Stochastic transport modeling of resonant magnetic perturbations in DIII-D

Abstract

Three-dimensional two-fluid simulations of heat transport due to resonant magnetic perturbations of tokamaks have been computed by coupling the TRIP3D field line tracing code to the E3D edge transport code. The predicted electron temperature contours follow the new separatrix represented by the perturbed invariant manifold structure of the X-point in qualitative agreement with X-point TV observations. However, preliminary modeling predicts that the resulting stochastic heat transport is greater than that measured in low-collisionality ELM suppression experiments in DIII-D H-mode plasmas. While improved determination of transport coefficients is needed, possible explanations include plasma screening of resonant perturbations, limitations of the treatment of the edge as a fluid, or insufficient understanding of stochastic heat transport.