Ion Cyclotron Range Of Frequencies Research Articles

Online impedance matching system for ICRH-RF experiments on SST-1 tokamak

High-power radio frequency (RF) heating system in the frequency range of ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) on tokamak needs a mechanism for matching impedance seen by the antenna in presence of plasma to the generator output impedance for maximum transfer of RF power to the plasma with minimum reflections to avoid damage to the generator. The impedance of the antenna is strongly dependent on edge plasma parameters and the impedance sometimes changes as fast as 10−4s, while the RF generators used can deliver full power only into constant load impedance. Hence, the matching system with dynamic response in between generator and antenna is very much essential for high power ICRF experiments when the plasma is of longer duration with variable load impedance. For ICRF system on SST-1 tokamak, two automatic matching systems are employed each for one transmission line, which consists of motorized stub tuners and phase shifters to match the antenna impedance in the time scale of 120ms. As a part of initial testing, online impedance matching system is tested with individual transmission lines and then both the lines are matched simultaneously on a variable dummy load which simulates the plasma load. In order to deliver power to both the lines from a single RF generator, hybrid coupler is used which also protects RF generator from reflections up to certain extent. However for hybrid coupler has to work properly and both the lines should see same load impedance. The automatic matching system is installed on tokamak state super-conducting tokamak (SST-1) and is tested up to 140kW power in the vacuum vessel of the tokamak. Here we present the details of the online matching system and its testing results. The significant result is that we could match the variable load impedance with the generator impedance within 120ms by suitably adjusting the step counts of the motor controller.

Global modeling of ULF waves at Mercury

AbstractULF waves in the ion cyclotron frequency range waves are regularly observed at Mercury's magnetosphere. Although previous statistical studies have shown that ULF waves are primarily compressional near the equator and transverse with linear polarization at higher latitude, the underlying reason for this distribution of wave polarization has not been understood. In order to address this key question, we have developed a two‐dimensional, finite element code that solves the full wave equations in global magnetospheric geometry. Using this code, we show that (1) efficient mode conversion from the fast compressional waves to the ion‐ion hybrid resonance occurs at Mercury consistent with previous calculations; (2) such mode‐converted waves globally oscillate similar to field line resonance at Earth; and (3) compressional wave energy is primarily localized near the equator, while field‐aligned transverse, linearly polarized waves generated by mode conversion at the ion‐ion hybrid resonance radiate to higher latitude. Based on these wave solutions, we suggest that the strong transverse component of observed ULF waves at Mercury in high magnetic latitude can be explained as excitation of the field line resonant waves at the ion‐ion hybrid resonance.

Internal Measurement of Propagation of ICRF Waves by Using Reflectometers on GAMMA 10

In GAMMA 10/PDX, the divertor simulation experiment has been performed recently. Ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) waves are used for plasma production and ion heating. It is necessary for obtaining better controllability and extending the operational regime to understand the excitation, propagation, and absorption of the waves. The density fluctuations accompanied by the ICRF waves propagating in the inner region of plasma has been measured by using a microwave reflectometer on the antenna-phasing experiments, where the propagation of the ICRF waves is actively controlled. The phase difference between two axially separated ICRF antennas remarkably affects the global plasma parameters. The density fluctuation caused by the interfered ICRF waves is shown to depend clearly on the phase difference between the waves excited from two antennas. The availability of a reflectometer for the evaluation of the internal wave propagation is shown.

Analysis of Wave Excitation of the Phase-Control ICRF Antennas with Three-Dimensional Full Wave Code on GAMMA 10

On the GAMMA 10 tandem mirror, divertor simulation experiments progress with high-temperature plasmas produced by waves in ion-cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) and open magnetic fields. In these experiments, high-temperature and high-density plasmas are required to be produced and controlled. In order to enhance the ion heating in the anchor cell, phase-control experiments, which use two ICRF antennas installed in the central cell and the anchor cell, are introduced. In these experiments, ICRF waves in the same frequency (10 MHz) are excited. Ion heating in the anchor cell is performed more effectively with phase control. In order to analyze wave propagation in the phase-control experiments, a three-dimensional full wave code (TASK/WF), in which parallel processing has been implemented recently, is introduced. In this technical note, we discuss ICRF wave excitation and propagation in the phase-control experiments. It is clearly observed by the experiments and wave analysis that the enhancement of ion heating in the anchor cell is performed by phase-control experiments.

