Edge Localized Modes Event Research Articles

VUV imaging of type-I ELM filamentary structures and their temporal characteristics on EAST

In the H-mode experiments conducted on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), fluctuations induced by the so-called edge localized modes (ELMs) are captured by a high-speed vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) imaging system. Clear field line-aligned filamentary structures are analyzed in this work. Ion transport induced by ELM filaments in the scrape-off layer (SOL) under different discharge conditions is analyzed by comparing the VUV signals with the divertor probe signals. It is found that convective transport along open field lines towards the divertor target dominates the parallel ion particle transport mechanism during ELMs. The toroidal mode number of the filamentary structure derived from the VUV images increases with the electron density pedestal height. The analysis of the toroidal distribution characteristics during ELM bursts reveals toroidal asymmetry. The influence of resonance magnetic perturbation (RMP) on the ELM size is also analyzed using VUV imaging data. When the phase difference of the coil changes periodically, the widths of the filaments change as well. Additionally, the temporal evolution of the ELMs on the VUV signals provides rise time and decay time for each single ELM event, and the results indicate a negative correlation trend between these two times.

Using convolutional neural networks to detect edge localized modes in DIII-D from Doppler backscattering measurements.

In H-mode tokamak plasmas, the plasma is sometimes ejected beyond the edge transport barrier. These events are known as edge localized modes (ELMs). ELMs cause a loss of energy and damage the vessel walls. Understanding the physics of ELMs, and by extension, how to detect and mitigate them, is an important challenge. In this paper, we focus on two diagnostic methods-deuterium-alpha (Dα) spectroscopy and Doppler backscattering (DBS). The former detects ELMs by measuring Balmer alpha emission, while the latter uses microwave radiation to probe the plasma. DBS has the advantages of having a higher temporal resolution and robustness to damage. These advantages of DBS diagnostic may be beneficial for future operational tokamaks, and thus, data processing techniques for DBS should be developed in preparation. In sight of this, we explore the training of neural networks to detect ELMs from DBS data, using Dα data as the ground truth. With shots found in the DIII-D database, the model is trained to classify each time step based on the occurrence of an ELM event. The results are promising. When tested on shots similar to those used for training, the model is capable of consistently achieving a high f1-score of 0.93. This score is a performance metric for imbalanced datasets that ranges between 0 and 1. We evaluate the performance of our neural network on a variety of ELMs in different high confinement regimes (grassy ELM, RMP mitigated, and wide-pedestal), finding broad applicability. Beyond ELMs, our work demonstrates the wider feasibility of applying neural networks to data from DBS diagnostic.

Decoupling of peeling and ballooning thresholds for pedestal stability and reduction in ELM frequency via enhanced turbulence with edge electron cyclotron heating in DIII-D

The edge localized mode (ELM) frequency (f ELM) decreased by 63% when electron cyclotron heating (ECH) deposition location is shifted from ρ = 0.4 to ρ = 0.8 in DIII-D discharges where the power ratio between neutral beam injection (NBI) and ECH (P NBI/P ECH) is kept at ∼1. The performance of the pedestal in the ECH heated case is compared with a pure NBI reference discharge while keeping the total input power constant. All these discharges are performed at balanced input torque conditions. Furthermore, in the pure NBI discharge a strong decoupling of the peeling–ballooning (PB) thresholds is observed. The PB decoupling is preserved when the ECH is deposited at ρ = 0.8 and P NBI/P ECH ∼ 1, while the thresholds manifest a closed stability boundary when the ECH is deposited at ρ = 0.4. The inter-ELM pedestal recovery time is considerably larger for the ECH at ρ = 0.8 case. Increased pedestal turbulence is observed in beam emission spectroscopy (BES), Doppler backscattering and magnetic diagnostics for the ECH at the ρ = 0.8 case. Strong growth of a TEM-like mode is observed in BES and the mode growth is correlated with the decrease in f ELM. In view of these observations, the increased pedestal turbulence seems to be the plausible reason behind the delayed pedestal recovery following an ELM event in the ECH at ρ = 0.8 case, and the preservation of PB decoupling through temperature pedestal profile widening. TRANSP interpretative simulations show that the ECH at the ρ = 0.8 case is more susceptible to ITG/TEM turbulence.

