Fast Particle Losses Research Articles

Modeling of silicon irradiation with C<sub>60</sub> ions and the role of the interaction potential

Molecular dynamic simulation was used to study the processes of impact of 2–14 keV C60 molecular ions on the Si(100) surface at temperatures of 0–1000 K. Tersoff–ZBL and Airebo interaction potentials were used and the electronic energy loss of fast particles was taken into account. It is shown that when simulating single impact events, the target temperature does not affect the development of the displacement cascade, but affects its thermalization and the formation of the crater on the surface. As the energy increases, the carbon penetration depth, the size of the formed crater and the rim increase. The sputtering coefficient of silicon atoms in this case increases linearly with energy, and in the case of carbon atoms it reaches a steady-state value at 10 keV. Using the Tersoff potential gives a larger number of atomized carbon atoms for single impact events compared to Airebo potential. During cumulative events, the formation of an etch pit is observed at the initial stage, followed by the carbon film growth. In contrast to single events, the use of the Airebo potential in the case of cumulative ion accumulation gives a higher sputtering coefficient than the Tersoff potential. The formation of carbide bonds in the crystal and an increase in their concentration with ion fluence slightly reduces the number of sputtered particles. Therefore, for correct comparison of simulation results with experiment, it is not enough to use the results of the analysis of single impact event. It is necessary to perform the simulation of the cumulative fluence accumulation.

On discriminating tokamak sawtooth crash models via localized density and temperature measurements

The core electron temperature drops rapidly during the sawtooth crash in tokamak plasmas, which causes heat loss and may lead to fast particle losses or even a disruption. Several models have been proposed for the periodic crash, including the Kadomtsev model with magnetic reconnection and the quasi-interchange model with the growth of higher-mode-number pressure-driven instabilities. 3D MHD simulations were performed for these two models with a goal to develop intuition and to predict qualitatively how different types of sawtooth will appear in various diagnostics. The structures of electron density ne and electron temperature Te show a dominant (1, 1) mode for the Kadomtsev case and a dominant (4, 4) mode for the quasi-interchange case. The oscillations of ne and Te have a positive correlation near the inversion layer for both cases, while their frequencies and amplitudes are different depending on the dominant modes. Particularly, for the Kadomtsev case, we find a relation between the amount of flux reconnected during a sawtooth event and ne or Te oscillations. Therefore, we connect recently developed measurement capabilities for ne and Te to the internal sawtooth behavior. We propose that this method of analysis can help in identifying the type of sawtooth in future experiments augmented by simulations.

Tailoring resonant magnetic perturbation to optimize fast-ion confinement during ELM control in KSTAR

3D resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) is one promising way to control edge localized modes that can cause excessive material erosion of tokamak first walls. However, RMP can lead to undesired degradation of plasma confinement, including fast-particle losses, which can impact the performance and safety of the reactor. This work investigates the optimization of the poloidal spectrum of the 3D field to optimize fast ion confinement during edge localized mode (ELM) suppression. In the initial step, the validity of the modeling framework is tested against experimental data. Simulations successfully replicate an increase in poloidal limiter temperature with different poloidal spectra. Then, the simulation shows improvement of fast ion confinement with a reduction of core resonant response, while edge resonant magnetic fields are maintained above the threshold to sustain the ELM suppression. Reduction of the core resonant fields keeps the Kolmogorov–Arnold–Moser surface and reduces the fast particle losses due to the stochastic magnetic field lines. The results highlight the potential of edge localization of the resonant fields to enhance the performance of fusion reactors, but further investigation is needed to improve the validation of this approach.

Overview and first measurements of the MAST Upgrade bolometer diagnostic.

A suite of multi-channel resistive bolometers has been implemented to measure the total radiation from Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak Upgrade plasmas, with cameras covering the core plasma and lower divertor chamber. Data are digitized and processed using novel field-programmable gate array-based electronics, offering improved compactness and new operational capabilities. A synthetic diagnostic has been developed to explore the quality of 2D reconstructions available from the system and to quantify the uncertainty on quantities such as the total radiated power. Measurements in the first campaign have demonstrated correct functioning of the diagnostic while also highlighting issues with electrical noise and some failure mechanisms of the detectors, as well as significant neutral beam fast-particle losses.

