Low-frequency Density Fluctuations Research Articles

Intermittency of density fluctuations and zonal-flow generation in MAST edge plasmas

The properties of the edge ion-scale turbulence are studied using the beam emission spectroscopy (BES) diagnostic on MAST. Evidence of the formation of large-scale high-amplitude coherent structures, filamentary density blobs and holes, 2–4 cm inside the plasma separatrix is presented. Measurements of radial velocity and skewness of the density fluctuations indicate that density holes propagate radially inwards, with the skewness profile peaking at 7–10 cm inside the separatrix. Poloidal velocities of the density fluctuations measured using cross-correlation time delay estimation (CCTDE) are found to exhibit an intermittent behaviour. Zonal-flow analysis reveals the presence of poloidally symmetric coherent oscillations – low-frequency (LF) zonal flows and geodesic acoustic modes (GAM). Shearing rates of the observed zonal flows are found to be comparable to the turbulence decorrelation rate. The observed bursts in density-fluctuation power are followed by quiescent periods with a transient increase in the power of sheared flows. Three-wave interactions between broadband turbulence and a GAM are illustrated using the autobispectral technique. It is shown that the zonal flows and the density-fluctuation field are nonlinearly coupled and LF zonal flows mediate the energy transfer from high- to low-frequency density fluctuations.

Particle pump-out induced by trapped electron mode turbulence in electron cyclotron heated plasmas on XuanLong-50 spherical torus

Particle pump-out effects induced by low-frequency (<200 kHz) density fluctuations were observed in solely electron cyclotron wave (ECW)-heated plasmas on the spherical torus XuanLong-50 (EXL-50) without a central solenoid. The intensity of the relative density fluctuations increases with increasing ECW power and decays when the ECW is turned off while sustaining the plasma current. The electron densities are maintained relatively high and steady when the density fluctuations are completely absent, indicating that the outward transport of electrons is dominated by the particle pump-out effect of the ECW. The density fluctuations are modulated by a supersonic molecular beam injection pulse and the modulation amplitude decreases with increasing electron density at the same ECW injection power and decreasing ECW power at the same electron density, respectively. Analysis revealed that a critical value of electron temperature gradient (ETG) triggers the density fluctuations, and the intensity of the relative density fluctuations is positively correlated with the ETG and approximately inversely proportional to the effective collision frequency. With plasma parameters similar to those of EXL-50 experiments, the HD7 code simulations demonstrate that trapped electron mode (TEM) turbulence can be excited by ETG higher than the critical value observed in the experiment. In addition, the dependence of the mode growth rate (supposed to be proportional to the saturation level of fluctuations in quasi-linear theory) and the measured intensity of the density fluctuations is comparable. The simulated outward particle flux integrated over the poloidal wave number spectrum is significant and proportional to ETG. These observations demonstrate that the density fluctuation is TEM turbulence, which is driven by ETG and induces particle pump-out when the electron density/effective electron collision frequency is low. The potential relevance of this work with the controls of plasma profiles, impurities, helium ash, and heat transport in future reactors of similar low effective collision frequency is also discussed.

Wavelet Analysis of Low-Frequency Plasma Density Fluctuations under Multipulse ECR Heating in the L-2M Stellarator

Wavelet Analysis of Low-Frequency Plasma Density Fluctuations under Multipulse ECR Heating in the L-2M Stellarator

Development of the HCN heterodyne collective scattering system on J-TEXT

A heterodyne collective scattering system has been designed and developed to investigate the turbulent transport of core plasma on J-TEXT. A dual-HCN laser which consists of two separately pumped HCN gas lasers at 337 μm has been developed as the laser source of the scattering system. The intermediate frequency (IF) is ∼1 MHz when there is a 4 μm cavity length difference and capable to maintain stability more than 5 h without manual operation. Detection channels at three different angles (2 ≤ k ⊥ ≤ 12 cm−1) have been installed with Schottky barrier diode mixers of 893 GHz. The sampling frequency of the acquisition system is 6 MHz to observe low-frequency density fluctuations. Initial experimental results have been detected and more results can be expected in future experiments.

Modeling the spectral modification of lower hybrid wave in the presence of drift-wave type density fluctuation in the scrape-off-layer of the EAST tokamak

The spectrum change of the lower hybrid (LH) waves caused by a low-frequency density fluctuation in the scrape-off-layer is studied by applying the wave scattering model developed by Bonoli and Ott [Phys. Fluids 25, 359 (1982)] via a Monte Carlo method. Due to the influence of the density fluctuation, the perpendicular component of the LH wave-vector can be rotated in the 2D perpendicular space, which will further change the ray trajectory of the LH wave. A ray-tracing model specific to this purpose is developed to evaluate the probability distribution of both the poloidal refractive index (Nθ) and the parallel refractive index ( N∥) of the LH wave at the last closed flux surface (LCFS). The scattering probability and the rotation scattering angle are determined by the combined effect from the geometric optics approximation term and the E×B drift term in the LH tensor elements. The probability distributions of N∥ and Nθ at the LCFS are studied using the EAST parameters as a function of wave frequency, the initial N∥, and the polar injection position, which may influence the lower hybrid current drive efficiency.

