Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak

A critical gradient threshold has been observed for the first time in a systematic, controlled experiment for a locally measured turbulent quantity in the core of a confined high-temperature plasma. In an experiment in the DIII-D tokamak where L[subscript T[subscript e]][superscript -1]=|∇T[subscrip...

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Main Authors: White, Anne E., Hillesheim, J. C., DeBoo, J. C., Peebles, W. A., Carter, T. A., Wang, G., Rhodes, T. L., Schmitz, L., McKee, G. R., Yan, Z., Staebler, G. M., Burrell, K. H., Doyle, E. J., Holland, C., Petty, C. C., Smith, S. P., White, A. E., Zeng, L.
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: American Physical Society 2013
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/78304
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2951-9749
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author White, Anne E.
Hillesheim, J. C.
DeBoo, J. C.
Peebles, W. A.
Carter, T. A.
Wang, G.
Rhodes, T. L.
Schmitz, L.
McKee, G. R.
Yan, Z.
Staebler, G. M.
Burrell, K. H.
Doyle, E. J.
Holland, C.
Petty, C. C.
Smith, S. P.
White, A. E.
Zeng, L.
author2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering
author_facet Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering
White, Anne E.
Hillesheim, J. C.
DeBoo, J. C.
Peebles, W. A.
Carter, T. A.
Wang, G.
Rhodes, T. L.
Schmitz, L.
McKee, G. R.
Yan, Z.
Staebler, G. M.
Burrell, K. H.
Doyle, E. J.
Holland, C.
Petty, C. C.
Smith, S. P.
White, A. E.
Zeng, L.
author_sort White, Anne E.
collection MIT
description A critical gradient threshold has been observed for the first time in a systematic, controlled experiment for a locally measured turbulent quantity in the core of a confined high-temperature plasma. In an experiment in the DIII-D tokamak where L[subscript T[subscript e]][superscript -1]=|∇T[subscript e]|/T[subscript e] and toroidal rotation were varied, long wavelength (k[subscript θρs]≲0.4) electron temperature fluctuations exhibit a threshold in L[subscript T[subscript e]][superscript -1]: below, they change little; above, they steadily increase. The increase in δT[subscript e]/T[subscript e] is concurrent with increased electron heat flux and transport stiffness. Observations were insensitive to rotation. Accumulated evidence strongly enforces the identification of the experimentally observed threshold with ∇T[subscript e]-driven trapped electron mode turbulence.
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spelling mit-1721.1/783042022-09-30T15:44:16Z Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak White, Anne E. Hillesheim, J. C. DeBoo, J. C. Peebles, W. A. Carter, T. A. Wang, G. Rhodes, T. L. Schmitz, L. McKee, G. R. Yan, Z. Staebler, G. M. Burrell, K. H. Doyle, E. J. Holland, C. Petty, C. C. Smith, S. P. White, A. E. Zeng, L. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering White, Anne E. A critical gradient threshold has been observed for the first time in a systematic, controlled experiment for a locally measured turbulent quantity in the core of a confined high-temperature plasma. In an experiment in the DIII-D tokamak where L[subscript T[subscript e]][superscript -1]=|∇T[subscript e]|/T[subscript e] and toroidal rotation were varied, long wavelength (k[subscript θρs]≲0.4) electron temperature fluctuations exhibit a threshold in L[subscript T[subscript e]][superscript -1]: below, they change little; above, they steadily increase. The increase in δT[subscript e]/T[subscript e] is concurrent with increased electron heat flux and transport stiffness. Observations were insensitive to rotation. Accumulated evidence strongly enforces the identification of the experimentally observed threshold with ∇T[subscript e]-driven trapped electron mode turbulence. United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FG03-01ER54615) United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FG02-08ER54984) United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FC02-04ER54698) United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FG02-95ER54309) United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FG02-89ER53296) United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FG02-08ER54999) United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FG02-06ER54871) United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FG02-07ER54917) United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FC02-93ER54186) 2013-04-09T18:56:53Z 2013-04-09T18:56:53Z 2013-01 2012-05 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0031-9007 1079-7114 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/78304 Hillesheim, J. C. et al. “Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak.” Physical Review Letters 110.4 (2013). ©2013 American Physical Society https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2951-9749 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.045003 Physical Review Letters Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf American Physical Society APS
spellingShingle White, Anne E.
Hillesheim, J. C.
DeBoo, J. C.
Peebles, W. A.
Carter, T. A.
Wang, G.
Rhodes, T. L.
Schmitz, L.
McKee, G. R.
Yan, Z.
Staebler, G. M.
Burrell, K. H.
Doyle, E. J.
Holland, C.
Petty, C. C.
Smith, S. P.
White, A. E.
Zeng, L.
Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak
title Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak
title_full Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak
title_fullStr Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak
title_full_unstemmed Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak
title_short Observation of a Critical Gradient Threshold for Electron Temperature Fluctuations in the DIII-D Tokamak
title_sort observation of a critical gradient threshold for electron temperature fluctuations in the diii d tokamak
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/78304
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2951-9749
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