Hybrid numerical simulation on fast particle transport induced by synergistic interaction of low- and medium-frequency magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in tokamak plasma

In tokamak experiments, various magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities usually co-exist and interact with fast particles. It can cause the fast particles to significantly transport and lose, which results in damaging the first wall and quenching discharge in tokamak. Therefore, the understanding of the physical mechanism of fast particle transport caused by MHD instabilities is crucial and this physical problem needs solving urgently for the steady-state long pulse operation of future reactor-graded devices. According to the phenomenon of synergy between non-resonant internal kink mode and tearing mode, observed experimentally on NSTX, a spherical tokamak device, we utilize the global nonlinear hybrid-kinetic simulation code M3D-K to study and compare the characteristics of loss, transport and redistribution of fast particles in the two cases: 1) the synergy between the non-resonant internal kink mode and tearing mode and 2) only non-resonant internal kink modes. The physical mechanisms of transport, loss, and redistribution of fast particles caused by such synergy are studied, respectively. The results show that the synergy between the non-resonant internal kink mode and the tearing mode can significantly enhance the loss and transport of fast particles. The main reason is that such a synergy can provide a radial channel for fast particles to migrate from the plasma core to the plasma boundary accompanied with the total stochasticity of the magnetic topology. These results can help understand the physical mechanism of the transport and loss of fast particles caused by the synergy of low-frequency MHD instabilities in future fusion reactors, and provide some new ideas for finding strategies to control and mitigate the loss and transport level of fast particles in future fusion reactors.

The Influence of Fast Particles on Plasma Rotation in the TUMAN-3M Tokamak

In most present-day tokamaks, the majority of the heating power comes from sources such as neutral-beam injection (NBI) and other types of auxiliary heating which allow for the transfer of energy to the plasma by a small population of externally introduced fast particles. The behavior of the fast ions is important for the overall plasma dynamics, and understanding their influence is vital for the success of any future magnetic confinement devices. In the TUMAN-3M tokamak, it has been noted that the loss of fast particles during NBI can lead to dramatic changes in the rotation velocity profiles, as they are responsible for the negative radial electric field on the periphery.

Observation of non-thermal electrons outside the SOL in the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

• Non-thermal electrons can be observed far outside the main plasma in W7-X. • Occurrence is limited to electron-cyclotron resonance heated plasmas at low density. • Electrons cause hot spots on plasma-facing components with considerable heat fluxes. Hot spots and bright patterns on plasma-facing components (PFC) in visible light are observed in electron cyclotron resonance heated (ECRH) plasmas at low densities in the stellarator Wendelstein 7-X. The events are often located far outside of any convective plasma loads and led in some cases to damages of diagnostic components, where the interaction zones qualitatively agree with fast particle loss simulations. Reciprocating electric probes indicate that this phenomenon is related to a non-thermal electron population that can have a beam like character, being directed in one parallel direction. Further, the electrons can be trapped on rational flux surfaces and be used to map magnetic islands.

First principle-based multi-channel integrated modelling in support of the design of the Divertor Tokamak Test facility

An intensive integrated modelling work of the main scenarios of the new Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT) facility with a single null divertor configuration has been performed using first principle quasi-linear transport models, in support of the design of the device and of the definition of its scientific work programme. First results of this integrated modelling work on DTT (R 0 = 2.14 m, a = 0.65 m) are presented here along with outcome of the gyrokinetic simulations used to validate the reduced models in the DTT range of parameters. As a result of this work, the heating mix has been defined, the size of device has been increased to R 0 = 2.19 m and a = 0.70 m, the use of pellets for fuelling has been recommended and reference profiles for diagnostic design, estimates of neutron yields and fast particle losses have been made available.

