Particle control via cryopumping and its impact on the edge plasma profiles of Alcator C-Mod

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Miller, M. A., Hughes, J. W., Mordijck, S., Wigram, M., Dunsmore, J., Reksoatmodjo, R., Wilcox, R. S.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Miller, M. A.
Hughes, J. W.
Mordijck, S.
Wigram, M.
Dunsmore, J.
Reksoatmodjo, R.
Wilcox, R. S.
author_facet Miller, M. A.
Hughes, J. W.
Mordijck, S.
Wigram, M.
Dunsmore, J.
Reksoatmodjo, R.
Wilcox, R. S.
contents At the high $n_{e}$ proposed for high-field fusion reactors, it is uncertain whether ionization, as opposed to plasma transport, will be most influential in determining $n_{e}$ at the pedestal and separatrix. A database of Alcator C-Mod discharges is analyzed to evaluate the impact of source modification via cryopumping. The database contains similarly-shaped H-modes at fixed $I_{p} =$ 0.8 MA and $B_{t} =$ 5.4 T, spanning a large range in $P_\mathrm{net}$ and ionization. Measurements from an edge Thomson Scattering system are combined with those from a midplane-viewing Ly$_α$ camera to evaluate changes to $n_{e}$ and $T_{e}$ in response to changes to ionization rates, $S_\mathrm{ion}$. $n_{e}^\mathrm{sep}$ and $T_{e}^\mathrm{ped}$ are found to be most sensitive to changes to $S_\mathrm{ion}^\mathrm{sep}$, as opposed to $n_{e}^\mathrm{ped}$ and $T_{e}^\mathrm{sep}$. Dimensionless quantities, namely $α_\mathrm{MHD}$ and $ν^{*}$, are found to regulate attainable pedestal values. Select discharges at different values of $P_\mathrm{net}$ and in different pumping configurations are analyzed further using SOLPS-ITER. It is determined that changes to plasma transport coefficients are required to self-consistently model both plasma and neutral edge dynamics. Pumping is found to modify the poloidal distribution of atomic neutral density, $n_{0}$, along the separatrix, increasing $n_{0}$ at the active X-point. Opaqueness to neutrals from high $n_{e}$ in the divertor is found to play a role in mediating neutral penetration lengths and hence, the poloidal distribution of neutrals along the separatrix. Pumped discharges thus require a larger particle diffusion coefficient than that inferred purely from 1D experimental profiles at the outer midplane.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2407_06382
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Particle control via cryopumping and its impact on the edge plasma profiles of Alcator C-Mod
Miller, M. A.
Hughes, J. W.
Mordijck, S.
Wigram, M.
Dunsmore, J.
Reksoatmodjo, R.
Wilcox, R. S.
Plasma Physics
At the high $n_{e}$ proposed for high-field fusion reactors, it is uncertain whether ionization, as opposed to plasma transport, will be most influential in determining $n_{e}$ at the pedestal and separatrix. A database of Alcator C-Mod discharges is analyzed to evaluate the impact of source modification via cryopumping. The database contains similarly-shaped H-modes at fixed $I_{p} =$ 0.8 MA and $B_{t} =$ 5.4 T, spanning a large range in $P_\mathrm{net}$ and ionization. Measurements from an edge Thomson Scattering system are combined with those from a midplane-viewing Ly$_α$ camera to evaluate changes to $n_{e}$ and $T_{e}$ in response to changes to ionization rates, $S_\mathrm{ion}$. $n_{e}^\mathrm{sep}$ and $T_{e}^\mathrm{ped}$ are found to be most sensitive to changes to $S_\mathrm{ion}^\mathrm{sep}$, as opposed to $n_{e}^\mathrm{ped}$ and $T_{e}^\mathrm{sep}$. Dimensionless quantities, namely $α_\mathrm{MHD}$ and $ν^{*}$, are found to regulate attainable pedestal values. Select discharges at different values of $P_\mathrm{net}$ and in different pumping configurations are analyzed further using SOLPS-ITER. It is determined that changes to plasma transport coefficients are required to self-consistently model both plasma and neutral edge dynamics. Pumping is found to modify the poloidal distribution of atomic neutral density, $n_{0}$, along the separatrix, increasing $n_{0}$ at the active X-point. Opaqueness to neutrals from high $n_{e}$ in the divertor is found to play a role in mediating neutral penetration lengths and hence, the poloidal distribution of neutrals along the separatrix. Pumped discharges thus require a larger particle diffusion coefficient than that inferred purely from 1D experimental profiles at the outer midplane.
title Particle control via cryopumping and its impact on the edge plasma profiles of Alcator C-Mod
topic Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.06382