Stabilization of energetic-ion-driven MHD modes by ECCD in Heliotron J

Abstract

Second harmonic electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) has been applied in the stellarator/heliotron (S/H) device, Heliotron J, to stabilize magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes. The energetic particle mode (EPM) of 60–90 kHz frequency, one of the energetic-ion-driven MHD modes, is excited in a plasma heated by co- and counter-neutral beam injection and electron cyclotron heating (ECH). The EPM has been stabilized by counter-ECCD which decreases the rotational transform. Localized EC current driven by a few kA at the central region modifies the rotational transform profile, ι/2π, leading to the formation of a high magnetic shear at the radius where the mode is excited. An experiment scanning the EC-driven current shows that there is a threshold in magnetic shear and/or rotational transform to stabilize the EPM.