Microinstability properties of negative magnetic shear discharges in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor and DIII-D

Abstract

The microinstability properties of discharges with negative (reversed) magnetic shear in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [R. J. Hawryluk et al., Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, 1994 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1995), Vol. 1, p. 11] and DIII-D [R. D. Stambaugh for the DIII-D Team, Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, 1994 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1995), Vol. 1, p. 83] experiments with and without confinement transitions are investigated. A comprehensive kinetic linear eigenmode calculation employing the ballooning representation is employed with experimentally measured profile data, and using the corresponding numerically computed magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibria. The instability considered is the toroidal drift mode (trapped-electron-ηi mode). A variety of physical effects associated with differing q-profiles are explained. In addition, different negative magnetic shear discharges at different times in the discharge for TFTR and DIII-D are analyzed. The effects of sheared toroidal rotation, using data from direct spectroscopic measurements for carbon, are analyzed using comparisons with results from a two-dimensional calculation. Comparisons are also made for nonlinear stabilization associated with shear in Er/RBθ. The relative importance of changes in different profiles (density, temperature, q, rotation, etc.) on the linear growth rates is considered.