High-Density Plasma Production in the GAMMA 10 Central Cell with ICRF Heating on Both Anchor Cells

In the GAMMA 10 tandem mirror, divertor simulation experiments that utilize particle flux toward the west end region (called end-loss flux) have been implemented. Since a positive correlation has been reported between the end-loss flux and the central-cell density, an increase of the central-cell density is important for obtaining a higher end-loss flux on the divertor simulation experiments. By arranging the ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) systems so as to excite strong ICRF waves in both anchor cells simultaneously, we have succeeded in producing high-density plasmas (line density of 1.2 × 1014 cm−2) in both anchor cells. As a result, a higher central-cell density of 4.4 × 1012 cm−3 and a higher end-loss flux of more than 1023 m−2s−1 have been obtained. One of the possible mechanisms of the high density production is a formation of positive potentials on both anchor cells. Plasmas in the central cell are confined due to those potentials.

Numerical investigation of fast-wave propagation and radio-frequency sheath interaction with a shaped tokamak wall

Interactions between propagating fast waves and radio-frequency (RF) sheaths in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies are numerically investigated based on a cold fluid plasma model coupled with a sheath boundary condition. In this two-dimensional study, the capability of the finite element code rfSOL, which was developed in previous numerical work, is extended to analyze self-consistent RF sheath-plasma interaction problems in a tokamak with a non-circular cross-section. It is found that a large sheath voltage is generated near the edges of the limiter-shaped deformation as a result of the conversion from fast to slow waves on the sheaths. The sheath voltage associated with this conversion is particularly significant in the localized region where the contact angle between the magnetic field line and the conducting wall varies rapidly along the curved sheath surface, which is consistent with the results in previous one-dimensional theoretical work. The dependences of the RF sheaths on various parameters in plasma such as the toroidal wavenumber, edge plasma density, and the degree of the RF wave absorption in the core region are also examined in detail.

Radio frequency sheaths in an oblique magnetic field

The physics of radio-frequency (rf) sheaths near a conducting surface is studied for plasmas immersed in a magnetic field that makes an oblique angle θ with the surface. A set of one-dimensional equations is developed that describes the dynamics of the time-dependent magnetic presheath and non-neutral Debye sheath. The model employs Maxwell-Boltzmann electrons, and the magnetization and mobility of the ions is determined by the magnetic field strength, and wave frequency, respectively. The angle θ, assumed to be large enough to insure an electron-poor sheath, is otherwise arbitrary. Concentrating on the ion-cyclotron range of frequencies, the equations are solved numerically to obtain the rectified (dc) voltage, the rf voltage across the sheath, and the rf current flowing through the sheath. As an application of this model, the sheath voltage-current relation is used to obtain the rf sheath impedance, which in turn gives an rf sheath boundary condition for the electric field at the sheath-plasma interface that can be used in rf wave codes. In general, the impedance has both resistive and capacitive contributions, and generalizes previous sheath boundary condition models. The resistive part contributes to parasitic power dissipation at the wall.

Second-harmonic ion cyclotron resonance heating scenarios of Aditya tokamak plasma

Plasma heating with the fast magnetosonic waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) is one of the auxiliary heating schemes of Aditya tokamak. Numerical simulation of second-harmonic resonance heating scenarios in low-temperature, low-density Aditya plasma has been carried out for fast magnetosonic wave absorption in ICRF range, using full-wave ion cyclotron heating code TORIC combined with Fokker–Planck quasilinear solver SSFPQL and the results are explained. In such low-temperature, low-density plasma, ion absorption for second-harmonic resonance heating is less but significant amount of direct electron heating is observed.

