Systematic calibration of a theory-based transport model of tokamak plasmas

A time-dependent theoretical model of flux-surface-averaged radial transport in tokamaks has been constructed and calibrated against a well documented set of temperature and density profiles from a pre-defined set of twelve discharges from seven different tokamaks. The transport theory includes neoclassical, $\rm drift/\eta\sb{i},$ circulating electron mode, kinetic ballooning, neoclassical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD), and resistive ballooning effects. An important feature of this study is a reproducible simulation methodology and a systematic statistical prescription for comparing theory against experiment. Optimization of the model is conducted using a simple maximum likelihood method to minimize quantitative differences between theoretical predictions and the experimental data. Simulations of a series of similar experiments where only certain dimensionless parameters were allowed to vary are also included. Here, a newly implemented and more complete drift wave theory from Sweden is tested and compared against results obtained from the theory previously used in the calibration study.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio