to the divertor plates is decreased even further than its already low value. Some disadvantages are that volumetric losses outside the separatrix in the divertor region are decreased, the neutral compression ratio is decreased, and the penetration efficiency of impurities increases.

Imbalances between the inboard and outboard legs of the single null divertor in tokamak Alcator C-Mod are observed to reverse when the direction of the toroidal field is reversed. These imbalances are measured by embedded probes in the target plates, tomographic reconstructions of bolometry and line radiation, and visible imaging. Density imbalances of about a factor of ten at the targets are observed at moderate density, decreasing as the density is raised until they are almost balanced. The data indicate that the electron pressure is not imbalanced, thus arguing against momentum imbalance as the cause of these drift-induced effects. Instead, power flux imbalance caused by Er V-product B convection, and enhanced by radiation, is suggested as the underlying cause.

The electron density in the edge, divertor and X‐point regions of Alcator C‐Mod [Proceedings of the IEEE 13th Symposium on Fusion Engineering (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, New York, 1990), Vol. 1, p. 13] has been measured using the Stark broadening of high‐n (n=8 through 11) transitions of the Balmer series of deuterium. These measurements have been made during typical single null, diverted operation and during gas‐puffing through capillaries located within the first wall and divertor. Electron densities up to 1.6×1021 m−3 have been measured in the X‐point region and slightly lower densities (5−7×1020 m−3) have been measured in the divertor and edge regions. These results are factors of 2 to 5 larger than the density measurements from the CO2 laser interferometer system in the main chamber (3×1020 m−3) and comparable with probe measurements in the divertor. The ratios of the widths of adjacent lines within the Balmer series have been compared with ratios calculated for the Stark broad...

In the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [K. M. McGuire et al., Phys. Plasmas 2, 2176 (1995)] a substantial improvement in fusion performance has been realized by combining the enhanced confinement due to tritium fueling with the enhanced confinement due to extensive conditioning of the limiter with lithium. This combination has resulted in not only significantly higher global energy confinement times than have previously been obtained in high current supershots, but also in the highest central ratio of thermonuclear fusion output power to input power observed to date.

Detailed measurements and transport analysis of divertor conditions in Alcator C‐Mod [Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] are presented for a range of line‐averaged densities, 0.7

After many years of fusion research, the conditions needed for a D–T fusion reactor have been approached on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [Fusion Technol. 21, 1324 (1992)]. For the first time the unique phenomena present in a D–T plasma are now being studied in a laboratory plasma.The first magnetic fusion experiments to study plasmas using nearly equal concentrations of deuterium and tritium have been carried out on TFTR. At present the maximum fusion power of 10.7 MW, using 39.5 MW of neutral‐beam heating, in a supershot discharge and 6.7 MW in a high‐βp discharge following a current rampdown. The fusion power density in a core of the plasma is ≊2.8 MW m−3, exceeding that expected in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) [Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1991), Vol. 3, p. 239] at 1500 MW total fusion power. The energy confinement time, τE, is observed to increase in D–T, relative to D plasmas, by 20% and the ni(0) Ti(0) τE product by 55%. The improvement in thermal confinement is caused primarily by a decrease in ion heat conductivity in both supershot and limiter‐H‐mode discharges. Extensive lithium pellet injection increased the confinement time to 0.27 s and enabled higher current operation in both supershot and high‐βp discharges. Ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heating of a D–T plasma, using the second harmonic of tritium, has been demonstrated. First measurements of the confined alpha particles have been performed and found to be in good agreement with TRANSP [Nucl. Fusion 34, 1247 (1994)] simulations. Initial measurements of the alpha ash profile have been compared with simulations using particle transport coefficients from He gas puffing experiments. The loss of alpha particles to a detector at the bottom of the vessel is well described by the first‐orbit loss mechanism. No loss due to alpha‐particle‐driven instabilities has yet been observed. D–T experiments on TFTR will continue to explore the assumptions of the ITER design and to examine some of the physics issues associated with an advanced tokamak reactor.

Two-dimensional scrape-off layer turbulence (SOLT) code simulations are compared with an L-mode discharge on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak [Greenwald et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 110501 (2014)]. Density and temperature profiles for the simulations were obtained by smoothly fitting Thomson scattering and mirror Langmuir probe (MLP) data from the shot. Simulations differing in turbulence intensity were obtained by varying a dissipation parameter. Mean flow profiles and density fluctuation amplitudes are consistent with those measured by MLP in the experiment and with a Fourier space diagnostic designed to measure poloidal phase velocity. Blob velocities in the simulations were determined from the correlation function for density fluctuations, as in the analysis of gas-puff-imaging (GPI) blobs in the experiment. In the simulations, it was found that larger blobs moved poloidally with the E × B flow velocity, vE, in the near-SOL, while smaller fluctuations moved with the group velocity of the dominant linear (interc...

The achievement of large volumetric power losses (dissipation) in the Alcator C-Mod divertor region is demonstrated in two operational modes: radiative divertor and detached divertor. During radiative divertor operation, the fraction of SOL power lost by radiation is P R /P SOL 0.8 with single null plasmas, n e < 2 × 10 20 m −3 and I p < 1 MA. THESE PLASMAS SOMETIMES HAVE VERY HIGH RECYCLING, WITH N e, div ≤ 6 x 10 20 m −3 . As the divertor radiation and density increase, the plasma eventually detaches abruptly from the divertor plates: I SAT drops at the target and the divertor radiation peak moves to the X-point region. Probe measurements at the divertor plate show that the transition occurs when T e 5 eV. The critical n e for detachment depends linearly on the input power. This abrupt divertor detachment is preceded by a comparatively long period (∼ 1-200 ms) where a partial detachment is observed to grow at the outer divertor plate

Scandium (Z=21) has been injected into the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. X-ray wavelengths of Delta n=1 transitions to the ground state in Sc19+ and Sc18+ have been accurately determined. Time-resolved spectra have been obtained from different radial locations following the injections and have been compared with favourable agreement to the results of collisional radiative-transport code modelling. X-rays emitted from the outermost regions of the plasma (r/aL>or=2/3) appear in time after X-ray emission from the plasma centre. These X-rays arise from upper levels in Sc19+ populated by radiative recombination of Sc20+ which can only exist in the outer regions after the scandium has penetrated to the plasma centre, become ionized to Sc20+, and diffused back out before recombining. The density of scandium in the plasma has been determined for a variety of operating conditions. Only about 10% of the injected scandium penetrates to the plasma centre, and the scandium density in the plasma decreases with increasing electron density.

Recent analysis of Gas Puff Imaging (GPI) data from Alcator C-Mod found blob velocities with a modified tracking time delay estimation (TDE). These results disagree with velocity analysis performed using direct Fourier methods. In this paper, the two analysis methods are compared. The implementations of these methods are explained, and direct comparisons using the same GPI data sets are presented to highlight the discrepancies in measured velocities. In order to understand the discrepancies, we present a code that generates synthetic sequences of images that mimic features of the experimental GPI images, with user-specified input values for structure (blob) size and velocity. This allows quantitative comparison of the TDE and Fourier analysis methods, which reveals their strengths and weaknesses. We found that the methods agree for structures of any size as long as all structures move at the same velocity and disagree when there is significant nonlinear dispersion or when structures appear to move in opposite directions. Direct Fourier methods used to extract poloidal velocities give incorrect results when there is a significant radial velocity component and are subject to the barber pole effect. Tracking TDE techniques give incorrect velocity measurements when there are features moving at significantly different speeds or in different directions within the same field of view. Finally, we discuss the limitations and appropriate use of each of methods and applications to the relationship between blob size and velocity.

A scintillator-based energetic ion loss detector has been successfully commissioned on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. This probe is located just below the outer midplane, where it captures ions of energies up to 2 MeV resulting from ion cyclotron resonance heating. After passing through a collimating aperture, ions impact different regions of the scintillator according to their gyroradius (energy) and pitch angle. The probe geometry and installation location are determined based on modeling of expected lost ions. The resulting probe is compact and resembles a standard plasma facing tile. Four separate fiber optic cables view different regions of the scintillator to provide phase space resolution. Evolving loss levels are measured during ion cyclotron resonance heating, including variation dependent upon individual antennae.

Bursty fluctuations in the scrape-off layer (SOL) of Alcator C-Mod have been analyzed using gas puff imaging data. This reveals many of the same fluctuation properties as Langmuir probe measurements, including normal distributed fluctuations in the near SOL region while the far SOL plasma is dominated by large amplitude bursts due to radial motion of blob-like structures. Conditional averaging reveals burst wave forms with a fast rise and slow decay and exponentially distributed waiting times. Based on this, a stochastic model of burst dynamics is constructed. The model predicts that fluctuation amplitudes should follow a Gamma distribution. This is shown to be a good description of the gas puff imaging data, validating this aspect of the model., 8 pages, 6 figures

The final hardware modifications for tritium operation have been completed for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [Fusion Technol. 21, 1324 (1992)]. These activities include preparation of the tritium gas handling system, installation of additional neutron shielding, conversion of the toroidal field coil cooling system from water to a FluorinertTM system, modification of the vacuum system to handle tritium, preparation, and testing of the neutral beam system for tritium operation and a final deuterium–deuterium (D–D) run to simulate expected deuterium–tritium (D–T) operation. Testing of the tritium system with low concentration tritium has successfully begun. Simulation of trace and high power D–T experiments using D–D have been performed. The physics objectives of D–T operation are production of ≊10 MW of fusion power, evaluation of confinement, and heating in deuterium–tritium plasmas, evaluation of α‐particle heating of electrons, and collective effects driven by alpha particles and testing of diag...

