Heat and momentum transport of ion internal transport barrier plasmas on the Large Helical Device

Abstract

The peaked ion-temperature profile with steep gradient, the so-called ion internal transport barrier (ion ITB), was formed in the neutral beam heated plasmas on the Large Helical Device and the high-ion-temperature regime of helical plasmas has been significantly extended. The ion thermal diffusivity in the ion ITB plasma decreases down to the neoclassical transport level. The heavy ion beam probe observed the smooth potential profile with negative radial electric field (ion root) in the core region where the ion thermal diffusivity decreases significantly. The large toroidal rotation was also observed in the ion ITB core and the transport of toroidal momentum was analysed qualitatively. The decrease in momentum diffusivity with ion temperature increase was observed in the ion ITB core. The toroidal rotation driven by ion-temperature gradient, the so-called intrinsic rotation, is also identified.