Studies of ICRF mode conversion with phase contrast imaging and full-wave simulations in Alcator C-Mod
Author(s)
Tsujii, Naoto
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Alternative title
Studies of ion cyclotron range of frequencies mode conversion with phase contrast imaging and full-wave simulations in Alcator C-Mod
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics.
Advisor
Miklos Porkolab.
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Radio frequency (rf) waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) are widely used for heating fusion plasmas. In a multi-ion-species plasma, the launched fast waves convert to ion cyclotron waves and ion Bernstein waves in the vicinity of the two-ion hybrid resonance between the cyclotron resonances. The mode converted waves are of interest as actuators to optimize plasma performance through current drive and flow drive. Numerical simulations are essential to describe these processes accurately in a realistic tokamak geometry, and it is important that these simulation codes be validated against experiment. The phase contrast imaging (PCI) technique has been used on Alcator C-Mod to measure directly the rf waves. The measurements were compared to predictions of full-wave simulations using a synthetic diagnostic method. The measured mode converted wave intensity was found to be a factor of ~50 weaker than what was expected from the linear wave theory in a strong mode conversion regime. The agreement improved when the wave intensity was weaker, which is a possible indication of nonlinear wave physics being involved.
Description
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2012. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (p. 199-211).
Date issued
2012Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of PhysicsPublisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Physics.