Internal Kink Mode Dynamics in High-{beta} NSTX Plasmas
- Menard, J.E.
- Bell, R.E.
- Fredrickson, E.D.
- Gates, D.A.
- Kaye, S.M.
- LeBlanc, B.P.
- Medley, S.S.
- Park, W.
- Sabbagh, S.A.
- Sontag, A.
- Stutman, D.
- Tritz, K.
- Zhu, W.
- Team, the NSTX Research
Publication date
December 2004
DOI Publisher
Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory. Citation count (estimate)
1Abstract
Saturated internal kink modes have been observed in many of the highest toroidal beta discharges of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). These modes often cause rotation flattening in the plasma core, can degrade energy confinement, and in some cases contribute to the complete loss of plasma angular momentum and stored energy. Characteristics of the modes are measured using soft X-ray, kinetic profile, and magnetic diagnostics. Toroidal flows approaching Alfvenic speeds, island pressure peaking, and enhanced viscous and diamagnetic effects associated with high-beta may contribute to mode nonlinear stabilization. These saturation mechanisms are investigated for NSTX parameters and compared to experimental data
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