Testing the high turbulence level breakdown of low-frequency gyrokinetics against high-frequency cyclokinetic simulationsa)

This paper presents numerical simulations of the nonlinear cyclokinetic equations in the cyclotron harmonic representation [R. E. Waltz and Zhao Deng, Phys. Plasmas 20, 012507 (2013)]. Simulations are done with a local flux-tube geometry and with the parallel motion and variation suppressed using a newly developed rCYCLO code. Cyclokinetic simulations dynamically follow the high-frequency ion gyro-phase motion which is nonlinearly coupled into the low-frequency drift-waves possibly interrupting and suppressing gyro-averaging and increasing the transport over gyrokinetic levels. By comparing the more fundamental cyclokinetic simulations with the corresponding gyrokinetic simulations, the breakdown of gyrokinetics at high turbulence levels is quantitatively tested over a range of relative ion cyclotron frequency 10 < Ω* < 100 where Ω* = 1/ρ*, and ρ* is the relative ion gyroradius. The gyrokinetic linear mode rates closely match the cyclokinetic low-frequency rates for Ω* > 5. Gyrokinetic transport recovers cyclokinetic transport at high relative ion cyclotron frequency (Ω* ≥ 50) and low turbulence level as required. Cyclokinetic transport is found to be lower than gyrokinetic transport at high turbulence levels and low-Ω* values with stable ion cyclotron (IC) modes. The gyrokinetic approximation is found to break down when the density perturbations exceed 20%. For cyclokinetic simulations with sufficiently unstable IC modes and sufficiently low Ω* ∼ 10, the high-frequency component of cyclokinetic transport level can exceed the gyrokinetic transport level. However, the low-frequency component of the cyclokinetic transport and turbulence level does not exceed that of gyrokinetics. At higher and more physically relevant Ω* ≥ 50 values and physically realistic IC driving rates, the low-frequency component of the cyclokinetic transport and turbulence level is still smaller than that of gyrokinetics. Thus, the cyclokinetic simulations do not account for the so-called “L-mode near edge short fall” seen in some low-frequency gyrokinetic transport and turbulence simulations.

Particle-in-cell simulations of parametric decay instability of radiofrequency wave in the ion cyclotron range of frequency in an inhomogeneous plasma

Particle-in-cell simulations have been conducted to investigate the parametric decay processes of radiofrequency waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequency in inhomogeneous plasmas. By choosing the parameters close to those in the ion Bernstein wave heating experiments on the HT-7 tokamak (Li et al 2001 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 43 1227–38), decay channels similar to experimental observations have been found in simulations. It is shown that due to strong inhomogeneity of tokamak edge plasma, layers may exist where selection rules of the mode–mode coupling are satisfied, and resonant parametric decays can occur if the input wave power is sufficiently high. As a result, daughter waves at half-, second- and third-harmonic frequencies of the pump wave can be excited. The nonresonant parametric decay is also observed, and ions are heated via nonlinear Landau damping.

Numerical methods for nonlinear simulations of cyclokinetics illustrating the breakdown of gyrokinetics at high turbulence levels

This paper presents the numerical methods for the nonlinear simulations of cyclokinetic [Waltz and Zhao Deng (2013)] equations in Fourier harmonics of the gyro-phase. A parallel processed, implicit time advanced, Eulerian (or continuum) code (rCYCLO) is developed. A novel numerical treatment of the magnetic moment velocity space derivative operator guarantees accurate conservation of the incremental entropy. By comparing the cyclokinetic simulations with the corresponding gyrokinetics, we quantitatively test the breakdown of gyrokinetics at high turbulence levels over a range of large relative ion cyclotron frequency (10<Ω∗<100 where Ω∗=1/ρ∗, and ρ∗ is the relative ion gyroradius). As an important code verification, the rCYCLO gyrokinetic transport recovers cyclokinetic transport at high relative ion cyclotron frequency (Ω∗⩾50) and low turbulence levels. In the case of linearly stable ion cyclotron modes, the cyclokinetic transport is lower (not higher) than the gyrokinetic transport at high turbulence levels and low-Ω∗ values.

The Upgrade of Fast Ferrite Tuning Matching System for ICRF in EAST

The fast ferrite tuning (FFT) real-time matching system has been designed and tested for the ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) in EAST tokamak, which is necessary to transfer ICRF power to the plasma against variations in the antenna impedance. Through the test results, we proved this FFT system is feasible in EAST. Therefore this system have been upgraded recently to achieve real-time matching by the upgrading of the coil power supply and optimizing of the tuning structure. Finally the new FFT system achieved a response time of 10 ms and operated with a peak power of 1.5 MW, which satisfied the requirements of matching system in EAST.

