Large Helical Device Plasmas Research Articles

Simulation study of high-frequency energetic particle driven geodesic acoustic mode

High-frequency energetic particle driven geodesic acoustic modes (EGAM) observed in the large helical device plasmas are investigated using a hybrid simulation code for energetic particles and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). Energetic particle inertia is incorporated in the MHD momentum equation for the simulation where the beam ion density is comparable to the bulk plasma density. Bump-on-tail type beam ion velocity distribution created by slowing down and charge exchange is considered. It is demonstrated that EGAMs have frequencies higher than the geodesic acoustic modes and the dependence on bulk plasma temperature is weak if (1) energetic particle density is comparable to the bulk plasma density and (2) charge exchange time (τcx) is sufficiently shorter than the slowing down time (τs) to create a bump-on-tail type distribution. The frequency of high-frequency EGAM rises as the energetic particle pressure increases under the condition of high energetic particle pressure. The frequency also increases as the energetic particle pitch angle distribution shifts to higher transit frequency. It is found that there are two kinds of particles resonant with EGAM: (1) trapped particles and (2) passing particles with transit frequency close to the mode frequency. The EGAMs investigated in this work are destabilized primarily by the passing particles whose transit frequencies are close to the EGAM frequency.

Development of quantitative atomic modeling for tungsten transport study using LHD plasma with tungsten pellet injection

Quantitative tungsten study with reliable atomic modeling is important for successful achievement of ITER and fusion reactors. We have developed tungsten atomic modeling for understanding the tungsten behavior in fusion plasmas. The modeling is applied to the analysis of tungsten spectra observed from plasmas of the large helical device (LHD) with tungsten pellet injection. We found that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission of W24+ to W33+ ions at 1.5–3.5 nm are sensitive to electron temperature and useful to examine the tungsten behavior in edge plasmas. We can reproduce measured EUV spectra at 1.5–3.5 nm by calculated spectra with the tungsten atomic model and obtain charge state distributions of tungsten ions in LHD plasmas at different temperatures around 1 keV. Our model is applied to calculate the unresolved transition array (UTA) seen at 4.5–7 nm tungsten spectra. We analyze the effect of configuration interaction on population kinetics related to the UTA structure in detail and find the importance of two-electron-one-photon transitions between 4p54dn+1– 4p64dn−14f. Radiation power rate of tungsten due to line emissions is also estimated with the model and is consistent with other models within factor 2.

Identification of the energetic-particle driven GAM in the LHD

n = 0 modes with frequency chirping have been observed by a heavy ion beam probe and Mirnov coils in the large helical device plasmas, where n is the toroidal mode number. The spatial structures of the electrostatic potential fluctuation and the density fluctuation correspond to those of the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM). The modes are observed only during the tangential neutral beam injection with the energy of 175 keV. The energy spectra of fast ions measured by a neutral particle analyzer implies that the modes are excited by the fast ions through the inverse Landau damping. The absolute values and the temperature dependence of the frequency of the mode can be interpreted by the dispersion relation taking into account the measured energy spectra of the fast ions. Therefore, the observed n = 0 modes are identified as the energetic-particle driven GAM.

Performance improvement of two-dimensional EUV spectroscopy based on high-frame-rate CCD and signal normalization method in Large Helical Device

In the Large Helical Device (LHD), two-dimensional (2D) distribution of edge impurity line emissions from the ergodic layer with a three-dimensional (3D) magnetic field structure has been observed in the wavelength range of 30–650 Å by horizontally scanning a space-resolved extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometer during a steady phase in electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and ion cyclotron range of heating (ICRF) discharges with long pulse duration (τd ≥ 10 s). The 2D distribution of impurity line emissions can be measured at the upper or lower half in the full vertical range of LHD plasmas by a single horizontal scan. The performance of 2D EUV spectroscopy, however, was not sufficient for discussing the impurity transport in the ergodic layer from the viewpoints of the quality of 2D images and the requirement of long pulse discharges. The 2D EUV spectrometer is therefore modified by installing a high-frame-rate charge-coupled detector (CCD) and increasing its horizontal scanning speed. As a result, the quality of 2D images is significantly improved with increased horizontal spatial resolution, and then the 2D measurement is also possible for neutral beam injection (NBI) discharges with short pulse duration (τd ∼ 3 s). In addition, temporal and shot-by-shot intensity variations in the edge EUV emission are significantly reduced by applying a signal normalization method using another EUV spectrometer with high time resolution. A 0.5 µm poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) filter is also installed in front of an entrance slit of the space-resolved EUV spectrometer. The spike noise originating from high-energy neutral particles, which are enhanced in low-density NBI discharges, has been successfully reduced. Typical examples of the 2D distribution of impurity line emissions with improved quality are presented for several impurity species.

