EFDA-JET-PR(01)08

MHD Internal Transport Barrier Triggering in Low Positive Magnetic Shear Scenarios in JET

Internal Transport Barriers (ITB) can be produced in JET by the application of strong additional heating during the current rise of the plasma discharge. These 'so-called' Optimised Shear (OS) experiments with low positive magnetic shear have revealed a strong dependence between the formation of the barrier and integer q magnetic surfaces (q=2 or q=3). Further analysis also shows a correlation between the emergence of the ITB and edge external MHD, which is triggered when an integer q surface occurs at the edge of a strongly heated plasma (q=4, q=5 or q=6). Mode coupling is the prime candidate to explain the link between the internal integer flux surfaces, where the ITB is triggered, and the plasma edge. Modelling of the magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) behaviour confirms the possibility of such a mechanism. Once coupled, this destabilised mode is thought to enhance locally the ExB shearing rate, either by magnetic 'braking' or by the radial transport losses resulting from the modification of the field line topology. This could then trigger the ITB inside the internal integer surface at q=2 or q=3.
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EFDP01008 765.08 Kb