Quasilinear critical gradient model for Alfven eigenmode driven energetic particle transport with intermittency

A simplified quasilinear critical gradient model (QLCGM) for Alfven eigenmode (AE) driven energetic particle (EP) transport is used to treat the intermittency (burstiness) of the transport. Here intermittency is defined as the ratio of the root mean square deviation from mean flow to the mean flow. The model posits that the intermittency results from the micro-turbulent noise induced in the thermal plasma damping rate for the AE. The model is embedded in a time-dependent EP density transport code to generate the transport-flow time traces from typical critical gradient and slowing down density profiles. The QLCGM appears to be in reasonable agreement with the level and characteristics of the intermittency observed in the DIII-D fast particle loss detector flow time traces: high kurtosis [O(40)] of the burstiness with the intermittency O(1–2) increasing with the level of mean flow.

Influence of increased magnetic field on Alfvén eigenmodes on upgraded spherical tokamak Globus-M2

During modernization of the Globus-M tokamak, toroidal magnetic field and plasma current were increased, and a number of diagnostics were upgraded, which made it possible to study phenomena associated with the excitation of Alfvén waves in a spherical tokamak in a wider range of plasma parameters. In the experiments with neutral beam injection, the dependences of fast particle losses initiated by the toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAE) on their magnitude in the magnetic field range of 0.4 – 0.7 T and currents of 180 – 330 kA were acquired. Resulting dependences confirm previously obtained results and indicate a decrease in losses with increasing magnetic field and plasma current. At the same time, a number of new phenomena, that have never been observed on Globus-M were detected. In experiments with neutral beam injection at the current ramp up stage, Alfvén cascades (AC) in the frequency range of 100 – 300 kHz were observed for the first time. By means of the Doppler backscattering diagnostics (DBS), it was shown that ACs are localized closer to magnetic axis unlike TAE. Also, during low hybrid wave current drive (LHCD) experiments, global Alfvén eigenmodes (GAE) were detected at a frequency close to 1 MHz, apparently driven in the resonance with runaway electron beam. Detected global eigenmodes are also able to arise in ohmic discharges, however, their magnitude is lower.

Efficient and rigorous evaluation of fast particle losses in non-axisymmetric tokamak plasmas

We present an analysis scheme called loss-map analysis that quantitatively connects the fast ion transport in 3D magnetic field to the underlying transport mechanisms. The loss-map analysis is generally applicable, but here its use is demonstrated by applying it to study alpha particle losses in the ITER baseline scenario and ICRH losses in the reduced-field scenarios. This demonstration addresses the issues raised by the earlier ITER fast ion confinement studies. The focus is in the analysis scheme itself which aids in interpreting and confirming the results of orbit-following simulations by providing a way to connect observed losses to known fast ion transport processes. The loss maps can also be used to estimate fast ion losses directly from the magnetic field structure, thus providing a fast alternative to orbit-following simulations. Furthermore, the loss maps connect the particle birth position in the phase space to the wall region where it is lost. This can be used to optimize marker initialization in simulations that estimate peak power loads or FILD signals, thus reducing the required computational time which otherwise might be prohibitive.

Observation of thermal events on the plasma facing components of Wendelstein 7-X

Long pulse operation of present and future magnetic fusion devices requires sophisticated methods for protection of plasma facing components from overheating. Typically, thermographic systems are being used to fulfill this task. Steady state operation requires, however, autonomous operation of the system and fully automatic detection of abnormal events. At Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X), a large advanced stellarator, which aims at demonstrating the capabilities of the stellarator line as a future fusion power plant, significant efforts are being undertaken to develop a fully automatic system based on thermographic diagnostics. In October 2018, the first divertor-based experimental campaign has been finished. One of the goals of this operation phase (named OP1.2) was to study the capabilities of the island divertor concept using an uncooled test divertor made of fine-grain graphite tiles. Throughout this campaign, it was possible to test the infrared imaging diagnostic system, which will be used to protect the actively water-cooled plasma facing components (PFCs) during the steady-state operation in the next experimental campaign. An overview of the most relevant thermal events on the PFCs that were detected in OP1.2 using this system are presented. This includes events that limited operation during the campaign, like baffle hot spots and divertor overloads, events that are potentially critical in steady state operation like leading edges, events caused by the ECRH and NBI heating systems (shine-through hot spots and fast particle losses) and other events which are a common source of false alarms like surface layers. The detected thermal events are now part of an important and extensive image database which will be used to further automate the system by means of computer vision and machine learning techniques in preparation for steady-state operation, when the system must be able to detect dangerous events and protect the machine in real-time.

