A factor of 4 dimensionless collisionality scan of H-mode plasmas in MAST shows that the thermal energy confinement time scales as . Local heat transport is dominated by electrons and is consistent with the global scaling. The neutron rate is in good agreement with the ν* dependence of τE,th. The gyrokinetic code GYRO indicates that micro-tearing turbulence might explain such a trend. A factor of 1.4 dimensionless safety factor scan shows that the energy confinement time scales as . These two scalings are consistent with the dependence of energy confinement time on plasma current and magnetic field. Weaker qeng and stronger ν* dependences compared with the IPB98y2 scaling could be favourable for an ST-CTF device, in that it would allow operation at lower plasma current.

A new infrared Thomson scattering system has been designed for the MAST tokamak. The system will measure at 120 spatial points with approximately 10 mm resolution across the plasma. Eight 30 Hz 1.6 J Nd:YAG lasers will be combined to produce a sampling rate of 240 Hz. The lasers will follow separate parallel beam paths to the MAST vessel. Scattered light will be collected at approximately f/6 over scattering angles ranging from 80 degrees to 120 degrees. The laser energy and lens size, relative to an existing 1.2 J f/12 system, greatly increases the number of scattered photons collected per unit length of laser beam. This is the third generation of this polychromator to be built and a number of modifications have been made to facilitate mass production and to improve performance. Detected scattered signals will be digitized at a rate of 1 GS/s by 8 bit analog to digital converters (ADCs.) Data may be read out from the ADCs between laser pulses to allow for real-time analysis.

A Thomson scattering diagnostic designed to measure both edge and core physics has been implemented on MAST. The system uses eight Nd:YAG lasers, each with a repetition rate of 30 Hz. The relative and absolute timing of the lasers may be set arbitrarily to produce fast bursts of measurements to suit the time evolution of the physics being studied. The scattered light is collected at F/6 by a 100 kg six element lens system with an aperture stop of 290 mm. The collected light is then transferred to 130 polychromators by 130 independent fiber bundles. The data acquisition and processing are based on a distributed computer system of dual core processors embedded in 26 chassis. Each chassis is standalone and performs data acquisition and processing for five polychromators. This system allows data to be available quickly after the MAST shot and has potential for real-time operations.

On MAST studies of the profile evolution of the electron temperature (Te), electron density (ne), radial electric field (Er) as well as novel measurements of the ion temperature (Ti) and toroidal current density (jϕ) in the pedestal region allow further insight into the processes forming and defining the pedestal such as the H-mode access conditions and MHD stability. This includes studies of fast evolution of Te, ne and Er with Δt = 0.2 ms time resolution and the evolution of pe and jϕ through an edge-localized mode (ELM) cycle. Measurements of the H-mode power threshold, PL−H revealed that about 40% more power is required to access H-mode in 4He than in D and that a change in the Z-position of the X-point can change PL−H significantly in single and double null configurations. The profile measurements in the L-mode phase prior to H-mode suggest that neither the gradient nor the value of the mean Te or Er at the plasma edge play a major role in triggering the L–H transition. After the transitions, first the fluctuations are suppressed, then the Er shear layer and the ne pedestal develops followed by the Te pedestal. In the banana regime at low collisionality (ν⋆) ∇Ti ≈ 0 leading to Ti > Te in the pedestal region with Ti ∼ 0.3 keV close to the separatrix. A clear correlation of ∇Ti with ν⋆ is observed. The measured jϕ (using the motional Stark effect) Te and ne are in broad agreement with the common peeling–ballooning stability picture for ELMs and neoclassical calculations of the bootstrap current. The jϕ and ∇pe evolution Δt ≈ 2 ms as well as profiles in discharges with counter current neutral beam injection raise questions with respect to this edge stability picture.

Abstract. Reactor grade plasmas are likely to be fuelled by pellet injection. This technique transiently perturbs the profiles, driving the density profile hollow and flattening the edge temperature profile. After the pellet perturbation, the density and temperature profiles relax towards their quasi-steady-state shape. Microinstabilities influence plasma confinement and will play a role in determining the evolution of the profiles in pellet fuelled plasmas. In this paper we present the microstability analysis of pellet fuelled H-mode MAST plasmas. Taking advantage of the unique capabilities of the MAST Thomson scattering system and the possibility of synchronizing the eight lasers with the pellet injection, we were able to measure the evolution of the post-pellet electron density and temperature profiles with high temporal and spatial resolution. These profiles, together with ion temperature profiles measured using a charge exchange diagnostic, were used to produce equilibria suitable for microstability analysis of the equilibrium changes induced by pellet injection. This analysis, carried out using the local gyrokinetic code GS2, reveals that the microstability properties are extremely sensitive to the rapid and large transient excursions of the density and temperature profiles, which also change collisionality and βe significantly in the region most strongly affected by the pellet ablation.