Assessing the performance of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) at high density is critical for developing non-inductive current drive systems on future steady-state experiments. Excellent LHCD efficiency has been observed during fully non-inductive operation (η = 2.0 − 2.5 × 10[superscript 19] AW[superscript –1] m[superscript –2] at [¯ over n][subscript e] = 0.5 × 10[superscript 20] m[superscript –3]) on Alcator C-Mod [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas1, 1511 (1994)] under conditions (n[subscript e], magnetic field and topology, and LHCD frequency) relevant to ITER [S. Shiraiwa et al., Nucl. Fusion 51, 103024 (2011)]. To extend these results to advanced tokamak regimes with higher bootstrap current fractions on C-Mod, it is necessary to increase [¯ over n][subscript e] to 1.0 − 1.5 × 10[superscript 20] m[superscript −3]. However, the number of current-carrying, non-thermal electrons generated by LHCD drops sharply in diverted configurations at densities that are well below the density limit previously observed on limited tokamaks. In these cases, changes in scrape off layer (SOL)ionization and density profiles are observed during LHCD, indicating that significant power is transferred from the LH waves to the SOL.Fokker-Planck simulations of these discharges utilizing ray tracing and full wave propagation codes indicate that LH waves in the high density, multi-pass absorption regime linger in the plasma edge, and SOL region, where absorption near or outside the LCFS results in the loss of current drive efficiency. Modeling predicts that non-thermal emission increases with stronger single-pass absorption. Experimental data show that increasing T[subscript e] in high density LH discharges results in higher non-thermal electron emission, as predicted by the models., United States. Dept. of Energy (Award DE-FC02-99ER54512), United States. Dept. of Energy (Award DE-AC02-09CH11466)

Empirical scaling relations are deduced describing the neutron emission from TFTR supershots using a database that includes all of the supershot plasmas (525) from the 1990 campaign. A physics based scaling for the neutron emission is derived from the dependence of the central plasma parameters on the machine settings and the energy confinement time. This scaling has been used to project the fusion rate for equivalent DT plasmas in TFTR, and to explore the machine operation space that optimizes the fusion rate. Increases in neutron emission are possible by either increasing the toroidal magnetic field or further improving the limiter conditioning

A motional Stark effect (MSE) instrument to measure q(r) using the Torus Experiment for Technology (TEXT) neutral beam on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak has been designed and installed. The neutral beam is on the midplane, aimed radially, and designed to operate in hydrogen at 50 keV. The MSE optics view the outer half of the plasma −0.3

Results obtained from experiments utilizing high‐power ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heating to stabilize sawtooth oscillations on Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [Hawryluk et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 33, 1509 (1991)] are reviewed. The key observations include existence of a minimum ICRF power required to achieve stabilization, a dependence of the stabilization threshold on the relative size of the ICRF power deposition profile to the q=1 volume, and a peaking of the equilibrium pressure and current profiles during sawtooth‐free phases of the discharges. In addition, preliminary measurements of the poloidal magnetic field profile indicate that q on axis decreases to a value of 0.55±0.15 after a sawtooth‐stabilized period of ∼0.5 sec has transpired. The results are discussed in the context of theory, which suggests that the fast ions produced by the ICRF heating suppress sawteeth by stabilizing the m=1 magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities believed to be the trigger for the sawtooth oscillations. Though qualitative agreement is found between the observations and the theory, further refinement of the theory coupled with more accurate measurements of experimental profiles will be required in order to complete quantitative comparisons.

Dust is commonly found in current magnetic fusion devices. In reactors like ITER dust can pose safety hazards and impact plasma performance. However, the properties, generation rate, dynamics, and role of dust in fusion plasmas are still not well understood. In this work we simulate dynamics of dust particles in tokamaks with the Dust Transport, DUSTT, code and analyze the visibility of dust particles of different sizes in fusion plasmas by modern fast framing cameras. Using the DUSTT code, the dust density, radius and velocity distributions at different locations in the edge plasma are simulated and evaluated against the available experimental data. We compare the simulated dust trajectories with ones experimentally measured on NSTX with the fast camera imaging technique. The imaging is possible because dust heating and ablation by plasma creates two sources of radiation: thermal radiation from the heated dust particle and radiation from the ablation cloud interacting with the surrounding plasma. The analysis of spectral characteristics of the radiation can provide information as on dust (size, temperature, composition), as well as on dust-plasma interaction processes (ablation dynamics, local plasma parameters). We calculated the intensity of both the thermal radiation from a carbon dust particle and the radiation from the ablation cloud surrounding it for various plasma parameters. This allows to estimate minimal size of the visible dust and the ablation cloud characteristics in different tokamak plasma regions. We have also analyzed dust radius distribution resulting from laser scattering measurements on DIII-D taking into account non-Rayleigh regimes of light scattering as well as dust evaporation due to heating by laser radiation.