Spatial structure of low-frequency fluctuations throughout the transition of poloidal flow velocity in edge plasmas of LHD

It is observed that a low-frequency (∼2 kHz) density fluctuation is excited in a transition of the poloidal flow velocity (Vθ) in the edge magnetic stochastic region of the Large Helical Device plasmas. Furthermore, it is found that the propagation velocity becomes approximately zero in the proximity of the appearance region of the low-frequency fluctuation by using the edge multichannel microwave Doppler reflectometer system. In particular, the low-frequency fluctuation is considered to be transmitted in both directions (inward and outward) away from the excitation position of the fluctuation, which behaves as the precursor of a magnetic fluctuation burst. Afterward, the edge Hα signal intensity is sharply increased.

Preliminary Study of the Magnetic Perturbation Effects on the Edge Density Profiles and Fluctuations Using Reflectometers on EAST**supported by the National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Science Program of China (Nos. 2014GB106000, 2014GB106003 and 2015GB110001), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11275234, 11305215, 11305208, 11405214 and 11505221)

The resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) coils have been successfully designed and installed on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). Using the reflectometer systems, the density profile and the density fluctuations during magnetic perturbations (MPs) phase have been investigated. During the experiments, two different cases are studied separately: steady MPs and rotating MPs. In both cases, a strongly density pump-out has been observed. In the steady MPs cases, an enhancement of the low frequency (<60 kHz) density fluctuations in H-mode phase has been observed. The plasma density boundary out-shifts ~ 5% caused by the MPs. The pedestal density gradient is reduced by 50%, while the radial location nearly stays unchanged. In the rotating MPs, the line-averaged density, the Dα emission at the divertor region and the spectrum of the density fluctuations are modulated. The results suggest that the low frequency (<60 kHz) density fluctuations may contribute to the strong density pump-out.

Density fluctuation measurements by using the Fraunhofer diffraction method in GAMMA10

We applied Fraunhofer diffraction (FD) method to GAMMA10 plasma. The FD method can measure the density fluctuation in detail and the wave number of the fluctuation. We successfully obtained the density fluctuation spectra in GAMMA 10. Analyzing the FD method signals of radial fluctuation intensity profile, we can successfully obtain the wave number and the phase velocity of the low frequency density fluctuation.

Modification of Turbulent Transport with Continuous Variation of Flow Shear in the Large Plasma Device

Continuous control over azimuthal flow and shear in the edge of the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) has been achieved using a biasable limiter which has allowed a careful study of the effect of flow shear on pressure-gradient-driven turbulence and transport in the LAPD. The LAPD rotates spontaneously in the ion diamagnetic direction; positive limiter bias first reduces, then minimizes (producing a near-zero shear state), and finally reverses the flow into the electron diamagnetic direction. Degradation of particle confinement is observed in the minimum shearing state and a reduction in the turbulent particle flux is observed with increasing shearing in both flow directions. Near-complete suppression of the turbulent particle flux is observed for shearing rates comparable to the turbulent autocorrelation rate measured in the minimum shear state. Turbulent flux suppression is dominated by amplitude reduction in low-frequency (<10 kHz) density fluctuations. An increase in fluctuations for the highest shearing states is observed with the emergence of a coherent mode which does not lead to net particle transport. The variations of density fluctuations are fit well with power laws and compare favorably to simple models of shear suppression of transport.

Stimulated scattering of electromagnetic waves carrying orbital angular momentum in quantum plasmas

We investigate stimulated scattering instabilities of coherent circularly polarized electromagnetic (CPEM) waves carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) in dense quantum plasmas with degenerate electrons and nondegenerate ions. For this purpose, we employ the coupled equations for the CPEM wave vector potential and the driven (by the ponderomotive force of the CPEM waves) equations for the electron and ion plasma oscillations. The electrons are significantly affected by the quantum forces (viz., the quantum statistical pressure, the quantum Bohm potential, as well as the electron exchange and electron correlations due to electron spin), which are included in the framework of the quantum hydrodynamical description of the electrons. Furthermore, our investigation of the stimulated Brillouin instability of coherent CPEM waves uses the generalized ion momentum equation that includes strong ion coupling effects. The nonlinear equations for the coupled CPEM and quantum plasma waves are then analyzed to obtain nonlinear dispersion relations which exhibit stimulated Raman, stimulated Brillouin, and modulational instabilities of CPEM waves carrying OAM. The present results are useful for understanding the origin of scattered light off low-frequency density fluctuations in high-energy density plasmas where quantum effects are eminent.