Symplectic integration with non-canonical quadrature for guiding-center orbits in magnetic confinement devices

We study symplectic numerical integration of mechanical systems with a Hamiltonian specified in non-canonical coordinates and its application to guiding-center motion of charged plasma particles in magnetic confinement devices. The technique combines time-stepping in canonical coordinates with quadrature in non-canonical coordinates and is applicable in systems where a global transformation to canonical coordinates is known explicitly but its inverse is not. A fully implicit class of symplectic Runge-Kutta schemes has recently been introduced and applied to guiding-center motion by Zhang et al. (2014) [9]. Here a generalization of this approach with emphasis on semi-implicit partitioned schemes is described together with methods to enhance performance, in particular avoiding evaluation of non-canonical variables at full time steps. For application in toroidal plasma confinement configurations with nested magnetic flux surfaces a global canonicalization of coordinates for the guiding-center Lagrangian by a spatial transform is presented that allows for pre-computation of the required map in a parallel algorithm in the case of time-independent magnetic field geometry. Guiding-center orbits are studied in stationary magnetic equilibrium fields of an axisymmetric tokamak and a realistic three-dimensional stellarator configuration. Superior long-term properties of symplectic methods are demonstrated in comparison to a conventional adaptive Runge-Kutta scheme. Finally statistics of fast fusion alpha particle losses over their slowing-down time are computed in the stellarator field on a representative sample, reaching a speed-up of the symplectic Euler scheme by more than a factor three compared to usual Runge-Kutta schemes while keeping the same statistical accuracy and linear scaling with the number of computing threads.

Toroidal Alfvén Modes in the Plasma of the Globus-M Spherical Tokamak

Results of experimental studies of toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) in the Globus-M spherical tokamak (R = 36 cm, a = 24 cm) are reported. The experiments were carried out in a wide range of plasma parameters at a magnetic field of up to 0.5 T and plasma current of up to 250 kA. Auxiliary plasma heating was performed by tangential injection of a deuterium beam with a power of Pb= 0.75 MW and particle energy of Eb = 28 keV into deuterium plasma. The experiments have shown that the TAE-induced loss of fast particles decreases with increasing plasma current and magnetic field. Using multifrequency Doppler backscattering diagnostics, it is established that the TAEs are localized at the plasma periphery. Results of simulations of the Alfven continuum and TAE structure by means of the modified KINX and CAXE codes agree satisfactory with the experimental data on the TAE frequencies and localization.

Properties of a new quasi-axisymmetric configuration

A novel, compact, quasi-axisymmetric configuration is presented which exhibits low fast-particle losses and is stable to ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities. The design has fast-particle loss rates below 8% for flux surfaces within the half-radius, and is shown to have a MHD stability limit of a normalized pressure of , where is volume averaged. The flux surfaces at various plasma betas and currents as calculated using the SPEC equilibrium code (Loizu et al 2016 Phys. Plasmas 23 112505) are presented. Neoclassical transport coefficients are shown to be similar to an equivalent tokamak, with a distinct banana regime at half-radius. An initial coil design study is presented to assess the feasibility of this configuration as a fusion-relevant experiment.

Effect of the toroidal magnetic field the on energy and fast particle confinement in the Globus-M spherical tokamak

The experiments with auxiliary heating by neutral beam injection (NBI) were carried out before the spherical tokamak Globus-M was upgraded to Globus-M2. The aim of the experiments was to determine the dependence of the confinement time on toroidal magnetic field. The total stored energy was obtained by diamagnetic loops, and verified with ASTRA modelling based on kinetic measurements. The absorbed heating power was estimated using 3D fast ion tracking modeling. The obtained dependence of the energy confinement time is similar to the MAST and NSTX results but contradicts the conventional IPB98(y,2) scaling. The toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes study was performed in a set of discharges with NBI at the early stage of the discharge. The experiments have shown that fast particle losses decrease with the increase of the toroidal magnetic field and plasma current.