The model of synchronization between internal reconnections and edge-localized modes

A new model for interaction between the internal reconnections caused by sawtooth and the edge-localized modes (ELM) was presented. The experimental evidence of the coupling between sawtooth crash and ELM events were observed in the Globus-M and Globus-M2 tokamaks. The numerical analysis of magnetic equilibrium showed that internal reconnections can induce the excess current density near the separatrix during the several hundreds of μs. The excess current destabilizes the peeling-ballooning (PB) instability. The PB stability analysis showed that the penetration depth of the induced current should be in the range of ψ norm = 0.8–0.95 to trigger the instability.

Simulations of heat fluxes in an ELMy H-mode discharge on HL-2A

In order to study the distribution and evolution of the transient heat flux on HL-2A during edge-localized-mode (ELM) bursts, the BOUT++ electromagnetic six-field two-fluid model is used to simulate the pedestal collapse under the lower single-null divertor geometry. The equilibrium profiles of HL-2A ELMy H-mode discharge No. 24 953 are adopted as the initial condition in the original case. In this case, linear analysis shows that the resistive ballooning mode (RBM) and drift-Alfven wave are unstable to this equilibrium, and RBM is the dominant instability. The evolutions of the radial heat fluxes at the outer mid-plane and heat fluxes to the inner and outer targets during the ELM event are presented. Six more equilibria are constructed based on the original case to find out the influence of the pedestal profiles on the peak electron heat flux. The results indicate that the heat flux increases with temperature and/or density, and the theoretical analysis and simulation results consistently show that the heat flux q∥e is proportional to ne0,SEPTe0,SEP32.

Dynamics of filaments during the edge-localized mode crash on NSTX

Edge localized modes (ELMs) are routinely observed in H-mode plasma regimes of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). Due to the explosive nature of the instability, only diagnostics with high temporal and spatial resolution could provide a detailed insight into the dynamics associated with the ELMs. Gas-puff imaging at NSTX provides 2D measurements of the magnetic field aligned fluctuations (e.g., ELM filaments) in the scrape-off layer and at the plasma edge with 2.5 μs temporal and 10 mm optical resolution. A novel analysis technique was developed to estimate the frame-by-frame velocities and the spatial parameters of the dominant structures associated with the ELMs. The analysis was applied to single ELM events to characterize the ELM crash dynamics and then extended to a database of 159 ELM events. Statistical analysis was performed in order to find the characterizing dynamics of the ELM crash. The results show that on average, an ELM crash consists of a filament with a circular cross section, which is propelled outward with a characterizing peak radial velocity of ∼3.3 km/s. The radial velocity was found to be linearly dependent on the distance of the filament from the separatrix, which has never been seen before. The ELM filament is characterized by propagation in the ion-diamagnetic direction poloidally with a peak velocity of 11.4 km/s. The ELM crash lasts for approximately 100 μs until the radial propulsion settles back to the pre-ELM level. The experimental findings were compared with analytical theory. Two possible mechanisms were identified for explaining the observations: the curvature interchange model and the current–filament interaction model.

The study of filaments by the Doppler backscattering method in the ‘Globus-M’ tokamak

Investigation of filamentary structures was performed on the spherical tokamak Globus-M by the Doppler backscattering (DBS) method. Filaments were detected in the H-mode regime both during the edge localized mode event and in the periods between them. They manifested themselves as bursts of quasi-coherent fluctuations (BQFs) of the output signals of the DBS quadrature detector. To confirm BQF appearing due to backscattering from a moving filament, special experiments were carried out with two DBS systems located at different poloidal angles. Using the new filament research method one could evaluate their velocity, mode number, and radial and poloidal positions. Using this technique, it was possible to estimate the size of the filaments. Experiments have shown that the filaments move predominantly in the direction of the electron diamagnetic drift with a velocity exceeding the velocity of background small-scale fluctuations. Filaments were recorded more frequently when the density gradient on the plasma periphery increased.