Kinetic description of the Langmuir solitons in ultra-relativistic electron-positron plasmas

The nonlinear interaction between the high frequency Langmuir wave and the low frequency density fluctuation in ultrarelativistic isothermal electron positron plasmas is investigated from kinetic Vlasov equation. One dimensional Langmuir solitons are obtained, the width of which is so large that it is not relevant to the coherent pulsar radio emission.

Observation of exponential spectra and Lorentzian pulses in the TJ-K stellarator

An experimental investigation of the low-frequency density fluctuations in the plasma edge region of the TJ-K stellarator [N. Krause et al., Rev. Sci. Inst. 73, 3474 (2002)] finds that the ensemble-averaged frequency spectra exhibit a near exponential frequency dependence whose origin can be traced to individual pulses having a Lorentzian temporal shape. Similar features have been previously observed [D. C. Pace et al., Phys. Plasmas 15, 122304 (2008)] in a linear magnetized device under conditions in which cross-field pressure gradients are present. The reported observation of such features within the turbulent environment of a toroidal confinement device provides support for the conjecture that the underlying processes are a general feature of pressure gradients. Also presented is the magnetic field strength dependence of the pulse widths and the waiting time distribution between pulses.

Observation of the Pitch Angle Distribution of High-Energy Ions and their Radial Transport in the Central Cell of GAMMA10

Suppression of the radial transport of the particles caused by low-frequency density fluctuations is one of the important subjects in the GAMMA10 tandem mirror. In GAMMA10, plasmas are mainly produced and heated with Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequency (ICRF) waves. The plasmas heated with ICRF waves have strong temperature anisotropy, because the ions are accelerated perpendicularly to the magnetic field line. In the GAMMA10 experiments, two types of low-frequency density fluctuations are observed; one is a drift-type fluctuation and the other is a flute-type fluctuation. In this paper, we study the radial transport of ICRF-produced high-energy ions which is caused by the low-frequency density fluctuations.

Convective Transport Suppression in the Scrape-Off Layer Using Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating on the ASDEX Upgrade Tokamak

Turbulence properties in the scrape-off layer (SOL) in the presence of ion cyclotron frequency heating (ICRH) are compared to instances where it is absent. The discharges are all in a high-confinement mode (H-mode) regime. During ICRH, the SOL plasma density increases whereas turbulence large-scale and convective structures are shown to be suppressed. The probability distribution function is thus recorded to be closer to a Gaussian, and a net decrease in the low-frequency density fluctuations is reflected in the power spectra. Consequently, the level of turbulent fluctuations decreases significantly. Turbulence suppression is also reported during edge localized modes (ELMs) where both the ELMs-induced transport and duration are strongly affected. The increase of neutrals by gas puffing did not alter this behavior. We deduce that ICRH can be used as to suppress convective transport and reduce the ELM's amplitude.

Spectral and statistical analysis of fluctuations in the SOL and diverted plasmas of the Uragan-3M torsatron

In the l = 3/m = 9 Uragan-3M (U3-M) torsatron (R0 = 1 m, ā ≈ 0.12 m, ι(ā)/2π ∼ 0.3) with an open helical divertor and a plasma produced and heated by RF fields (ω ≲ ωci), studies of low frequency (5–100 kHz) density and potential fluctuations in the SOL plasma and in the diverted plasma flows (DPFs), have been carried out. It is shown, that in the SOL to more (less) distantly located points relative to the last closed magnetic surface, higher (lower) frequency fluctuations are inherent. Such a spectral splitting in two sub-ranges occurs in the DPFs too. A peculiarity of the spatial distribution of DPF fluctuation spectra is that lower frequency fluctuations dominate on the ion toroidal B × ∇B drift side. During L-H-like transition in U-3M simultaneously with strong Er shear formation, a suppression of lower frequency fluctuations and a decrease of local radial turbulent particle flux take place. Results are presented of investigation of plasma density fluctuations in SOL with the use of probability distribution function (PDF) analysis. Evaluations of skewness and kurtosis of fluctuations have been made. The analysis of Is fluctuations in DPF have been carried out in a similar way.

Response of the ionosphere to the seismic trigerred acoustic waves: electron density and electromagnetic fluctuations

SUMMARY We study the excitation of low-frequency (0.001‐10 Hz) electromagnetic and density fluctuations in the ionosphere during the passage of seismic triggered acoustic waves (AWs). The study involves the generation of ionospheric currents by AWs and subsequent perturbations of the electromagnetic fields and ion and electron density. In this study, the non-local analysis of the fluctuations is carried out in the framework of hydromagnetic theory. Our objective is to examine the spatial and frequency distributions of these fluctuations and to compare them qualitatively with the available observations. The dynamics of both electrojet and F region of ionosphere are included. Also included are the effects of the dip-angle variations of the Earth’s magnetic field. Significant anisotropy and inhomogeneities are noted in the fluctuations. The amplitudes of current and magnetic field fluctuations are found to be maximum in the F region where ion inertia is large enough to support the plasma waves and where electron number density and acoustic wave amplitudes are also large. The density fluctuations also follow similar trends. Both electromagnetic and density fluctuations are large in the latitude region where the acoustic wave vibration parallel to the Earth’s magnetic field is large. The fluctuations have the tendency to be maximum in the 0.1‐1 Hz frequency range. In this range, AWs driven currents and electromagnetic fluctuations may become of order of μAm −2 ,n V m −1 and nT, respectively in the F region.