Fast particle-driven ion cyclotron emission (ICE) in tokamak plasmas and the case for an ICE diagnostic in ITER

The detection of fast particle-driven waves in the ion cyclotron frequency range (ion cyclotron emission or ICE) could provide a passive, non-invasive diagnostic of confined and escaping fast particles (fusion α-particles and beam ions) in ITER, and would be compatible with the high radiation environment of deuterium–tritium plasmas in that device. Recent experimental results from ASDEX Upgrade and DIII-D demonstrate the efficacy of ICE as a diagnostic of different fast ion species and of fast ion losses, while recent particle-in-cell (PIC) and hybrid simulations provide a more exact comparison with measured ICE spectra and open the prospect of exploiting ICE more fully as a fast ion diagnostic in future experiments. In particular the PIC/hybrid approach should soon make it possible to simulate the nonlinear physics of ICE in full toroidal geometry. Emission has been observed previously at a wide range of poloidal angles, so there is flexibility in the location of ICE detectors. Such a detector could be implemented in ITER by installing a small toroidally orientated loop near the plasma edge or by adding a detection capability to the ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) antennae. In the latter case, the antenna could be used simultaneously to heat the plasma and detect ICE, provided that frequencies close to those of the ICRH source are strongly attenuated in the detection system using a suitable filter. Wavenumber information, providing additional constraints on the fast ion distribution exciting the emission, could be obtained by measuring ICE using a toroidally distributed array of detectors or different straps of the ICRH antenna.

Field-aligned-impedance-transforming ICRF antenna in the LHD

Newly developed ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) antennas were fabricated and installed in the Large Helical Device (LHD). The antennas, called field-aligned-impedance-transforming (FAIT) antennas, were designed based on former handshake form (HAS) antennas for high power and steady-state operation. The FAIT antennas demonstrated higher loading resistance and lower temperature on ceramic feed-through than HAS antennas. Antenna impedance and injected power were measured precisely using a directional coupler installed between the impedance matching device and antenna. It was shown that an injection power of 1.8MW or a power density of 15MW/m2 would be possible for short-pulse discharges. The mutual coupling between two FAIT antennas is small enough, since any current phase is possible without adjusting the impedance matching device. Although the FAIT antennas are aligned in a poloidal direction, a high heating efficiency of 85% was achieved with the proper minority concentration ratio.

Results of ICRF Heating Experiments from the EAST 2010 Campaign**supported partly by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11105179, 11375235 and 11375236) and partly by the JSPS-NRF-NSFC A3 Foresight Program in the Field of Plasma Physics (No. 11261140328)

Radio frequency (RF) plasma heating in ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) was successfully performed on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). This is mainly because lithium wall conditioning was routinely used to reduce both impurity and hydrogen (H) recycling and to improve the ICRF power absorption. Mainly ICRF heating of the H minority regime at 27 MHz has been applied in deuterium plasmas. The ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) is found to depend strongly on plasma preheating. The ICRH efficiency can be much improved in conjunction with the lower hybrid wave (LHW). Effective ion and electron heating was observed with the H minority heating mode. The increase of the stored energy reached 30 kJ in L-mode plasma by using the ICRF power of 1.0 MW alone when the H cyclotron resonance layer was at plasma center.

Core impurity transport in Alcator C-Mod L-, I- and H-mode plasmas

Core impurity transport has been investigated for a variety of confinement regimes in Alcator C-Mod plasmas from x-ray emission following injection of medium and high Z materials. In ohmic L-mode discharges, impurity transport is anomalous (Deff ≫ Dnc) and changes very little across the LOC/SOC boundary. In ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heated L-mode plasmas, the core impurity confinement time decreases with increasing ICRF input power (and subsequent increasing electron temperature) and increases with plasma current. Nearly identical impurity confinement characteristics are observed in I-mode plasmas. In enhanced Dα H-mode discharges the core impurity confinement times are much longer. There is a strong connection between core impurity confinement time and the edge density gradient across all confinement regimes studied here. Deduced central impurity density profiles in stationary plasmas are generally flat, in spite of large amplitude sawtooth oscillations, and there is little evidence of impurity convection inside of r/a = 0.3 when averaged over sawteeth.