Parametric Dependence of Type-I and Type-III ELMs and Dynamic Characteristics for ELM Filaments in EAST Tokamak

A simple and effective classification method to distinguish type-I and type-III edge-localized modes (ELMs) in an experimental advanced superconducting tokamak is introduced and some key parameters affecting the type-I and type-III ELMy H-modes are analyzed. The results indicate that the heating power and the edge safety factor q95 have strong correlations with the appearance of type-I and type-III ELMs. By using the high-speed visible-light charge-coupled device camera system, the dynamic characteristics of ELM filaments are studied and the features of type-I and type-III ELM filaments have been compared. The radial outward velocity for type-I ELMy filaments can be up to 1.5-3.5 km/s while for type-III ELMs one is about 0.5-2 km/s. In the process of type-I and type-III ELMy filaments outward propagation, the width of filament decreases gradually, while the velocity of filament increases. In addition, during an ELM event, it can be observed that the earlier the burst of an ELM filament, the higher the radial velocity it will have.

Direct Observation of Nonlinear Coupling between Pedestal Modes Leading to the Onset of Edge Localized Modes.

Prior to eruptive events such as edge localized modes (ELMs), quasicoherent fluctuations, referred to as pedestal modes, are observed in the edge of fusion devices. We report on the investigations of nonlinear coupling between these modes during quasistationary inter-ELM phases leading to the ELM onset. Three dominant modes, with density and magnetic signatures, are identified as key players in the triggering mechanism of certain classes of ELMs. We demonstrate that one of these modes is amplified by the two others through three wave interactions. The amplified mode is radially shifted relative to the other two modes towards the last-closed flux surface as the ELM event approaches. Our results suggest that nonlinear coupling of pedestal modes, associated with radial distortions pushing out of the pedestal, is a possible mechanism for the triggering of low frequency ELMs relevant for future fusion devices.

Upgrade of the multi-energy soft x-ray diagnostic system for studies of ELM dynamics in the EAST tokamak

The multi-energy soft x-ray (ME-SXR) diagnostic system has been calibrated to study the evolution of the edge electron temperature profile during the edge localized mode (ELM) events. The electronic bandwidth of the Mazet MTi04 multi-channel variable gain trans-impedance amplifier measured in the laboratory is consistent with the nominal value. As the gain of the preamplifier is increased from 105 to 2 × 107, the bandwidth is decreased from 100 kHz to 10 kHz. The relative gain errors for different channels (5 arrays ×20 channels) were also calibrated in situ after the system was installed on the EAST tokamak. The results showed that the relative gain error (RGE) in each array was less than 10% compared to the reference channel of the array, and was insensitive to the preamplifier gains. A feedback loop was designed to automatically adjust the programmable gains of the preamplifiers based on the signal amplitudes measured in the previous discharge. The reconstructed edge electron temperature (Te) profile was also uploaded automatically to the MDSplus server between discharges. Utilizing the fast temporal resolution of Te (∼5 kHz), the dynamics of edge electron temperature evolution during Type I and high frequency ELM (HF-ELM) events were compared. The results showed that the edge Te profile collapsed during Type I ELMs, while for the HF-ELM regime, the edge Te profile pedestal structure sustains stiffness.