Fusion product losses due to fishbone instabilities in deuterium JET plasmas

During development of a high-performance hybrid scenario for future deuterium–tritium experiments on the Joint European Torus, an increased level of fast ion losses in the MeV energy range was observed during the instability of high-frequency n = 1 fishbones. The fishbones are excited during deuterium neutral beam injection combined with ion cyclotron heating. The frequency range of the fishbones, 10–25 kHz, indicates that they are driven by a resonant interaction with the NBI-produced deuterium beam ions in the energy range ⩽120 keV. The fast particle losses in a much higher energy range are measured with a fast ion loss detector, and the data show an expulsion of deuterium plasma fusion products, 1 MeV tritons and 3 MeV protons, during the fishbone bursts. An MHD mode analysis with the MISHKA code combined with the nonlinear wave-particle interaction code HAGIS shows that the loss of toroidal symmetry caused by the n = 1 fishbones affects strongly the confinement of non-resonant high energy fusion-born tritons and protons by perturbing their orbits and expelling them. This modelling is in a good agreement with the experimental data.

Fast particle loss channels in Wendelstein 7-X

One of the main goals of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) is to demonstrate the fast particle confinement properties of the quasi-isodynamic stellarator concept. Fast particle populations will be produced either by Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) or by minority Ion Cyclotron Resonant Heating (ICRH). A fraction of these particles are expected to be lost (even without collisions), despite the optimisation procedure used for the W7-X design. Confinement properties of NBI particles in W7-X were presented in the paper of Drevlak et al (2014 Nucl. Fusion 54 073002). A detailed study is presented here where the loss patterns of an NBI population are described. In particular, focussing on a high-mirror equilibrium, the confinement of fast ions with varying energy injection is studied under collisional conditions. It is found that collisions are not only responsible for classical transport losses but also enhance drift induced losses caused by trapped particles. Moreover, an asymmetry is found in the toroidal position of particle losses which can be explained by local variation in the equilibrium field. The effects of a neoclassically resolved radial electric field are also investigated. Fast particle confinement is significantly improved by the associated drift. In particular, an increasing radial electric field helps to reduce and even stop the losses due to the 3D equilibrium structure for times comparable to slowing down time.

Energy loss of charged particles colliding with an oscillator

Energy loss of fast charged particles colliding with an oscillator is considered in the dipole approximation. In this approximation, the problem is solved exactly and the energy loss of the oscillator from the initial state |m〉 = |0〉 is found in the form of the sum of single integrals. It is shown that passing to the limit, the Bethe theory for an atom with small perturbations can be obtained, and in the case of strong fields, the correction to the Bethe theory, analogous to the Bloch correction, can be calculated; in addition, a classical limit coinciding with the Bohr formula is possible.

Multi-megawatt, gigajoule plasma operation in Tore Supra

Integrating several important technological elements required for long pulse operation in magnetic fusion devices, the Tore Supra tokamak routinely addresses the physics and technology issues related to this endeavor and, as a result, contributes essential information on critical issues for ITER. During the last experimental campaign, components of the radiofrequency system including an ITER relevant launcher (passive active multijunction (PAM)) and continuous wave/3.7 GHz klystrons, have been extensively qualified, and then used to develop steady state scenarios in which the lower hybrid (LH), ion cyclotron (IC) and electron cyclotron (EC) systems have been combined in fully stationary shots (duration ∼150 s, injected power up to ∼8 MW, injected/extracted energy up to ∼1 GJ). Injection of LH power in the 5.0–6.0 MW range has extended the domain of accessible plasma parameters to higher densities and non-inductive currents. These discharges exhibit steady electron internal transport barriers (ITBs). We report here on various issues relevant to the steady state operation of future devices, ranging from operational aspects and limitations related to the achievement of long pulses in a fully actively cooled fusion device (e.g. overheating due to fast particle losses), to more fundamental plasma physics topics. The latter include a beneficial influence of IC resonance heating on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability in these discharges, which has been studied in detail. Another interesting observation is the appearance of oscillations of the central temperature with typical periods of the order of one to several seconds, caused by a nonlinear interplay between LH deposition, MHD activity and bootstrap current in the presence of an ITB.