Edge Localized Modes Filaments Research Articles

Measurements and modeling of type-I and type-II ELMs heat flux to the DIII-D divertor

Type-I and type-II edge-localized-modes (ELMs) heat flux profiles measured at the DIII-D divertor feature a peak in the vicinity of the strike-point and a plateau in the scrape-off-layer (SOL), which extends to the first wall. The plateau is present in attached and detached divertors and it is found to originate with plasma bursts upstream in the SOL. The integrated ELM heat flux is distributed at ∼65% in the peak and ∼35% in this plateau. The parallel loss model, currently used at ITER to predict power loads to the walls, is benchmarked using these results in the primary and secondary divertors with unprecedented constraints using experimental input data for ELM size, radial velocity, energy, electron temperature and density, heat flux footprints and number of filaments. The model can reproduce the experimental near-SOL peak within ∼20%, but cannot match the SOL plateau. Employing a two-component approach for the ELM radial velocity, as guided by intermittent data, the full radial heat flux profile can be well matched. The ELM-averaged radial velocity at the separatrix, which explains profile widening, increases from ∼0.2 km s−1 in attached to ∼0.8 km s−1 in detached scenarios, as the ELM filaments’ path becomes electrically disconnected from the sheath at the target. The results presented here indicate filaments fragmentation as a possible mechanism for ELM transport to the far-SOL and provide evidence on the beneficial role of detachment to mitigate ELM flux in the divertor far-SOL. However, these findings imply that wall regions far from the strike points in future machines should be designed to withstand significant heat flux, even for small-ELM regimes.

ELM temperature in JET and COMPASS tokamak divertors

Analysis of the divertor edge localized mode (ELM) electron temperature at a uniquely high temporal resolution (10−5 s) was reported at the JET tokamak (Guillemaut et al 2018 Nucl. Fusion 58 066006). By collecting divertor probe data obtained during many dozens of ELMs, the conditional-average (CAV) technique yields surprisingly low peak electron temperatures, far below the pedestal ones (70%–99% reduction!) which we, however, question. This result was interpreted through the collisional free-streaming kinetic model of ELMs, by a transfer of most of the electron energy to ions, implying a high tungsten sputtering for unmitigated ELMs in future fusion devices like ITER. Recently, direct microsecond temperature measurements on the COMPASS tokamak, however, showed that the electron temperature peak of ELM filaments measured in the divertor is reduced by less than a third with respect to the pedestal one. This was further confirmed by a dedicated 1D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation and tends to prove that the pedestal electrons can transfer only their parallel energy to ions (due to low collisionality), thus less than a third, as is predicted by the collisionless free-streaming model. This finding strongly contradicts the JET observations. We have therefore compared the CAV to the direct (microsecond) ball-pen and Langmuir probes measurements in COMPASS and found very good agreement between them. Revisiting the aforementioned JET CAV analysis indeed shows that the electron temperatures are much higher than previously reported, close to those predicted by the PIC simulation, and thus the ion energy seems to not significantly increase in the scrape-off layer.

Novel angular velocity estimation technique for plasma filaments.

Magnetic field aligned filaments such as blobs and edge localized mode filaments carry significant amounts of heat and particles to the plasma facing components and they decrease their lifetime. The dynamics of these filaments determine at least a part of the heat and particle loads. These dynamics can be characterized by their translation and rotation. In this paper, we present an analysis method novel for fusion plasmas, which can estimate the angular velocity of the filaments on frame-by-frame time resolution. After pre-processing, the frames are two-dimensional (2D) Fourier-transformed, then the resulting 2D Fourier magnitude spectra are transformed to log-polar coordinates, and finally the 2D cross-correlation coefficient function (CCCF) is calculated between the consecutive frames. The displacement of the CCCF's peak along the angular coordinate estimates the angle of rotation of the most intense structure in the frame. The proposed angular velocity estimation method is tested and validated for its accuracy and robustness by applying it to rotating Gaussian-structures. The method is also applied to gas-puff imaging measurements of filaments in National Spherical Torus Experiment plasmas.