Investigation of transient melting of tungsten by ELMs in ASDEX Upgrade

Repetitive melting of tungsten by power transients originating from edge localized modes (ELMs) has been studied in the tokamak experiment ASDEX Upgrade. Tungsten samples were exposed to H-mode discharges at the outer divertor target plate using the Divertor Manipulator II system. The exposed sample was designed with an elevated sloped surface inclined against the incident magnetic field to increase the projected parallel power flux to a level were transient melting by ELMs would occur. Sample exposure was controlled by moving the outer strike point to the sample location. As extension to previous melt studies in the new experiment both the current flow from the sample to vessel potential and the local surface temperature were measured with sufficient time resolution to resolve individual ELMs. The experiment provided for the first time a direct link of current flow and surface temperature during transient ELM events. This allows to further constrain the MEMOS melt motion code predictions and to improve the validation of its underlying model assumptions. Post exposure ex situ analysis of the retrieved samples confirms the decreased melt motion observed at shallower magnetic field line to surface angles compared to that at leading edges exposed to the parallel power flux.

In–out asymmetry of divertor particle flux in H-mode with edge localized modes on EAST

The in–out divertor asymmetry in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), as manifested by particle fluxes measured by the divertor triple Langmuir probe arrays, is significantly enhanced during type-I edge localized modes (ELMs), favoring the inner divertor in lower single null (LSN) for the normal toroidal field (Bt) direction, i.e. with the ion B × B direction towards the lower X-point, while the in–out asymmetry is reversed when the ion B × B is directed away from the lower X-point. The plasma flow measured by the Mach probe at the outer midplane is in the ion Pfirsch–Schlüter (PS) flow direction, opposite to both B × B and E × B drifts, i.e. towards the inner divertor for normal Bt, and the outer divertor for reverse Bt, consistent with the observed in–out divertor asymmetry in particle fluxes. Since the particle source from an ELM event is predominantly located near the outer midplane, this new finding suggests a critical role of the PS flow in driving the in–out divertor asymmetry. The divertor asymmetry during type-III ELMs exhibits a similar trend to that during type-I ELMs. Strong in–out divertor asymmetry is also present during inter-ELM and ELM-free phases for the normal field direction, i.e. with more particle flux to the lower inner divertor target, but the peak particle flux merely becomes more symmetric, or slightly reversed, for reverse Bt, i.e. reversed B × B drift direction.

Toward integrated multi-scale pedestal simulations including edge-localized-mode dynamics, evolution of edge-localized-mode cycles, and continuous fluctuations

The high-fidelity BOUT++ two-fluid code suite has demonstrated significant recent progress toward integrated multi-scale simulations of tokamak pedestal, including Edge-Localized-Mode (ELM) dynamics, evolution of ELM cycles, and continuous fluctuations, as observed in experiments. Nonlinear ELM simulations show three stages of an ELM event: (1) a linear growing phase; (2) a fast crash phase; and (3) a slow inward turbulence spreading phase lasting until the core heating flux balances the ELM energy loss and the ELM is terminated. A new coupling/splitting model has been developed to perform simulations of multi-scale ELM dynamics. Simulation tracks five ELM cycles for 10 000 Alfvén times for small ELMs. The temporal evolution of the pedestal pressure is similar to that of experimental measurements for the pedestal pressure profile collapses and recovers to a steep gradient during ELM cycles. To validate BOUT++ simulations against experimental data and develop physics understanding of the fluctuation characteristics for different tokamak operation regimes, both quasi-coherent fluctuations (QCFs) in ELMy H-modes and Weakly Coherent Modes in I-modes have been simulated using three dimensional 6-field 2-fluid electromagnetic model. The H-mode simulation results show that (1) QCFs are localized in the pedestal region having a predominant frequency at f≃300−400 kHz and poloidal wavenumber at kθ≃0.7 cm−1, and propagate in the electron diamagnetic direction in the laboratory frame. The overall signatures of simulation results for QCFs show good agreement with C-Mod and DIII-D measurements. (2) The pedestal profiles giving rise to QCFs are near the marginal instability threshold for ideal peeling-ballooning modes for both C-Mod and DIII-D, while the collisional electromagnetic drift-Alfvén wave appears to be dominant for DIII-D. (3) Particle diffusivity is either smaller than the heat diffusivity for DIII-D or similar to the heat diffusivity for C-Mod. Key I-mode simulation results are that (1) a strong instability exists at n≥20 for resistive ballooning mode and drift-Alfvén wave; (2) the frequency spectrum of nonlinear BOUT++ simulation features a peak around 300 kHz for the mode number n = 20, consistent with a reflectometer measurement at nearby position; (3) the calculated particle diffusivity is larger than the calculated heat diffusivity, which is consistent with a key feature of the I-mode pedestal with no particle barrier.

