Dynamics of the electron thermal diffusivity at improved energy confinement during lower hybrid plasma heating in the FT-2 tokamak.

The dynamics of electron heat transport at improved energy confinement during lower hybrid plasma heating in the FT-2 tokamak was studied experimentally. Evolution of the profiles of the electron temperature and density was thoroughly investigated under conditions of fast variation in the plasma parameters. The energy balance in the electron channel is calculated with the help of the ASTRA code by using the measured plasma parameters. Correlation is revealed between the dynamics of electron heat transport and the behavior of small-scale drift turbulence measured using the enhanced scattering correlation diagnostics. The suppression of heat transfer and turbulence agrees well with the increase in the shear of poloidal plasma rotation calculated from experimental data in the neoclassical approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]