Automatic Stabilization of Magnetic Islands Using Radio Frequency Wave Heating and Current Drive

POSTER

Abstract

A nonlinear effect, “RF condensation”, is predicted to facilitate the stabilization of magnetic islands using RF (radio frequency) waves. In particular, it is predicted to provide automatic stabilization of magnetic islands with no need to adjust the aiming of the ray trajectories, with an initially broad RF driven current coalescing in an island when the island grows to sufficient width. Quantitative experimental validation of the theory has thus far been lacking. We discuss some potential opportunities for validating the theory on a contemporary tokamak, focusing particularly on DIII-D.

*Work supported by DOE contracts DE-SC0023236, DE-AC02-09CH11466, and DE-FG02-97ER54415. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, using the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, a DOE Office of Science user facility, under Award(s) DE-FC02-04ER54698, DE-AC52-07NA27344, and DE-SC0022270.

Publication: [1] A. H. Reiman and N. J. Fisch, Physical Review Letters 121, 225001 (2018).
[2] E. Rodríguez, A. H. Reiman, and N. J. Fisch, Physics of Plasmas 26, 092511 (2019).
[3] E. Rodríguez, A. H. Reiman, and N. J. Fisch, Physics of Plasmas 27, 042306 (2020).
[4] S. Jin, N. J. Fisch, and A. H. Reiman, Physics of Plasmas 27, 062508 (2020).
[5] S. Frank, A. Reiman, N. Fisch, and P. Bonoli, Nuclear Fusion 60, 096027 (2020).
[6] A. H. Reiman, N. Bertelli, N. J. Fisch, S. J. Frank, S. Jin, R. Nies, and E. Rodriguez, Physics of Plasmas 28, 042508 (2021).
[7] S. Jin, A. H. Reiman, and N. J. Fisch, Physics of Plasmas 28, 052503 (2021).
[8] R. Nies, A. H. Reiman, E. Rodriguez, N. Bertelli, and N. J. Fisch, Physics of Plasmas 27, 092503 (2020).
[9] S. Jin, A. H. Reiman, and N. J. Fisch, Physics of Plasmas 28, 082509 (2021).
[10] B. Bobell, D. Sun, and A. Reiman, Phys Plasmas, 31:032116, March 2024.
[11] Tong Liu, Zheng-Xiong Wang, Lai Wei, Jialei Wang, and Allan Reiman, Nuclear Fusion, 64:036001, 2024.
[12] L. Fu, E. Litvinova Mitra, R. Nies, A.H. Reiman et al, Designing a validation experiment for RF condensation, manuscript in preparation.

Presenters

  • Allan H Reiman

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Authors

  • Allan H Reiman

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

  • Lanke Fu

    • Princeton University

  • Elena Litvinova Mitra

    • Princeton University

  • Richard Nies

    • Princeton University

  • Max E Austin

    • University of Texas at Austin
    • University of Texas Austin

  • Laszlo Bardoczi

    • University of California, Irvine

  • Xi Chen

    • General Atomics

  • Wilkie Choi

    • General Atomics

  • Nathaniel J Fisch

    • Princeton University

  • Qiming Hu

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

  • Alan W Hyatt

    • General Atomics - San Diego

  • Euichan Jung

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

  • Robert John La Haye

    • General Atomics - San Diego
    • General Atomics

  • Nikolas C Logan

    • Columbia University

  • Joseph T McClenaghan

    • General Atomics
    • General Atomics - San Diego

  • Ted J Strait

    • General Atomics - San Diego
    • General Atomics

  • Anders S Welander

    • General Atomics

  • James J Yang

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)