Multifaceted asymmetric radiation from the edge along improved confinement mode in LHCD plasmas with graphite limiters on HT-7 tokamak

Abstract.

Multifaceted asymmetric radiation from the edge (MARFE) phenomena during lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) Experiments on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak are summarized in this paper. The best correlation has been found between the total input (ohmic + LHCD) power and the product of the edge line average density and Z _eff. Studies show that the critical density of MARFE onset is observed in the region of Z _eff ^1/2f_GW = 0.6-0.9, where $f_{GW} ={\bar {n}_e }/{n_{GW}}$, (here $\bar {n}_e$ is the maximum line average electron density and n_GW is the Greenwald density). These MARFEs generally appear to have the same characteristics as high f_GW MARFEs and are positionally stable throughout the LHCD pulse. Improved confinement mode induced by a MARFE is observed, and it is maintained for about 65 ms. MARFE cools the plasma edge, and the electron density profile is observed to become more narrow and peaked.