Internal rotation of ELM filaments on NSTX

Edge localized modes (ELMs) are a threat to tokamaks due to their high heat and particle loads on plasma facing components. A significant portion of this energy is carried and deposited by the emerging ELM filaments, whose dynamics are directly connected to their impact. Therefore, understanding their underlying physics is important for the operation of future fusion reactors. Our paper extends our knowledge of ELM filaments by reporting on their internal rotation (spinning) around the magnetic field lines along which they are extended. Our analysis of gas-puff imaging data on National Spherical Torus Experiment shows that ELM filaments are characterized by internal rotation in the direction of the ion-gyromotion with ω=15.2 krad/s median angular velocity, which is approximately three times faster than the blob rotation in the background turbulence. The characteristic size of the ELM filament was also assessed and found to be similar to the blobs. A nearly linear trend was found between the angular velocity and the radial velocity of the ELM filament. The angular velocity was found to be linearly dependent on the distance of the filament from the separatrix, as well. An analytical model called the shear-induced rotation model was identified as a candidate for explaining the physics of the observations. Our results show that the modeled mechanism could significantly influence the rotation of the ELM filament; however, it cannot be a sole contributor.

Two-dimensional measurements of the ELM filament using a multi-channel electrical probe array with high time resolution at the far SOL region in the KSTAR

For the first time, two-dimensional temporal behavior of the edge localized mode (ELM) filament is measured in the edge tokamak plasma with a multi-channel electrical probe array (MCEP). MCEP, which has 16 floating probes (4 × 4), is mounted at the far scrape-off layer (SOL) region in the KSTAR. An electron temperature and an ion flux are measured by sideband method (SBM), which can achieve two-dimensional measurements with high time resolution. Furthermore, temporal evolutions of the electron temperature and the ion flux are obtained during the ELM occurrence. In the H-mode period, short spikes from ELM bursts are observed in measured plasma parameters, and the trend is similar to that of typical Hα signal. Interestingly, when blob-like ELM filaments crash the probe, the heat flux is significantly higher in a local region of the probe array. The results show that our probe array using the SBM can measure the ELM behavior and the plasma parameters without the effect of the stray current caused by the huge device. This study can provide valuable data needed to understand the interaction between the SOL plasma and the plasma facing components (PFCs).

Sensitivity of Microwave Interferometer in the Limiter Shadow to filaments in ASDEX upgrade

AbstractMicrowave Interferometer in the Limiter Shadow (MILS) is a new diagnostic, installed on ASDEX Upgrade for electron density measurements in the far Scrape‐Off Layer (SOL). At the chosen frequency of 47 GHz, the region of measurements varies within several centimetres before and after the limiter, depending on the density. 200 kHz bandwidth allows resolving transient events such as edge localized modes filaments and turbulence filaments. The measured quantities, phase shift, and power decay of the microwave beam, which crosses the plasma, are directly connected to the density and do not depend on any other plasma quantity. In this work, we analyse the influence of a filamentary perturbation on MILS signals. Simple representation of a filament is adopted, with parameters relevant to experimental filament properties, reported for ASDEX Upgrade. Forward modelling is done in COMSOL software by using RAPLICASOL, to study the response of the MILS synthetic diagnostic to the presence of a filament. Qualitative and quantitative dependencies are obtained and the boundaries of MILS sensitivity to filaments, or to the density perturbation in far SOL in general, are outlined.

Novel 2D velocity estimation method for large transient events in plasmas

Dynamics of fast transient events are challenging to be analyzed with high time resolution. Such events can occur in fusion plasmas such as the filaments during edge-localized modes (ELMs). In this paper, we present a robust method-the spatial displacement estimation-for estimating the displacements of structures with fast dynamics from high spatial and time resolution imaging diagnostics [e.g., gas-puff imaging (GPI)] with sampling time temporal resolution. First, a background suppression method is shown, which suppresses the slowly time-evolving and spatially non-uniform background in the signal. In the second step, a two-dimensional polynomial trend subtraction method is presented to tackle the remaining polynomial order trend in the signal. After performing these pre-processing steps, the spatial displacement of the propagating structure is estimated from the two-dimensional spatial cross-correlation coefficient function calculated between consecutive frames. The method is tested for its robustness and accuracy by simulated Gaussian events and spatially displaced random noise. An example application of the method is presented on propagating ELM filaments measured by the GPI system on the National Spherical Torus Experiment spherical tokamak.

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.

