Abstract. Transport evolution in reverse shear (RS) and normal shear (NrS) JT-60U tokamak plasmas with internal transport barrier (ITB) is described as a combination of various fast and slow time scales processes. Abrupt in time and wide in space (0.3 of minor radius) variations of electron and ion heat diffusivities e, i (seen as ``spontaneous-like'' simultaneous rise and decay of Te,i in two spatial zones) are found for weak ITBs in both RS and NrS plasmas. Profiles of e, i in RS plasmas with strong ITB are usually localized near ITB ``foot'' inside smaller space region. The maximum of the heat flux variation is located near position of the minimum of safety factor q in various RS plasmas, and variation is extended in positive shear region. Inward and outward heat pulse propagations created by e, i and sawtooth-like crashes are analyzed, small values of e, i and absence of heat pinch are found in ITB region. Another source of abrupt e, i inside most of plasma volume, including significant part of weak ITB in RS plasmas, is seen as ELM-induced H-L transitions.
IAEA 2001