Spectrum and Propagation of Lower Hybrid Waves in the Alcator C Tokamak

Spectrum and Propagation of Lower Hybrid Waves in the Alcator C Tokamak PDF Author: R. L. Watterson
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Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 20

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Spectrum and Propagation of Lower Hybrid Waves in the Alcator C Tokamak

Spectrum and Propagation of Lower Hybrid Waves in the Alcator C Tokamak PDF Author: R. L. Watterson
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 20

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Full-wave Modeling of Lower Hybrid Waves on Alcator C-Mod

Full-wave Modeling of Lower Hybrid Waves on Alcator C-Mod PDF Author: Orso-Maria Cornelio Meneghini
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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This thesis focuses on several aspects of the Lower Hybrid (LH) wave physics, the common theme being the development of full-wave simulation codes based on Finite Element Methods (FEM) used in support of experiments carried out on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. In particular, two non-linear problems have been adressed: high power antenna-plasma coupling and current drive (CD). In both cases, direct solution of the wave equation allowed testing the validity of approximations which were historically done and consider full-wave effects and realistic geometries. The first code, named POND, takes into account the interaction of high power LH waves and the plasma edge based on the non-linear ponderomotive force theory. Simulations found the effect of ponderomotive forces to be compatible with the density depletion which is measured in front of the antenna in presence of high power LH waves. The second code, named LHEAF, solves the problem of LH wave propagation in a hot non- Maxwellian plasma. The electron Landau damping (ELD) effect was expressed as a convolution integral along the magnetic field lines and the resultant integro-differential Helmholtz equation was solved iteratively. A 3D Fokker-Planck code and a synthetic Hard X-Ray (HXR) diagnostic modules are used to calculate the self-consistent electron distribution function and evaluate the resulting CD and bremsstrahlung radiation. LHEAF has been used to investigate the anomalous degradation of LHCD efficiency at high density. Results show that while a small fraction of the launched power can be absorbed in the SOL by collisions, it is a strong upshift in the nii spectrum that makes the overall LHCD efficiency low by allowing the waves to Landau damp near the edge. Wavelet analysis of the full-wave fields identified spectral broadening to occur after the waves reflect and propagate in the SOL. This work explains why on Alcator C-Mod the eikonal approximation is valid only in the low to moderate density regime, and why parasitic phenomena introduced in previous work can reproduce phenomenologically well the experimental results.

Fusion Energy Update

Fusion Energy Update PDF Author:
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ISBN:
Category : Controlled fusion
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Spectrum Broadening and Fluctuations of Lower Hybrid Waves Observed in CASTOR Tokamak

Spectrum Broadening and Fluctuations of Lower Hybrid Waves Observed in CASTOR Tokamak PDF Author: F. Žáček
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 10

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Full Wave Simulations of Fast Wave Mode Conversion and Lower Hybrid Wave Propagation in Tokamaks

Full Wave Simulations of Fast Wave Mode Conversion and Lower Hybrid Wave Propagation in Tokamaks PDF Author: John C. Wright
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 16

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Fast Wave (FW) studies of mode conversion (MC) processes at the ion -- ion hybrid layer in toroidal plasmas N must capture the disparate scales of the FW and mode converted ion Bernstein (IBW) and ion cyclotron waves (ICW). Correct modeling of the MC layer requires resolving wavelengths on the order of k pi~1 which leads to a scaling of the maximum poloidal mode number, Mmax, proportional to 1/p (p=pi/L). The computational resources needed a scale with the number of radial (Nr), poloidal (No), and toroidal (No) elements as Nr * No * N3o. Two full wave codes, a massively-parallel-processor (MPP) version of the TORIC-2D finite Larmor radius code [M. Brambilla, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 41, 1 (1999)] and also an all orders spectral code AORSA2D [E. F. Jaeger et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 1873 (2002) ], have been developed which for the first time are capable of achieving the resolution and speed necessary to address mode conversion phenomena in full two-dimensional (2-D) toroidal geometry. These codes have been used in conjunction with theory and experimental data from the Alcator C-Mod [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] to gain new understanding into the nature of FWMC in tokamaks. The MPP version of TORIC is also now capable of running with sufficient resolution to model planned lower hybrid range of frequencies (LHRF) experiments in the Alcator C-Mod.