Several improvements to the MAST plant and diagnostics have facilitated new studies advancing the physics basis for ITER and DEMO, as well as for future spherical tokamaks (STs). Using the increased heating capabilities P NBI ⩽ 3.8 MW H-mode at I p = 1.2 MA was accessed showing that the energy confinement on MAST scales more weakly with I p and more strongly with B t than in the ITER IPB98(y, 2) scaling. Measurements of the fuel retention of shallow pellets extrapolate to an ITER particle throughput of 70% of its original designed total throughput capacity. The anomalous momentum diffusion, χϕ, is linked to the ion diffusion, χi, with a Prandtl number close to P ϕ ≈ χϕ/χi ≈ 1, although χi approaches neoclassical values. New high spatial resolution measurements of the edge radial electric field, E r , show that the position of steepest gradients in electron pressure and E r (i.e. shearing rate) are coincident, but their magnitudes are not linked. The T e pedestal width on MAST scales with rather than ρpol. The edge localized mode (ELM) frequency for type-IV ELMs, new in MAST, was almost doubled using n = 2 resonant magnetic perturbations from a set of four external coils (n = 1, 2). A new internal 12 coil set (n ⩽ 3) has been commissioned. The filaments in the inter-ELM and L-mode phase are different from ELM filaments, and the characteristics in L-mode agree well with turbulence calculations. A variety of fast particle driven instabilities were studied from 10 kHz saturated fishbone like activity up to 3.8 MHz compressional Alfvén eigenmodes. Fast particle instabilities also affect the off-axis NBI current drive, leading to fast ion diffusion of the order of 0.5 m2 s−1 and a reduction in the driven current fraction from 40% to 30%. EBW current drive start-up is demonstrated for the first time in a ST generating plasma currents up to 55 kA. Many of these studies contributed to the physics basis of a planned upgrade to MAST.

The Mega Ampère Spherical Tokamak (MAST) programme is strongly focused on addressing key physics issues in preparation for operation of ITER as well as providing solutions for DEMO design choices. In this regard, MAST has provided key results in understanding and optimizing H-mode confinement, operating with smaller edge localized modes (ELMs), predicting and handling plasma exhaust and tailoring auxiliary current drive. In all cases, the high-resolution diagnostic capability on MAST is complemented by sophisticated numerical modelling to facilitate a deeper understanding. Mitigation of ELMs with resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) with toroidal mode number n RMP = 2, 3, 4, 6 has been demonstrated: at high and low collisionality; for the first ELM following the transition to high confinement operation; during the current ramp-up; and with rotating n RMP = 3 RMPs. n RMP = 4, 6 fields cause less rotation braking whilst the power to access H-mode is less with n RMP = 4 than n RMP = 3, 6. Refuelling with gas or pellets gives plasmas with mitigated ELMs and reduced peak heat flux at the same time as achieving good confinement. A synergy exists between pellet fuelling and RMPs, since mitigated ELMs remove fewer particles. Inter-ELM instabilities observed with Doppler backscattering are consistent with gyrokinetic simulations of micro-tearing modes in the pedestal. Meanwhile, ELM precursors have been strikingly observed with beam emission spectroscopy (BES) measurements. A scan in beta at the L–H transition shows that pedestal height scales strongly with core pressure. Gyro-Bohm normalized turbulent ion heat flux (as estimated from the BES data) is observed to decrease with increasing tilt of the turbulent eddies. Fast ion redistribution by energetic particle modes depends on density, and access to a quiescent domain with ‘classical’ fast ion transport is found above a critical density. Highly efficient electron Bernstein wave current drive (1 A W−1) has been achieved in solenoid-free start-up. A new proton detector has characterized escaping fusion products. Langmuir probes and a high-speed camera suggest filaments play a role in particle transport in the private flux region whilst coherence imaging has measured scrape-off layer (SOL) flows. BOUT++ simulations show that fluxes due to filaments are strongly dependent on resistivity and magnetic geometry of the SOL, with higher radial fluxes at higher resistivity. Finally, MAST Upgrade is due to begin operation in 2016 to support ITER preparation and importantly to operate with a Super-X divertor to test extended leg concepts for particle and power exhaust.

The newly upgraded MAST Thomson scattering (TS) system provides excellent spatial resolution (∼1 cm) at over 130 radial locations across a full plasma diameter, and utilizes eight individual Nd: :YAG laser systems which can be fired sequentially, providing electron temperature and density profiles approximately every 4 ms throughout a plasma discharge. By operating the