Evolution patterns and parameter regimes in edge localized modes on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

We implement unsupervised machine learning techniques to identify characteristic evolution patterns and associated parameter regimes in edge localized mode (ELM) events observed on the National Spherical Torus Experiment. Multi-channel, localized measurements spanning the pedestal region capture the complex evolution patterns of ELM events on Alfvén timescales. Some ELM events are active for less than 100 μs, but others persist for up to 1 ms. Also, some ELM events exhibit a single dominant perturbation, but others are oscillatory. Clustering calculations with time-series similarity metrics indicate the ELM database contains at least two and possibly three groups of ELMs with similar evolution patterns. The identified ELM groups trigger similar stored energy loss, but the groups occupy distinct parameter regimes for ELM-relevant quantities like plasma current, triangularity, and pedestal height. Notably, the pedestal electron pressure gradient is not an effective parameter for distinguishing the ELM groups, but the ELM groups segregate in terms of electron density gradient and electron temperature gradient. The ELM evolution patterns and corresponding parameter regimes can shape the formulation or validation of nonlinear ELM models. Finally, the techniques and results demonstrate an application of unsupervised machine learning at a data-rich fusion facility.

Q-Band X-Mode Reflectometry and Density Profile Reconstruction**supported by the National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Science Program of China (Nos. 2014GB106000 and 2014GB106003), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11275234, 11305215, 11305208)

By installing an X-mode polarized Q-band (32–56 GHz) reflectometry at the low field side on EAST, the zero density cutoff layer was determined and the edge density profile was measured in normally operating plasmas. A Monte Carlo procedure has been developed to analyze the density profiles by considering the error of time delay measured by reflectometry. By combining this Q-band and previously developed V- and W-band reflectometries, the density profiles from edge to core can be measured in most EAST experiments. The line integrated densities deduced from density profiles measured by reflectometry are consistent with those directly measured by a horizontal interferometer. The density pedestal measured by reflectometry shows a clear crash during an ELM (edge localized mode) event, after which the pedestal gradually increases and recovers in 10 ms and then remains little changed up to the next ELM.

Ion target impact energy during Type I edge localized modes in JET ITER-like Wall

The ITER baseline scenario, with 500 MW of DT fusion power and Q = 10, will rely on a Type I ELMy H-mode, with ΔW = 0.7 MJ mitigated edge localized modes (ELMs). Tungsten (W) is the material now decided for the divertor plasma-facing components from the start of plasma operations. W atoms sputtered from divertor targets during ELMs are expected to be the dominant source under the partially detached divertor conditions required for safe ITER operation. W impurity concentration in the plasma core can dramatically degrade its performance and lead to potentially damaging disruptions. Understanding the physics of plasma-wall interaction during ELMs is important and a primary input for this is the energy of incoming ions during an ELM event. In this paper, coupled Infrared thermography and Langmuir Probe (LP) measurements in JET-ITER-Like-Wall unseeded H-mode experiments with ITER relevant ELM energy drop have been used to estimate the impact energy of deuterium ions (D+) on the divertor target. This analysis gives an ion energy of several keV during ELMs, which makes D+ responsible for most of the W sputtering in unseeded H-mode discharges. These LP measurements were possible because of the low electron temperature (Te) during ELMs which allowed saturation of the ion current. Although at first sight surprising, the observation of low Te at the divertor target during ELMs is consistent with the ‘Free-Streaming’ kinetic model which predicts a near-complete transfer of parallel energy from electrons to ions in order to maintain quasi-neutrality of the ELM filaments while they are transported to the divertor targets.