A quantitative model for heat pulse propagation across large helical device plasmas

It is known that rapid edge cooling of magnetically confined plasmas can trigger heat pulses that propagate rapidly inward. These can result in large excursion, either positive or negative, in the electron temperature at the core. A set of particularly detailed measurements was obtained in Large Helical Device (LHD) plasmas [S. Inagaki et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 52, 075002 (2010)], which are considered here. By applying a travelling wave transformation, we extend the model of Dendy et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 55, 115009 (2013), which successfully describes the local time-evolution of heat pulses in these plasmas, to include also spatial dependence. The new extended model comprises two coupled nonlinear first order differential equations for the (x, t) evolution of the deviation from steady state of two independent variables: the excess electron temperature gradient and the excess heat flux, both of which are measured in the LHD experiments. The mathematical structure of the model equations implies a formula for the pulse velocity, defined in terms of plasma quantities, which aligns with empirical expectations and is within a factor of two of the measured values. We thus model spatio-temporal pulse evolution, from first principles, in a way which yields as output the spatiotemporal evolution of the electron temperature, which is also measured in detail in the experiments. We compare the model results against LHD datasets using appropriate initial and boundary conditions. Sensitivity of this nonlinear model with respect to plasma parameters, initial conditions, and boundary conditions is also investigated. We conclude that this model is able to match experimental data for the spatio-temporal evolution of the temperature profiles of these pulses, and their propagation velocities, across a broad radial range from r/a≃0.5 to the plasma core. The model further implies that the heat pulse may be related mathematically to soliton solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries-Burgers equation.

Turbulent transport of heat and particles in a high ion temperature discharge of the Large Helical Device

Turbulent transport in a high ion temperature discharge of the Large Helical Device (LHD) is investigated by means of electromagnetic gyrokinetic simulations, which include kinetic electrons, magnetic perturbations, and full geometrical effects. Including kinetic electrons enables us to firstly evaluate the particle and the electron heat fluxes caused by turbulence in LHD plasmas. It is found that the electron energy transport reproduces the experimental result, and that the particle flux is negative. The contribution of magnetic perturbation to the transport is small because of very low beta. The turbulence is driven by the ion temperature gradient instability, and the effect of kinetic electrons enhances the growth rate larger than that from the adiabatic electron calculation. The ion energy flux is larger than that observed in the experiment, while the flux is close to the experimental observation when the temperature gradient is reduced 20% in the simulation. This significant sensitivity of the energy flux implies that the profile in the experiment is close to the critical temperature gradient. The critical gradient for turbulent energy flux is similar to that for the linear instability, i.e., the Dimits shift is small. This is because the zonal flow in the LHD is weaker than that in tokamaks.

Multi-scale MHD analysis of LHD plasma with background field changing

The mechanism of the partial collapse observed in the experiment with the background magnetic field changing in the Large Helical Device (LHD) is numerically investigated with a nonlinear magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulation. Since the different timescales of the perturbations and the background field changing have to be treated simultaneously for the analysis of this plasma, a multi-scale simulation scheme is developed. The effect of the perturbation dynamics on the equilibrium pressure and rotational transform is taken into account in this scheme. The result indicates that the collapse is caused by the destabilization of an infernal-like mode due to the magnetic hill enhanced by the change of the background field. The mechanism of the reduction of the central beta observed after the partial collapse in the experiment is also analysed in relation to the effect of the background field changing.

