Characteristics of the First [Formula presented]-Mode Discharges in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

  • R. Maingi
  • , C. E. Bush
  • , Y. K.M. Peng
  • , M. G. Bell
  • , R. E. Bell
  • , E. D. Fredrickson
  • , D. A. Gates
  • , S. M. Kaye
  • , H. W. Kugel
  • , B. P. LeBlanc
  • , J. E. Menard
  • , D. Mueller
  • , G. Taylor
  • , D. W. Johnson
  • , R. Kaita
  • , M. Ono
  • , S. F. Paul
  • , A. L. Roquemore
  • , C. H. Skinner
  • , V. A. Soukhanovskii
  • E. J. Synakowski, S. A. Sabbagh, F. Paoletti, D. Stutman, R. J. Maqueda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report observations of the first low-to-high ([Formula presented]) confinement mode transitions in the National Spherical Torus Experiment. The [Formula presented]-mode energy confinement time increased over reference discharges transiently by [Formula presented], as high as [Formula presented]. This confinement time is [Formula presented] times higher than predicted by a multimachine scaling. Thus the confinement time of spherical tori has been extended to a record high value, leading to an eventual revision of confinement scalings. Finally, the power threshold for [Formula presented]-mode access is [Formula presented] higher than predicted by an international scaling from conventional aspect-ratio tokamaks, which could lead to new understanding of [Formula presented]-mode transition dynamics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4
Number of pages1
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume88
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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