Simulations of filamentary structure in an edge‐localized mode burst on EAST using BOUT++ code

AbstractIn this paper, simulation on the filamentary structure for the low‐hybrid wave heating H‐mode on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) is carried out for the first time using BOUT++, and the speed and width of edge localized mode (ELM) filaments have been evaluated during the simulation. The evolutions of the ELM filaments are illustrated temporally and spatially. Then the results are compared with the experimental observations. It is found that at the peak gradient region in the outer midplane, the radial speed of the filaments is changed frequently and varied from 0.016 to 0.38 km/s. For the contrast, the poloidal speed oscillates in a narrower range of 0.68–0.88 km/s. The calculation results show the width of ELM filaments oscillates during the simulation, the minimum width is around 8.3 mm, and the maximum value is 41.24 mm. The distributions of the ELM filament widths with the radial position indicate the width is decreased with the radial position. Furthermore, by tracing one single filament, the radial width is decreased gradually when the filament is moving outward, which is also consistent with experiment conclusion. The consistencies also indicate the availability and practicability of the six‐field two‐fluid model of BOUT++ on the study of ELMs.

On the transport of edge localized mode filaments in the tokamak scrape-off layer

Microsecond probe measurements of the electron temperature during the tokamak edge localised mode (ELM) instability show that the peak values significantly exceed those obtained by conventional techniques. The temperatures measured at the plasma facing component (divertor) are around 80% of the initial value (at the pedestal). This challenges the current understanding, where only several percent of the pedestal value are measured at the divertor. Our results imply a negligible energy transfer from the electrons to the ions during the ELM instability, and therefore no associated increase of the ion power loads on the divertor. This observation is supported by the simple analytic free-streaming model, as well as by full kinetic simulations. The energetic ELM ion loads are expected to be one of the main divertor damaging factors; therefore, the obtained results give an optimistic prediction for next generation fusion devices.

Simulation of dynamic characteristics for ELM filaments on EAST tokamak using BOUT++

To study the dynamic characteristics of filamentary structure during the edge-localized mode (ELM) burst on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak, the BOUT++ six-field two-fluid model is used to simulate the temporal and spatial evolutions of the ELM filaments. In the peak gradient region at the outer mid-plane, the radial speed of filaments is changed frequently and varied from 0.11 km/s to 0.79 km/s, and the poloidal speed oscillates in the range of 0.61–0.85 km/s. The width of the ELM filaments is increased from 7.76 mm to 26.7 mm and grows rapidly to 41.99 mm from t = 0.2717 ms to 0.2831 ms after the start of the burst. After that, the width decreases gradually and stabilizes at 25–30 mm when it comes to the saturation phase. Further research indicates that the filament propagation speed is increased during their outward movement. The width gradually decreases when the filaments move outward, and it is proportional to electron temperature (Te) perturbation. All the results are consistent with the experimental data presented by Chen et al., IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 47, 799 (2019).

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.

Interpretation of the electron cyclotron emission signal from optically marginal plasmas

The interpretation of electron cyclotron emission (ECE) signal from the optically marginal region of magnetized plasma is presented. The density and the temperature fluctuations associated with the edge localized modes (ELMs) observed in the KSTAR tokamak are estimated by assuming an ELM filamentary structure as a flux tube bulges out like a ballooning mode instability. Synthetic ECE signals from the rotating ELM are calculated based on the measured electron temperature profile and an assumed electron density profile constrained by the measured line-averaged density, yielding an ~ 0.02 relative fluctuation level in agreement with the experimental observations. The measured ECE signal is nearly in phase with the density modulation associated with the rotating ELM. This implies that the ECE signal corresponding to the ELM filaments has a significant contribution from the density fluctuations.

Edge localized mode rotation and the nonlinear dynamics of filaments

Edge Localized Modes (ELMs) rotating precursors were reported few milliseconds before an ELM crash in several tokamak experiments. Also, the reversal of the filaments rotation at the ELM crash is commonly observed. In this article, we present a mathematical model that reproduces the rotation of the ELM precursors as well as the reversal of the filaments rotation at the ELM crash. Linear ballooning theory is used to establish a formula estimating the rotation velocity of ELM precursors. The linear study together with nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic simulations give an explanation to the rotations observed experimentally. Unstable ballooning modes, localized at the pedestal, grow and rotate in the electron diamagnetic direction in the laboratory reference frame. Approaching the ELM crash, this rotation decreases corresponding to the moment when the magnetic reconnection occurs. During the highly nonlinear ELM crash, the ELM filaments are cut from the main plasma due to the strong sheared mean flow that is nonlinearly generated via the Maxwell stress tensor.