Three-Dimensional Numerical Analysis of Ion Diamagnetic Effects on Interchange Mode in Heliotron Plasmas

The influence of the ion diamagnetic flow on the resistive interchange mode including dissipation in the Large Helical Device (LHD) plasmas is investigated with three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) codes. The contribution on the interchange mode stability depends on the difference between the ideal growth rate γI and the single fluid growth rate including resistivity and dissipation γD. When γD is close to γI, the ion diamagnetic effects are stabilizing. In this case the stabilization can be approximated by an analytic formula by analogy with the case without dissipation. When γD is far from γI the ion diamagnetic effects are destabilizing.

Temperature impact on W surface exposed to He plasma in LHD and its consequences for the material properties

A new temperature controlled material probe was designed for the exposure of W samples to He plasma in the LHD (Large Helical Device). TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) analysis allowed the study of the impact of He irradiation under high temperatures (up to 600°C) on W microstructure: bubbles and dislocation loops are formed at the surface. A heavily damaged layer rich in both damages is formed at the very surface layer whose thickness increases with the incident fluence; beyond this layer, bubbles are observed much deeper than expected, rising concerns about the consequences for the material properties conservation. Nano-indentation measurements showed that the hardness of exposed tungsten indeed increases as the dislocation loops are formed and large bubbles appear in the material.

Analysis of the three-dimensional trajectories of dusts observed with a stereoscopic fast framing camera in the Large Helical Device

The three-dimensional trajectories of dusts have been observed with two stereoscopic fast framing cameras installed in upper and outer viewports in the Large Helical Device (LHD). It shows that the dust trajectories locate in divertor legs and an ergodic layer around the main plasma confinement region. While it is found that most of the dusts approximately move along the magnetic field lines with acceleration, there are some dusts which have sharply curved trajectories crossing over the magnetic field lines. A dust transport simulation code was modified to investigate the dust trajectories in fully three dimensional geometries such as LHD plasmas. It can explain the general trend of most of observed dust trajectories by the effect of the plasma flow in the peripheral plasma. However, the behavior of the some dusts with sharply curved trajectories is not consistent with the simulations.

EUV spectroscopy of highly charged high Z ions in the Large Helical Device plasmas

We present recent results on the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscopy of highly charged high Z ions in plasmas produced in the Large Helical Device (LHD) at the National Institute for Fusion Science. Tungsten, bismuth and lanthanide elements have recently been studied in the LHD in terms of their importance in fusion research and EUV light source development. In relatively low temperature plasmas, quasicontinuum emissions from open 4d or 4f subshell ions are predominant in the EUV region, while the spectra tend to be dominated by discrete lines from open 4s or 4p subshell ions in higher temperature plasmas. Comparative analyses using theoretical calculations and charge-separated spectra observed in an electron beam ion trap have been performed to achieve better agreement with the spectra measured in the LHD. As a result, databases on Z dependence of EUV spectra in plasmas have been widely extended.

Study of non-linear coupling of fluctuations at long distance in LHD

Non-linear coupling between fluctuations at different radial locations is observed on the Large Helical Device (LHD) plasma. The summed bi-coherence between the low frequency macro-scale fluctuation (frequency is f = 2.75 kHz) at ρ = reff/a99 = 0.63 (where a99 is averaged plasma radius) and the high-frequency micro-scale fluctuations (frequency range of f > 150 kHz) at ρ = 0.88 is found to converge to a non-zero and finite value. The bi-phase analysis provides another basis for the non-linear interaction across the long distance. These results are associated with the violation local closure for transport relation.

Space-resolved 3 m normal incidence spectrometer for edge impurity diagnostics in the large helical device

