Broadening of microwave heating beams in the DIII-D tokamak by edge turbulence

M.W. Brookman; L.A. Holland; M.B. Thomas; M.E. Austin; K. Barada; K.W. Gentle; R.J. La Haye; J.B. Leddy; C.C. Petty; T.L. Rhodes; Z. Yan; R.G.L. Vann; A. Köhn-Seemann

doi:10.1088/1741-4326/acbb8e

Nuclear Fusion (Jan 2023)

Broadening of microwave heating beams in the DIII-D tokamak by edge turbulence

M.W. Brookman,
L.A. Holland,
M.B. Thomas,
M.E. Austin,
K. Barada,
K.W. Gentle,
R.J. La Haye,
J.B. Leddy,
C.C. Petty,
T.L. Rhodes,
Z. Yan,
R.G.L. Vann,
A. Köhn-Seemann

Affiliations

M.W. Brookman: ORCiD; Institute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX 78712, United States of America; Commonwealth Fusion Systems , 117 Hospital Rd, Devens, MA 01434, United States of America
L.A. Holland: ORCiD; York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York , Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
M.B. Thomas: York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York , Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
M.E. Austin: Institute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
K. Barada: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America
K.W. Gentle: Institute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
R.J. La Haye: General Atomics , PO Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186, United States of America
J.B. Leddy: ORCiD; York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York , Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
C.C. Petty: ORCiD; General Atomics , PO Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186, United States of America
T.L. Rhodes: ORCiD; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America
Z. Yan: University of Wisconsin-Madison , Madison, WI 53706, United States of America
R.G.L. Vann: ORCiD; York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York , Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
A. Köhn-Seemann: ORCiD; Institute of Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology, University of Stuttgart , Stuttgart, Germany

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/acbb8e
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 63, no. 4
p. 044001

Abstract

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We have demonstrated for the first time that turbulent plasma density fluctuations in the edge of the DIII-D tokamak are responsible for substantial broadening of an injected microwave beam by successful quantitative comparison between experimental observations and first principles 2D full-wave simulations. The broadening of the beam has important implications for control of tokamak discharges through localized electron cyclotron deposition needed for eliminating magnetohydrodynamic instabilities. This new predictive capability is mandatory to design & operate present & future tokamaks in such a way that microwave heating schemes achieve their intended objectives.

Published in Nuclear Fusion

ISSN: 0029-5515 (Print); 1741-4326 (Online)
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Physics: Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity
Website: https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/0029-5515

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