Quantification of Lower Hybrid Wave Absorption in the Edge of the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak

Quantification of Lower Hybrid Wave Absorption in the Edge of the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak PDF Author: Ian Charles Faust
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 209

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A 1 MW Lower Hybrid Current drive (LHCD) radiofrequency system is used to replace inductive drive on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. It was designed to test Advanced Tokamak (AT) scenarios for future steady-state diverted, high field tokamaks. However, at reactor-relevant densities (n̄e > 1 . 10 20 m-3), an anomalous current drive loss is observed. This loss, known as the LHCD density limit, occurs in diverted plasmas and is correlated with the plasma current and plasma density. Several mechanisms have been implicated in the loss of current drive, with both experimental and theoretical results suggesting edge power loss. Power modulation is a standard technique used for characterizing power sources and plasma power balance. In this case, the Lower Hybrid radiofrequency (LHRF) power is modulated in time in a set of plasmas across the density range from efficient to negligible current drive. This data is used to characterize the absorption of LHRF power through the calculation of the LHRF power balance within 15%, typical of power balance studies. This power balance is used to derive characteristics of the cause behind the LHCD density limit. The immediate nature of LHRF-induced conducted and radiated power losses confirm that LHRF power is absorbed in the edge plasma, even at the lowest densities. The edge losses increase to balance the reduced current drive, indicating that the observed power in the scrape-off-layer (SOL) limits the available power for current drive and the edge losses represent a parasitic mechanism. Unlike edge losses of other radiofrequency systems, this absorption occurs with a high degree of toroidal symmetry near the plasma separatrix. This indicates absorption occurs just inside the separatrix, or just outside the separatrix over multiple SOL traversals. Measurements of the poloidal distribution of ionization and recombination in the edge were made using a specially designed Ly[alpha] pinhole camera. It utilizes a MgF2 filter and AXUV diode array to measure Ly[alpha] emission from the lower to upper divertor. Edge deposited LHRF power was found to promptly ionize the active divertor plasma in all diverted topologies. This result highlights the power flow and importance of the divertor plasma in the LHCD density limit. Three independent characteristics indicate the thermal absorption of LHRF power. First, in- /out balance of radiated and conducted LHRF power change with the reversal of the tokamak magnetic fields. Second, comparisons of the conducted heat via Langmuir probes and IR thermography are similar with and without LHRF power. Lastly, the Langmuir probe ratio of Vf l/Te does not significantly modulate with modulated LHRF. A second experiment utilized a high strike-point diverted discharge to determine the edge loss of fast electrons. The high strike point could be observed using the hard X-ray camera, which can compare core and edge X-ray emission. The measured count rates from thick-target bremsstrahlung were interpreted into fast electron fluxes using the Win X-ray code. Theoretical treatments of the fast-electron confinement time were also calculated for Alcator C-Mod. In all cases the fast-electron edge losses are minimal and will be unimportant for future tokamaks due to the small fast electron diffusivity and their large size. The loss of current drive in high density diverted plasmas correlates with high edge plasma collisionality. The newly derived characteristics set stringent requirements in nk for electron Landau damping to cause the edge absorption of LHRF power. Several observed attributes, namely high frequency modulation and low density absorption do not correlate with Landau damping characteristics. However, parasitic collisional absorption in the divertor plasma yields the necessary plasma current, topology, symmetry, thermal, and ionization characteristics. High divertor plasma collisionality is expected if not required for future tokamaks. LHRF systems of future tokamaks must must avoid propagation through collisional regions, even on the first traversal through the SOL.

Propagation and Damping of Lower Hybrid Fast Waves in a Tokamak Plasma

Propagation and Damping of Lower Hybrid Fast Waves in a Tokamak Plasma PDF Author: Kwok Fai Lai
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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A Study of Lower Hybrid Wave Propagation on the Versator II Tokamak Using Microwave Scattering

A Study of Lower Hybrid Wave Propagation on the Versator II Tokamak Using Microwave Scattering PDF Author: Rajeev Rajan Rohatgi
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 294

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Frequency, Density and Spectrum Considerations for Lower-hybrid Wave Absorption in the Tokamak de Varennes

Frequency, Density and Spectrum Considerations for Lower-hybrid Wave Absorption in the Tokamak de Varennes PDF Author: I. P. Shkarofsky
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 112

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Energy Research Abstracts

Energy Research Abstracts PDF Author:
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ISBN:
Category : Power resources
Languages : en
Pages : 638

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