A space-resolved vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopy using a 3 m normal incidence spectrometer has been developed to measure the impurity profile in the edge ergodic layer composed of stochastic magnetic field by which the edge plasma in the large helical device (LHD) is uniquely characterized. It vertically measures the spatial profile of VUV lines emitted from impurities in the wavelength range of 300-3200 Å. The wavelength interval, Δλ, which can be measured in a single discharge, is about 37 Å. A spectral resolution of 0.153 Å, which results from an entrance slit width of the spectrometer of 20 μm, is adopted. The vertical observation range, ΔZ, can be switched by taking a convex mirror in and out, which enables both the edge profile measurement focused on the ergodic layer and the full profile measurement covering an entire vertical size of the LHD plasma, e.g., 165 ≤ ΔZ ≤ 200 mm and 1000 ≤ ΔZ ≤ 1250 mm for the R(ax)=3.6 m configuration, respectively, which shows a slight wavelength dependence. Precise calibrations on the line dispersion, spectral resolution, vertical range of the observable region, and the spatial resolution have been performed with a unique method. As a preliminary result, the ion temperature profile is obtained for CIV at 1548.20 Å in the second order (denoted as 1548.20 × 2 Å) in high-density helium discharges in addition to the emission profile with a time resolution of 100 ms in a multitrack CCD operation mode. The poloidal flow in the ergodic layer based on the Doppler-shift measurement of CIV at 1548.20 × 2 Å is also observed in high-density hydrogen discharges.

Evolution of radiation profiles during detached plasmas and radiative collapse in LHD

The divertor heat loads can be efficiently controlled by plasma detachment, hence it is foreseen as a suitable operational regime for divertor operation of future machines. Detachment regime is normally approached by raising the plasma density to a point where plasma detaches from the divertor. If such an approach is adapted to detach the Large Helical Device (LHD) plasma, the plasma goes to radiative collapse due to thermal instabilities. Another approach to detach LHD plasma is by intrinsic impurity seeding using Ne. The discharges detach but ultimately collapse at comparatively lower densities. The detachment is achieved and sustained at high densities by the induction of an m/n=1/1 resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) in the stochastic edge of the LHD plasma. First quantitative measurements of the two-dimensional (2D) impurity radiation profiles from the three-dimensional (3D) plasma edge of LHD showing the time evolution of radiative collapse and RMP assisted detachment measured by recently upgraded and calibrated Infrared imaging Video Bolometer (IRVB) are presented in this article.

Line spectrum and ion temperature measurements from tungsten ions at low ionization stages in large helical device based on vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy in wavelength range of 500-2200 Å.

Vacuum ultraviolet spectra of emissions released from tungsten ions at lower ionization stages were measured in the Large Helical Device (LHD) in the wavelength range of 500-2200 Å using a 3 m normal incidence spectrometer. Tungsten ions were distributed in the LHD plasma by injecting a pellet consisting of a small piece of tungsten metal and polyethylene tube. Many lines having different wavelengths from intrinsic impurity ions were observed just after the tungsten pellet injection. Doppler broadening of a tungsten candidate line was successfully measured and the ion temperature was obtained.

Improved signal to noise ratio and sensitivity of an infrared imaging video bolometer on large helical device by using an infrared periscope.

An Infrared imaging Video Bolometer (IRVB) diagnostic is currently being used in the Large Helical Device (LHD) for studying the localization of radiation structures near the magnetic island and helical divertor X-points during plasma detachment and for 3D tomography. This research demands high signal to noise ratio (SNR) and sensitivity to improve the temporal resolution for studying the evolution of radiation structures during plasma detachment and a wide IRVB field of view (FoV) for tomography. Introduction of an infrared periscope allows achievement of a higher SNR and higher sensitivity, which in turn, permits a twofold improvement in the temporal resolution of the diagnostic. Higher SNR along with wide FoV is achieved simultaneously by reducing the separation of the IRVB detector (metal foil) from the bolometer's aperture and the LHD plasma. Altering the distances to meet the aforesaid requirements results in an increased separation between the foil and the IR camera. This leads to a degradation of the diagnostic performance in terms of its sensitivity by 1.5-fold. Using an infrared periscope to image the IRVB foil results in a 7.5-fold increase in the number of IR camera pixels imaging the foil. This improves the IRVB sensitivity which depends on the square root of the number of IR camera pixels being averaged per bolometer channel. Despite the slower f-number (f/# = 1.35) and reduced transmission (τ0 = 89%, due to an increased number of lens elements) for the periscope, the diagnostic with an infrared periscope operational on LHD has improved in terms of sensitivity and SNR by a factor of 1.4 and 4.5, respectively, as compared to the original diagnostic without a periscope (i.e., IRVB foil being directly imaged by the IR camera through conventional optics). The bolometer's field of view has also increased by two times. The paper discusses these improvements in apt details.

