Progress in stellarator research at IPP-Kharkov

Abstract

A new antenna of ‘crankshaft’ type has been installed in the Uragan-2M device in order to increase the plasma density and heating below the ion cyclotron frequency. Antenna operation is modelled by 1D code, which solves boundary problem for time-harmonic Maxwell’s equations in radially non-uniform plasma cylinder. In recent experiments with this antenna, the SXR, CV, OV and OII emission measurements indicate that the light impurity radiation barrier is overcame at this device. Plasma with a temperature of ~50 eV exists during a short period of a few milliseconds. Then the radiation collapse comes owing to strong influx of impurities to the plasma column. A new magnetic diagnostics has been installed at Uragan-3M. Using it the poloidal magnetic field is measured and the shift of toroidal current in major radius is registered. A miniature pinhole camera array for spatially and temporally resolved measurements of soft X-ray (SXR) plasma emission has been recently installed on the U-3M. Different shapes of the SXR emission profile has been observed in different discharge conditions.

Keywords

• stellarator
• radio-frequency heating
• low frequency modes
• magnetic diagnostics