Edge localized mode particle losses from the DIII-D tokamak

Abstract

Particle losses associated with edge localized mode (ELM) activity on the DIII-D tokamak [J. Luxon et al., Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1986, Vol. I, p. 159] are evaluated quantitatively using density profile data obtained from a Thomson scattering system. It is shown that up to 10% of the total core particle content is lost with each ELM. The particle loss varies inversely with ELM frequency. The temporally averaged ELM particle loss is shown to be about 25% of the total particle loss from the confined region under a wide variety of plasma conditions. Although this ELM loss is a small fraction of the total ion flux, it is large compared to the particle input from neutral beam heating. Hence ELM particle losses are sufficient to control the density rise associated with H-mode plasma operation with neutral beam heating. In addition to controlling the average density by enhancing the total ion flow, albeit only by 25%, it is posited that the ELMs play a role in determining the density profile in the H-mode pedestal region.