On radio frequency current drive in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies in DEMO and large ignited plasmas

To explore the possibility of efficient fast wave current drive in an ignited plasma in the ion cyclotron (IC) range of frequency in spite of competition from absorption by ions, we have added to the full-wave toroidal code TORIC a set of subroutines which evaluate absorption by these particles at IC harmonic resonances, using a realistic ‘slowing-down’ distribution function, and taking into account that their Larmor radius is comparable or even larger than the fast wave wavelength. The thermalized population of α-particles is not a serious competitor for power absorption as long as their number density is compatible with maintenance of ignition. By contrast, the energetic slowing down fraction, in spite of its even greater dilution, can absorb from the waves a substantial amount of power at the cyclotron resonance and its harmonics. An extensive exploration both in frequency and in toroidal wavenumbers using the parameters of one of the European versions of DEMO shows that three frequency windows exist in which damping is nevertheless predominantly on the electrons. Designing an antenna capable of shaping the launched spectrum to optimize current drive, however, will not be straightforward. Only in a narrow range when the first IC harmonic of tritium is deep inside the plasma on the high-field side of the magnetic axis, and that of deuterium and helium is still outside on the low-field side, it appears possible to achieve a satisfactory current drive efficiency with a conventional multi-strap antenna, preferentially located in the upper part of the vessel. Exploiting the other two windows at quite low and quite high frequencies is either impossible on first principles, or will demand novel ideas in antenna design.

Study of high-performance plasmas in the Large Helical Device

Recent results from LHD experiments are presented together with the progress of the related fusion technology supporting the experiment. An ultra-long pulse discharge with central electron and ion temperatures of 2 keV and electron density of 1.2 x 1019m−3 was successfully maintained for 48 minutes. Such a high performance plasma was heated and sustained by electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECH) with newly developed gyrotrons and ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF). Due to the continuous heating with the relatively high power of 1.2 MW, the total heating energy during the long pulse discharge reached 3.36 GJ, which is the world's record. The highest central ion temperature of 8.1 keV was also recorded in the last experimental campaign. In these experiments, it is essential to reduce the edge electron density, i.e., edge neutrals. Dedicated wall conditioning was performed to evacuate neutrals in the vessel wall before the main discharge with the high heating power. This process realizes the quite low recycling for particles, which results in the reduction of the edge plasma density.

Trends of W behavior in ICRF assisted discharges in ASDEX Upgrade

During Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) operation with metallic plasma facing components, plasma wall interaction processes are modified, which needs to be understood in order to reduce the ICRF-related rise in impurity concentration and maximize ICRF coupling. This contribution is focused on gathering and analyzing a database on W-behavior during ICRF spanning a multi-parameter space. The gas puff dependence is investigated in selected pulses that feature the injection of deuterium (D2) main gas, with impurity gas nitrogen (N2), argon (Ar) and krypton (Kr). CW was found to decrease with the total gas injection rate, which was also correlated with the changes of electron density in the location of the CW measurements. Although the addition of N2, Ar and Kr impacted on the increase in sputtering, to achieve a similar CW level with mixed puffing, one needs to inject considerably more gas. Moreover, CW is shown to change after implementation of boron coatings on the ICRF antenna limiters.

Effect of the RF wall conditioning on the high performance plasmas in the Large Helical Device

The wall conditioning using radio frequency (RF) plasma was carried out using Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequency (ICRF) heating and/or Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) with the working gas of helium under the established confinement magnetic field. After sufficient numbers of repetitive wall discharge conditioning (DC, ICDC for ICRF and ECDC for ECRH), the formation of the parabolic electron density profile and the increase of the central ion temperature Ti were observed. There was no difference in the attained central Ti of the NBI discharge just after the conditioning using a similar value of input energy regardless of the applied RF source. Thus, it is concluded that both ICDC and the ECDC are effective for the higher Ti plasma production under the established magnetic field in the Large Helical Device. The effective RF wall conditioning scenarios are also investigated for high Ti plasma production.