Analysis of combined fast wave current drive and neutral beam injection in the DIII-D tokamak

Abstract

In recent experiments with combined fast wave current drive (FWCD) and deuterium neutral beam injection on the DIII-D tokamak [Luxon et al., Fusion Technol. 8, 441 (1985)], an enhanced fusion reactivity and fast ion energy content have been observed in the presence of FWCD, with a concomitant low FWCD efficiency [Petty et al., Radio Frequency Power in Plasmas (AIP, New York, 1997), p. 225]. In this paper, we investigate whether high-harmonic ion cyclotron damping could be responsible for the low FWCD efficiency in these experiments, since a number of high-harmonic hydrogen and deuterium cyclotron resonance layers existed in the plasma. The main analysis tool is the ion cyclotron range of frequencies code PION [Eriksson et al., Nucl. Fusion 33, 1037 (1993)], modified to allow multiple frequencies simultaneously as was done in the DIII-D experiments. According to the PION modeling, high harmonic damping of fast wave power can give rise to enhanced fusion reactivity and fast ion energy content, which is consistent with the experimental observations.