Space/time statistics of the turbulence in a tokamak edge plasma

Abstract

The results of a study of the statistical space/time properties of the turbulence observed in the edge region of the Pretext tokamak are reported. A local estimate of the wavenumber frequency spectra S(κ,ω) for poloidal (ky)an d toroidal (kz) wavenumbers is determined for the range 0.5 cm−1 < k < 7.5 cm−1, for both potential and density fluctuations obtained from spatially fixed Langmuir probe pairs. The S(ky, ω) spectra aredominated by low frequencies ( < 200 kHz) and small wavenumbers (< 3 cm−1) and appear broadened about an approximately linear statistical dispersion relation, k̄(ω). The broadening is characterized by a spectral width σk (ω) (root-mean-square deviation about k̄(ω)) which is of the order of k̄(ω). The turbulence appears to propagate poloidally with an apparent mean phase velocity of (1–2) × 105 cm·s−1 in the ion diamagnetic drift direction. Measurements of the fluctuation-induced particle transport reveal the particle flux to be outward and resulting primarily from the low-frequency, long-wavelength components of the turbulence. A particle diffusion coefficient Dx, estimated from the measured particle flux and density profiles, is of the order of the coefficient estimated for Bohm diffusion, but appears to increase with density.