Observation of ion-cyclotron-frequency mode-conversion flow drive in tokamak plasmas.

ABSTRACT

Strong toroidal flow (Vphi) and poloidal flow (Vtheta) have been observed in D-3He plasmas with ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) mode-conversion (MC) heating on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. The toroidal flow scales with the rf power Prf (up to 30 km/s per MW), and is significantly larger than that in ICRF minority heated plasmas at the same rf power or stored energy. The central Vphi responds to Prf faster than the outer regions, and the Vphi(r) profile is broadly peaked for r/a < or =0.5. Localized (0.3 < or = r/a < or =0.5) Vtheta appears when Prf > or =1.5 MW and increases with power (up to 0.7 km/s per MW). The experimental evidence together with numerical wave modeling suggests a local flow drive source due to the interaction between the MC ion cyclotron wave and 3He ions.