Plasma current generation and sustainment by electron cyclotron waves, in the WT-2 tokamak.

Abstract

By injection of microwave power ${P}_{\mathrm{EC}}$ near the electron cyclotron (EC) frequency into an Ohmically heated (OH) plasma in the WT-2 tokamak after OH power is shut off, the plasma current is sustained and ramped up by the EC wave only, without OH power. Here, EC-driven current is generated by EC heating of the suprathermal electron beam in OH plasma. Further, when ${P}_{\mathrm{EC}}$ is injected into plasma sustained by lower-hybrid- (LH-) driven current, the plasma current and its rampup rate increase. Here, EC-driven current is generated by EC heating of the mildly relativistic electrons in LH-driven plasma.