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(EXP1/08) Initial Results from the TST-2 Spherical Tokamak

Y. Takase¹⁾, A. Ejiri¹⁾, N. Kasuya¹⁾, T. Mashiko¹⁾, S. Shiraiwa¹⁾, L. M. Tozawa¹⁾, T. Akiduki¹⁾, H. Kasahara¹⁾, Y. Nagashima¹⁾, H. Nozato¹⁾, H. Wada¹⁾, H. Yamada¹⁾, T. Yamada¹⁾, K. Yamagishi^1)
 
1) The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract.  A new spherical tokamak TST-2 was constructed at the University of Tokyo and started operation in September 1999. Reliable plasma initiation is achieved with typically 1 kW of ECH power at 2.45 GHz. Plasma currents of up to 90 kA and toroidal fields of up to 0.2 T have been achieved during the initial experimental campaign. The ion temperature is typically 100 eV. Internal reconnection events (IREs) are often observed. The internal magnetic field measured at r/a = 2/3 indicated growth of fluctuations up to the 4^th harmonic, suggesting the existence of modes with several different mode numbers. In the presence of a toroidal field and a vertically oriented mirror field, noninductively driven currents of order 1 kA were observed with 1 kW of ECH power. The driven current increased with decreasing filling pressure, down to 3×10^-6 torr. A study of high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) excitation and propagation has begun. Initial results indicate highly efficient wave launching.

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