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(CD2/EX9/5) Current Profile Modification with Electron Cyclotron Current Drive in the DIII-D Tokamak

T. C. Luce, Y. R. Lin-Liu, J. Lohr, C. C. Petty, R. Prater, R. W. Callis, J. S. deGrassie, R. I. Pinsker, D. Ponce

DIII-D National Fusion Facility, General Atomics, San Diego, California 92186-5608

M. E. Austin

University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

F. W. Baity Jr., M. Murakami

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

S. Bernabei, K.-L. Wong

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey

G. Giruzzi

Association EURATOM-CEA, Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Cadarache, Cadarache, France

R. W. Harvey

CompX, Del Mar, California

B. W. Rice

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California

M. Zerbini
ENEA, Magnetic Confinement Fusion Physics, Rome, Italy

Abstract.  Proof-of-principle experiments on the suitability of electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) for active current profile control are reported. Experiments with second harmonic extraordinary mode absorption at power levels near 1 MW have demonstrated ability to modify the current profile. This modification is manifested in changes in the internal inductance and the time at which sawteeth appear. Measurements of the local current density and internal loop voltage using high resolution motional Stark effect spectroscopy to half of the minor radius in discharges with localized deposition clearly demonstrate localized off-axis ECCD at the predicted location. Comparison with theory indicates the detrimental effect of trapped electrons on the current drive efficiency is less than predicted. Modification of the theory for finite collisionality is the leading candidate to explain the observations.

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IAEA 2001