Dynamic evolution of microturbulence with an improved confinement mode in the ramp-down phase of plasma current on EAST

Abstract

Micro-instabilities are often invoked to account for the anomalous transport of energy and particles in fusion plasmas, whose origin and contributions to anomalous transport remain uncertain. The dynamic features of the microturbulence in the plasma core and the gradient region are investigated simultaneously by a poloidal CO2 laser coherent scattering diagnostic system on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST). In 2018, an improved confinement mode characterized by a peaked density profile is observed in the current ramp-down phase with no auxiliary heating, which has rarely been studied. The experimental result suggests that the gradual shut off of the LHW heating might trigger the mode transition. The transition is accompanied with a great suppression of microturbulence and significant change in the cross-correlation spectrum. A possible mechanism for the suppression could be ascribed to the increasing shear flow. These results could shed light on the understanding of the nonlinear mechanism of confinement mode transition on EAST.