Observation of a critical gradient threshold for electron temperature fluctuations in the DIII-D tokamak

J. C. Hillesheim; J. C. Deboo; W. A. Peebles; T. A. Carter; G. Wang; T. L. Rhodes; L. Schmitz; G. R. McKee; Z. Yan; G. M. Staebler; K. H. Burrell; E. J. Doyle; C. Holland; C. C. Petty; S. P. Smith; A. E. White; L. Zeng

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.045003

Observation of a critical gradient threshold for electron temperature fluctuations in the DIII-D tokamak

J. C. Hillesheim, J. C. Deboo, W. A. Peebles, T. A. Carter, G. Wang, T. L. Rhodes, L. Schmitz, G. R. McKee, Z. Yan, G. M. Staebler, K. H. Burrell, E. J. Doyle, C. Holland, C. C. Petty, S. P. Smith, A. E. White, L. Zeng

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Abstract

A critical gradient threshold has been observed for the first time in a systematic, controlled experiment for a locally measured turbulent quantity in the core of a confined high-temperature plasma. In an experiment in the DIII-D tokamak where LT_e-1=T_e|/T_e and toroidal rotation were varied, long wavelength (k_θρ_s0.4) electron temperature fluctuations exhibit a threshold in LT_e-1: below, they change little; above, they steadily increase. The increase in δT_e/T_e is concurrent with increased electron heat flux and transport stiffness. Observations were insensitive to rotation. Accumulated evidence strongly enforces the identification of the experimentally observed threshold with T_e-driven trapped electron mode turbulence.

Original language	English
Article number	045003
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	110
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.045003
State	Published - Jan 23 2013
Externally published	Yes

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Hillesheim, J. C., Deboo, J. C., Peebles, W. A., Carter, T. A., Wang, G., Rhodes, T. L., Schmitz, L., McKee, G. R., Yan, Z., Staebler, G. M., Burrell, K. H., Doyle, E. J., Holland, C., Petty, C. C., Smith, S. P., White, A. E., & Zeng, L. (2013). Observation of a critical gradient threshold for electron temperature fluctuations in the DIII-D tokamak. Physical Review Letters, 110(4), Article 045003. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.045003

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title = "Observation of a critical gradient threshold for electron temperature fluctuations in the DIII-D tokamak",

abstract = "A critical gradient threshold has been observed for the first time in a systematic, controlled experiment for a locally measured turbulent quantity in the core of a confined high-temperature plasma. In an experiment in the DIII-D tokamak where LTe-1=Te|/Te and toroidal rotation were varied, long wavelength (kθρs0.4) electron temperature fluctuations exhibit a threshold in LTe-1: below, they change little; above, they steadily increase. The increase in δTe/Te is concurrent with increased electron heat flux and transport stiffness. Observations were insensitive to rotation. Accumulated evidence strongly enforces the identification of the experimentally observed threshold with Te-driven trapped electron mode turbulence.",

author = "Hillesheim, {J. C.} and Deboo, {J. C.} and Peebles, {W. A.} and Carter, {T. A.} and G. Wang and Rhodes, {T. L.} and L. Schmitz and McKee, {G. R.} and Z. Yan and Staebler, {G. M.} and Burrell, {K. H.} and Doyle, {E. J.} and C. Holland and Petty, {C. C.} and Smith, {S. P.} and White, {A. E.} and L. Zeng",

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day = "23",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.045003",

language = "English",

volume = "110",

journal = "Physical Review Letters",

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Hillesheim, JC, Deboo, JC, Peebles, WA, Carter, TA, Wang, G, Rhodes, TL, Schmitz, L, McKee, GR, Yan, Z, Staebler, GM, Burrell, KH, Doyle, EJ, Holland, C, Petty, CC, Smith, SP, White, AE & Zeng, L 2013, 'Observation of a critical gradient threshold for electron temperature fluctuations in the DIII-D tokamak', Physical Review Letters, vol. 110, no. 4, 045003. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.045003

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observation of a critical gradient threshold for electron temperature fluctuations in the DIII-D tokamak

AU - Hillesheim, J. C.

AU - Deboo, J. C.

AU - Peebles, W. A.

AU - Carter, T. A.

AU - Wang, G.

AU - Rhodes, T. L.

AU - Schmitz, L.

AU - McKee, G. R.

AU - Yan, Z.

AU - Staebler, G. M.

AU - Burrell, K. H.

AU - Doyle, E. J.

AU - Holland, C.

AU - Petty, C. C.

AU - Smith, S. P.

AU - White, A. E.

AU - Zeng, L.

PY - 2013/1/23

Y1 - 2013/1/23

N2 - A critical gradient threshold has been observed for the first time in a systematic, controlled experiment for a locally measured turbulent quantity in the core of a confined high-temperature plasma. In an experiment in the DIII-D tokamak where LTe-1=Te|/Te and toroidal rotation were varied, long wavelength (kθρs0.4) electron temperature fluctuations exhibit a threshold in LTe-1: below, they change little; above, they steadily increase. The increase in δTe/Te is concurrent with increased electron heat flux and transport stiffness. Observations were insensitive to rotation. Accumulated evidence strongly enforces the identification of the experimentally observed threshold with Te-driven trapped electron mode turbulence.

AB - A critical gradient threshold has been observed for the first time in a systematic, controlled experiment for a locally measured turbulent quantity in the core of a confined high-temperature plasma. In an experiment in the DIII-D tokamak where LTe-1=Te|/Te and toroidal rotation were varied, long wavelength (kθρs0.4) electron temperature fluctuations exhibit a threshold in LTe-1: below, they change little; above, they steadily increase. The increase in δTe/Te is concurrent with increased electron heat flux and transport stiffness. Observations were insensitive to rotation. Accumulated evidence strongly enforces the identification of the experimentally observed threshold with Te-driven trapped electron mode turbulence.

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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.045003

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.045003

M3 - Article

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VL - 110

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

IS - 4

M1 - 045003

ER -

Observation of a critical gradient threshold for electron temperature fluctuations in the DIII-D tokamak

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