Status of the COMPASS tokamak and characterization of the first H-mode

This paper summarizes the status of the COMPASS tokamak, its comprehensive diagnostic equipment and plasma scenarios as a baseline for the future studies. The former COMPASS-D tokamak was in operation at UKAEA Culham, UK in 1992–2002. Later, the device was transferred to the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IPP AS CR), where it was installed during 2006–2011. Since 2012 the device has been in a full operation with Type-I and Type-III ELMy H-modes as a base scenario. This enables together with the ITER-like plasma shape and flexible NBI heating system (two injectors enabling co- or balanced injection) to perform ITER relevant studies in different parameter range to the other tokamaks (ASDEX-Upgrade, DIII-D, JET) and to contribute to the ITER scallings. In addition to the description of the device, current status and the main diagnostic equipment, the paper focuses on the characterization of the Ohmic as well as NBI-assisted H-modes. Moreover, Edge Localized Modes (ELMs) are categorized based on their frequency dependence on power density flowing across separatrix. The filamentary structure of ELMs is studied and the parallel heat flux in individual filaments is measured by probes on the outer mid-plane and in the divertor. The measurements are supported by observation of ELM and inter-ELM filaments by an ultra-fast camera.

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.

Broadening of divertor heat flux profile with increasing number of ELM filaments in NSTX

Edge localized modes (ELMs) represent a challenge to future fusion devices, owing to cyclical high peak heat fluxes on divertor plasma facing surfaces. One ameliorating factor has been that the heat flux characteristic profile width has been observed to broaden with the size of the ELM, as compared with the inter-ELM heat flux profile. In contrast, the heat flux profile has been observed to narrow during ELMs under certain conditions in NSTX. Here we show that the ELM heat flux profile width increases with the number of filamentary striations observed, i.e. profile narrowing is observed with zero or very few striations. Because NSTX often lies on the long wavelength current-driven mode side of ideal MHD instabilities, few filamentary structures can be expected under many conditions. ITER is also projected to lie on the current driven low-n stability boundary, and therefore detailed projections of the unstable modes expected in ITER and the heat flux driven in ensuing filamentary structures is needed.

Dual array 3D electron cyclotron emission imaging at ASDEX Upgrade.

In a major upgrade, the (2D) electron cyclotron emission imaging diagnostic (ECEI) at ASDEX Upgrade has been equipped with a second detector array, observing a different toroidal position in the plasma, to enable quasi-3D measurements of the electron temperature. The new system will measure a total of 288 channels, in two 2D arrays, toroidally separated by 40 cm. The two detector arrays observe the plasma through the same vacuum window, both under a slight toroidal angle. The majority of the field lines are observed by both arrays simultaneously, thereby enabling a direct measurement of the 3D properties of plasma instabilities like edge localized mode filaments.

Numerical study of transition to supersonic flows in the edge plasma

The plasma scrape-off layer (SOL) in a tokamak is characterized by ion flow down a long narrow flux tube terminating on a solid surface. The ion flow velocity along a magnetic field line can be equal to or greater than sonic at the entrance of a Debye sheath or upstream in the presheath. This paper presents a numerical study of the transition between subsonic and supersonics flows. A quasineutral one-dimensional (1D) fluid code has been used for modeling of plasma transport in the SOL along magnetic field lines, both in steady state and under transient conditions. The model uses coupled equations for continuity, momentum, and energy balance with ionization, radiation, charge exchange, and recombination processes. The recycled neutrals are described in the diffusion approximation. Standard Bohm sheath criterion is used as boundary conditions at the material surface. Three conditions conducive for the generation of supersonic flows in SOL plasmas have been explored. It is found that in steady state high (attached) and low (detached) divertor temperatures cases, the role of particle, momentum, and energy loss is critical. For attached case, the appearance of shock waves in the divertor region if the incoming plasma flow is supersonic and its effect on impurity retention is presented. In the third case, plasma expansion along the magnetic field can yield time-dependent supersonic solutions in the quasineutral rarefaction wave. Such situations can arise in the parallel transport of intermittent structures such as blobs and edge localized mode filaments along field lines.

Toroidal mode number estimation of the edge-localized modes using the KSTAR 3-D electron cyclotron emission imaging system.

A new and more accurate technique is presented for determining the toroidal mode number n of edge-localized modes (ELMs) using two independent electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) systems in the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device. The technique involves the measurement of the poloidal spacing between adjacent ELM filaments, and of the pitch angle α* of filaments at the plasma outboard midplane. Equilibrium reconstruction verifies that α* is nearly constant and thus well-defined at the midplane edge. Estimates of n obtained using two ECEI systems agree well with n measured by the conventional technique employing an array of Mirnov coils.