Synthetic diagnostics platform for fusion plasmas (invited).

A Synthetic Diagnostics Platform (SDP) for fusion plasmas has been developed which provides state of the art synthetic reflectometry, beam emission spectroscopy, and Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) diagnostics. Interfaces to the plasma simulation codes GTC, XGC-1, GTS, and M3D-C1 are provided, enabling detailed validation of these codes. In this paper, we give an overview of SDP's capabilities, and introduce the synthetic diagnostic modules. A recently developed synthetic ECE Imaging module which self-consistently includes refraction, diffraction, emission, and absorption effects is discussed in detail. Its capabilities are demonstrated on two model plasmas. The importance of synthetic diagnostics in validation is shown by applying the SDP to M3D-C1 output and comparing it with measurements from an edge harmonic oscillation mode on DIII-D.

Technical overview of the millimeter-wave imaging reflectometer on the DIII-D tokamak (invited).

The two-dimensional mm-wave imaging reflectometer (MIR) on DIII-D is a multi-faceted device for diagnosing electron density fluctuations in fusion plasmas. Its multi-channel, multi-frequency capabilities and high sensitivity permit visualization and quantitative diagnosis of density perturbations, including correlation length, wavenumber, mode propagation velocity, and dispersion. The two-dimensional capabilities of MIR are made possible with 12 vertically separated sightlines and four-frequency operation (corresponding to four radial channels). The 48-channel DIII-D MIR system has a tunable source that can be stepped in 500 µs increments over a range of 56 to 74 GHz. An innovative optical design keeps both on-axis and off-axis channels focused at the cutoff surface, permitting imaging over an extended poloidal region. The integrity of the MIR optical design is confirmed by comparing Gaussian beam calculations to laboratory measurements of the transmitter beam pattern and receiver antenna patterns. Measurements are presented during the density ramp of a plasma discharge to demonstrate unfocused and focused MIR signals.

Process to generate a synthetic diagnostic for microwave imaging reflectometry with the full-wave code FWR2D.

A synthetic microwave imaging reflectometer (MIR) diagnostic employing the full-wave reflectometer code (FWR2D) has been developed and is currently being used to guide the design of real systems, such as the one recently installed on DIII-D. The FWR2D code utilizes real plasma profiles as input, and it is combined with optical simulation tools for synthetic diagnostic signal generation. A detailed discussion of FWR2D and the process to generate the synthetic signal are presented in this paper. The synthetic signal is also compared to a prescribed density fluctuation spectrum to quantify the imaging quality. An example is presented with H-mode-like plasma profiles derived from a DIII-D discharge, where the MIR focal is located in the pedestal region. It is shown that MIR is suitable for diagnosing fluctuations with poloidal wavenumber up to 2.0 cm(-1) and fluctuation amplitudes less than 5%.

Evaluation of the operating space for density fluctuation measurements employing 2D imaging reflectometry.

Microwave imaging reflectometry provides broad poloidal coverage as a density fluctuation measurement tool. 2D imaging systems are evaluated for DIII-D relevant conditions using a full-wave reflectometer code, FWR2D. Reasonable correlation of the synthetic diagnostic signal with density fluctuations at the plasma cutoff surface for a wide range of fluctuation parameters is evaluated and achieved for coherent oscillations; also the frequency spectra are compared for relevant fluctuations. The consequences of non-idealities inherent to imaging fluctuations away from the plasma midplane, where receiving antennas view the plasma cutoff at oblique angles, are evaluated for the optimization of these systems.

Use of the Far Infrared Tangential Interferometer/Polarimeter diagnostic for the study of rf driven plasma waves on NSTX.

A rf detection system for waves in the 30 MHz range has been constructed for the Far Infrared Tangential Interferometer/Polarimeter on National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). It is aimed at monitoring high frequency density fluctuations driven by 30 MHz high harmonic fast wave fields. The levels of density fluctuations at various radial chords and antenna phase angles can be estimated using the electric field calculated by TORIC code and linearized continuity equation for the electron density. In this paper, the experimental arrangement for the detection of rf signal and preliminary results of simulation will be discussed.

A synthetic diagnostic for the evaluation of new microwave imaging reflectometry diagnostics for DIII-D and KSTAR.

The first microwave imaging reflectometry (MIR) system for characterization of fluctuating plasma density has been implemented for the TEXTOR tokamak [H. Park et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 75, 3787 (2004)]; an improved MIR system will be installed on DIII-D and KSTAR. The central issue remains in preserving phase information by addressing antenna coupling between the reflection layer and the detector array in the presence of plasma turbulence. A synthetic diagnostic making use of coupled full-wave diffractive codes has been developed in geometries and applied to a variety of optical arrangements. The effectiveness of each scheme is quantitatively compared with respect to the fluctuation levels accessible in the simulation.

Measurement of turbulence decorrelation during transport barrier evolution in a high-temperature fusion plasma.

A low power polychromatic beam of microwaves is used to diagnose the behavior of turbulent fluctuations in the core of the JT-60U tokamak during the evolution of the internal transport barrier. A continuous reduction in the size of turbulent structures is observed concomitant with the reduction of the density scale length during the evolution of the internal transport barrier. The density correlation length decreases to the order of the ion gyroradius, in contrast with the much longer scale lengths observed earlier in the discharge, while the density fluctuation level remain similar to the level before transport barrier formation.

Trapped-particle instability leading to bursting in stimulated Raman scattering simulations.

Nonlinear, kinetic simulations of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) under laser-fusion conditions present a bursting behavior. Different explanations for this regime have been given in previous studies: saturation of SRS by increased nonlinear Landau damping [K. Estabrook et al., Phys. Fluids B 1, 1282 (1989)]], and detuning due to the nonlinear frequency shift of the plasma wave [H. X. Vu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 4306 (2001)]]. Another mechanism, also assigning a key role to the trapped electrons is proposed here: the breakup of the plasma wave through the trapped-particle instability.

Numerical investigation of recombination gain in the Li III transition to ground state.

We present a numerical investigation of the parameters characterizing the 2-->1 transition recombination gain in Li III ions ( 13.5 nm ). The numerical model includes the initial optical field ionization of the plasma by an intense 100 fs laser pulse, taking into account above threshold ionization heating, particle collisions, and spatial effects. Gain is then calculated during the process of recombination as the plasma expands and cools. We show that by taking into account the non-Maxwellian nature of the electron distribution function in the plasma and its spatial distribution, high gain in the 2-->1 transition of Li III is feasible under certain initial conditions, even though initial estimates based on the energy absorption during the ionization predict very low gain. We characterize the behavior of the gain under different pumping parameters and initial plasma conditions.