Electromagnetic gyrokinetic turbulence in finite-beta helical plasmas

A saturation mechanism for microturbulence in a regime of weak zonal flow generation is investigated by means of electromagnetic gyrokinetic simulations. The study identifies a new saturation process of the kinetic ballooning mode (KBM) turbulence originating from the spatial structure of the KBM instabilities in a finite-beta Large Helical Device (LHD) plasma. Specifically, the most unstable KBM in LHD has an inclined mode structure with respect to the mid-plane of a torus, i.e., it has a finite radial wave-number in flux tube coordinates, in contrast to KBMs in tokamaks as well as ion-temperature gradient modes in tokamaks and helical systems. The simulations reveal that the growth of KBMs in LHD is saturated by nonlinear interactions of oppositely inclined convection cells through mutual shearing as well as by the zonal flow. The saturation mechanism is quantitatively investigated by analysis of the nonlinear entropy transfer that shows not only the mutual shearing but also a self-interaction with an elongated mode structure along the magnetic field line.

Ion temperature and radial profile of CII-CV located in the edge and divertor plasmas of large helical device

Space-resolved vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopy using a 3-m normal incidence spectrometer is utilized to measure the impurity emission profile in the edge and divertor plasmas of the Large Helical Device (LHD). It measures the vertical profile of VUV lines emitted in the wavelength range of 300–3200 °A. CII, CIII, CIV, and CV lines emitted from carbon ions are successfully measured, and their ion temperatures are derived from the Doppler broadening. Vertical profiles of the emission intensity and the ion temperature are measured simultaneously for the CIV line. The emission intensity profile, which has several peak structures, is reasonably explained by considering the relation between the C3+ ion distribution and the geometry used for the observations.

Spectrum response and analysis of 77 GHz band collective Thomson scattering diagnostic for bulk and fast ions in LHD plasmas

A collective Thomson scattering (CTS) diagnostic was developed and used to measure the bulk and fast ions originating from 180 keV neutral beams in the Large Helical Device (LHD). Electromagnetic waves from a gyrotron at 77 GHz with 1 MW power output function as both the probe and electron cyclotron heating beam. To clarify the diagnostic applicability of the gyrotron in the 77 GHz frequency band, we investigated the dependence of the probe and receiver beam trajectories in plasmas with high electron densities of (4–5) × 1019 m−3 and low electron densities of (1–2) × 1019 m−3. At high density, a stray radiation component was observed in the CTS spectrum whereas it was negligibly small at low density. The CTS spectrum was measured and analysed after the in situ beam alignment using a beam scan. Qualitatively, the CTS spectrogram shows consistent response to ion temperatures of 1–2 keV for electron densities of (1–2) × 1019 m−3 and electron temperatures of 2–4 keV. The measured CTS spectrum shows an asymmetric shape at the foot of the bulk-ion region during the injection of 180 keV fast ions. This shape is explained by the fast-ion distribution in the velocity space (v‖, v⊥) based on Monte Carlo simulation results. The analysis method of the CTS spectra is used to evaluate the ion temperature and fast-ion velocity distribution from the measured CTS data.

Validation of Spectroscopic Model for Fe Ions in Non-Equilibrium Ionization Plasma in LHD and Hinode

We measured extreme ultraviolet spectra of Fe ions for plasmas produced in the Large Helical Device (LHD) at the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS). Iron was injected into the plasmas by using a tracer– encapsulated pellet. By controlling the neutral beam injection pattern, we could produce plasma with a central electron temperature of approximately 500eV, which was suitable for producing Fe XVII ions. We measured seven Fe XVII lines. The intensity ratio for λ of 20.468 to 25.493nm was consistent with the theoretically calculated value of 1.1. This calculated value was determined purely from the branching ratio due to the common upper level of these transitions, although Warren et al. [Astrphys. J. 685, 1277 (2008)] reported a larger ratio of approxinately 2 from Hinode EIS measurements. The other five ratios for Fe XVII lines in our LHD measurements were also consistent with the theoretical ratios calculated with a collisional–radiative model. A preferred atomic dataset for Fe XVII is suggested to obtain better agreement between the measured and calculated ratios.