Poloidal Structure of the Turbulence and the Turbulent Flux During Edge Plasma Biasing in the Castor Tokamak

Abstract

The poloidal structure of the turbulence and the turbulent particle flux in the scrape-off layer (SOL) of the CASTOR tokamak are analysed by means of a poloidal ring of 124 probes distributed uniformly along the whole poloidal circumference. Fluctuation measurements are performed in standard ohmic regime as well as in discharges when a biased electrode is inserted either into the SOL or deeper into the confinement region. It is found that in both cases a strongly sheared radial electric field is created in the SOL, which de-correlates the density and radial velocity fluctuations and reduces their levels. Consequently, the turbulent flux is reduced. However, no phase shift is observed between density and radial velocity fluctuations. When the electrode is localized in the confinement region, all the above effects are less pronounced because of a smaller shear. In addition, the increase of the E × B velocity at biasing leads in both cases to the formation of oscillations in the temporal correlation function. These oscillations are specifically associated to the poloidal mode (m = q), which is created for a limited time and rotates poloidally. This mode does not modify the phase between density and radial velocity fluctuations and has no further effect on the turbulent flux.