Low-Frequency Lyα Power Spectra Observed by UVCS in a Polar Coronal Hole

The occurrence of f−1 noise in interplanetary magnetic fields (in the 1 × 10−5 to 1 × 10−4 Hz band) and other plasma parameters has now been known for about 20 years and has been recently identified also in the photospheric magnetic fields. However, the relationship between interplanetary and solar fluctuation spectra and the identification of their sources at the Sun are problems that still need to be addressed. Moreover, interplanetary density and magnetic field power spectra show a f−2 interval at frequencies smaller that ~6 × 10−4 Hz whose source on the Sun is at present not fully understood. In this work we report on the first study of low-frequency density fluctuations in the solar corona at 2.1 R☉. In 2006 June the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (SOHO UVCS) observed over a period of about 9.2 days H Lyα intensity fluctuations at 2.1 R☉ over a polar coronal hole. The Lyα intensity power spectra S(f) (related mainly to density fluctuations) showed a S(f) ∝ f−2 frequency interval between 2.6 × 10−6 and 3.0 × 10−5 Hz and a S(f) ∝ f−1 frequency interval between 3.0 × 10−5 and 1.3 × 10−4 Hz. The detection of a f−2 interval, in agreement with interplanetary density and magnetic field power spectra, has been also predicted in solar wind models as a consequence of phase-mixing mechanisms of waves propagating in coronal holes. High-latitude power spectra show a f−1 band approximately in the same frequency interval where f−1 noise has been detected in interplanetary densities, and interplanetary and photospheric magnetic fields, providing a connection between photospheric, coronal, and interplanetary f−1 noises.

Effect of the liquid-like ionic structure on the electron–ion energy relaxation timescales in dense plasmas

In a recent publication [J. Daligault, D. Mozyrsky, Phys. Rev. E 75 (2007) 026402], we derived a general expression for the electron–ion energy relaxation rate in plasmas which, as a result of the small electron–ion mass ratio, expresses the relaxation rate in terms of the low-frequency electronic density fluctuations. Here we propose a practical model for the electronic density fluctuations in dense plasmas and apply this model to the calculation of the electron–ion energy relaxation rate. We find that the rate is only scarcely affected by the underlying liquid-like ionic disorder typical of dense matter. Relaxation rates obtained are systematically slightly larger than those predicted by the Fermi Golden Rule formula, in contradiction with the coupled-modes' theory that predicts values an order of magnitude lower. We also find that the discontinuity of the rate at melting is tiny, in contrast with the sharp increase of the electrical conductivity.

A novel hyperchaos in the quantum Zakharov system for plasmas

Abstract The nonlinear interaction of quantum Langmuir waves (QLWs) and quantum ion-acoustic waves (QIAWs) described by the one-dimensional quantum Zakharov equations (QZEs) is reinvestigated. A Galerkin type approximation is used to reduce the QZS to a simplified system (SS) of nonlinear ordinary differential equations which governs the temporal behaviors of the slowly varying envelope of the high-frequency electric field and the low frequency density fluctuation. This SS is then shown to establish the coexistence of novel hyperchaotic attractors, whose appearance is explained by means of the analysis of Lyapunov exponent spectra as well as the Kaplan–Yorke dimension. The system has an equilibrium point which depends parametrically on the nondimensional quantum parameter ( H ) proportional to quantum diffraction, the plasmon number ( N ) and the wave number of perturbation ( α ) , and which can evolve into periodic, quasi-periodic, chaotic and hyperchaotic states in both semiclassical and quantum cases.

Low-frequency electric field and density fluctuation measurements on Solar Orbiter

Solar Orbiter will orbit the Sun down to a distance of 0.22 AU allowing detailed in situ studies of important but unexplored regions of the solar wind in combination with coordinated remote sensing of the Sun. In-situ measurements require high quality measurements of particle distributions and electric and magnetic fields. We show that such important scientific topics as the identification of coronal heating remnants, solar wind turbulence, magnetic reconnection and shock formation within coronal mass ejections all require electric field and plasma density measurements in the frequency range from DC up to about 100 Hz. We discuss how such measurements can be achieved using the double-probe technique. We sketch a few possible antenna design solutions.