SPIRAL field mapping on NSTX for comparison to divertor RF heat deposition

Abstract

Field-aligned losses of HHFW power in the SOL of NSTX have been studied with IR cameras and probes, but the interpretation of the data depends somewhat on the magnetic equilibrium reconstruction. Both EFIT02 and LRDFIT04 magnetic equilibria have been used with the SPIRAL code to provide field mappings in the scrape off layer (SOL) on NSTX from the midplane SOL in front of the HHFW antenna to the divertor regions, where the heat deposition spirals are measured. The field-line mapping spiral produced at the divertor plate with LRDFIT04 matches the HHFW-produced heat deposition best, in general. An independent method for comparing the field-line strike patterns on the outer divertor for the two equilibria is provided by measuring Langmuir probe characteristics in the vicinity of the outer vessel strike radius (OVSR) and observing the effect on floating potential, saturation current, and zero-probe-voltage current (IV=0) with the crossing of the OVSR over the probe. Interestingly, these comparisons also reveal that LRDFIT04 gives the more accurate location of the predicted OVSR, and confirm that the RF power flow in the SOL is essentially along the magnetic field lines. Also, the probe characteristics and IV=0 data indicate that current flows under the OVSR in the divertor tiles in most cases studied.