Spontaneous transition of core radial electric field driven by magnetic islands in the H-1NF heliac

S. T.A. Kumar, B. D. Blackwell, J. Howard, J. H. Harris

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper reports an experimental observation of spontaneous transition of the core radial electric field to a large positive value (Er ∼ 5 kV m-1), with a strong electric-field shear (∼700 kV m -2) in a low temperature (Te ∼ 10 eV) radio frequency generated argon plasma in the H-1NF heliac stellarator. The transition, which seems to be driven by a spontaneous excitation of m = 2 magnetic islands near the core, is associated with a localized increase in the plasma density and excitation of coherent low frequency (∼3 kHz) oscillations possibly due to unstable Er shear driven modes. Evidence suggests development of the core electron-root scenario, which previously has been observed only at high temperature electron cyclotron heated plasmas.

Original languageEnglish
Article number083003
JournalNuclear Fusion
Volume51
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2011

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