Impact of inward turbulence spreading on energy loss of edge-localized modes

Nonlinear two-fluid and gyrofluid simulations show that an edge localized modes (ELM) crash has two phases: fast initial crash of ion temperature perturbation on the Alfvén time scale and slow turbulence spreading. The turbulence transport phase is a slow encroachment of electron temperature perturbation due to the ELM event into pedestal region. Because of the inward turbulence spreading effect, the energy loss of an ELM decreases when density pedestal height increases. The Landau resonance yields the different cross phase-shift of ions and electrons. A 3 + 1 gyro-Landau-fluid model is implemented in BOUT++ framework. The gyrofluid simulations show that the kinetic effects have stabilizing effects on the ideal ballooning mode and the energy loss increases with the pedestal height.

Evolution of edge pedestal transport between edge-localized modes in DIII-D

Evolution of measured profiles of densities, temperatures, and velocities in the edge pedestal region between successive ELM (edge-localized mode) events are analyzed and interpreted in terms of the constraints imposed by particle, momentum and energy balance in order to gain insights regarding the underlying evolution of transport processes in the edge pedestal between ELMs in a series of DIII-D [J. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42, 614 (2002)] discharges. The data from successive inter-ELM periods during an otherwise steady-state phase of the discharges were combined into a composite inter-ELM period for the purpose of increasing the number of data points in the analysis. Variation of diffusive and non-diffusive (pinch) particle, momentum, and energy transport over the inter-ELM period are interpreted using the GTEDGE code for discharges with plasma currents from 0.5 to 1.5 MA and inter-ELM periods from 50 to 220 ms. Diffusive transport is dominant for ρ < 0.925, while non-diffusive and diffusive transport are very large and nearly balancing in the sharp gradient region 0.925 < ρ < 1.0. During the inter-ELM period, diffusive transport increases slightly more than non-diffusive transport, increasing total outward transport. Both diffusive and non-diffusive transport have a strong inverse correlation with plasma current.

Recent progress in understanding the processes underlying the triggering of and energy loss associated with type I ELMs

The type I ELMy H-mode is the baseline operating scenario for ITER. While it is known that the type I edge-localized mode (ELM) ultimately results from the peeling–ballooning instability, there is growing experimental evidence that a mode grows up before the ELM crash that may modify the edge plasma, which then leads to the ELM event due to the peeling–ballooning mode. The triggered mode results in the release of a large number of particles and energy from the core plasma but the precise mechanism by which these losses occur is still not fully understood and hence makes predictions for future devices uncertain. Recent progress in understanding the processes that trigger type I ELMs and the size of the resultant energy loss are reviewed and compared to experimental data and ideas for further development are discussed.

Langmuir-magnetic probe measurements of ELMs and dithering cycles in the EAST tokamak

Measurements of the dynamical behavior associated with edge localized modes (ELMs) have been carried out in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) by direct probing near the separatrix and far scrape-off layer (SOL) using electrostatic as well as magnetic probes. Type-III ELMs and dithering cycles have been investigated near the threshold power for the transition from the low confinement mode (L-mode) to the high confinement mode (H-mode). A precursor is observed prior to type-III ELM events with chirping frequency (130–70 kHz). It is located inside the separatrix and does not lead to considerable particle transport into the SOL. Distinct from type-III ELMs, no precursor modes precede the dithering cycles. It is evident from our measurements that the absence of precursor activity is a good indicator to distinguish the dithering cycles from type-III ELMs. A number of distinct current filaments are identified slightly inside the separatrix, both during type-III ELM events and dithering cycles. The characteristic current topology in these filaments is still ambiguous in our investigations. Furthermore, small ELMs are observed in type-I ELMy-like H-mode discharge regimes on EAST, in which solitary monopolar current filaments are observed to propagate in the SOL.