Progress in thermonuclear fusion energy research based on deuterium plasmas magnetically confi ned in toroidal tokamak devices requires the development of effi cient current drive methods. Previous experiments have shown that plasma current can be driven effectively by externally launched radio frequency power coupled to lower hybrid plasma waves. However, at the high plasma densities required for fusion power plants, the coupled radio frequency power does not penetrate into the plasma core, possibly because of strong wave interactions with the plasma edge. Here we show experiments performed on FTU (Frascati Tokamak Upgrade) based on theoretical predictions that nonlinear interactions diminish when the peripheral plasma electron temperature is high, allowing signifi cant wave penetration at high density. The results show that the coupled radio frequency power can penetrate into high-density plasmas due to weaker plasma edge effects, thus extending the effective range of lower hybrid current drive towards the domain relevant for fusion reactors.
In this paper we describe a superposition model for Bessel-Gauss beams, in which higher orders are included. An analogous model leads to a different class of beams, namely the modified Bessel-Gauss beams. Then a generalized set of beams, containing the previous beams as particular cases, is introduced. The behaviour of these beams upon propagation is investigated, both analytically and numerically
An analytical-numerical technique, for the solution of\ud the two-dimensional electromagnetic plane-wave scattering by a finite\ud set of perfectly conducting circular cylinders buried in a dielectric\ud half-space, is presented. The problem is solved for both the\ud near- and the far-field regions, for TM and TE polarizations. The\ud diffracted field is represented in terms of a superposition of cylindrical\ud waves and use is made of the plane-wave spectrum to take\ud into account the reflection and transmission of such waves by the\ud interface. The validity of the approach is confirmed by comparisons\ud with results available in the literature, with very good agreement.\ud The multiple interactions between two buried cylinders have\ud been studied by considering both the induced currents and the scattered\ud field diagrams. Applications of the method to objects of arbitrary\ud cross-section simulated by a suitable configuration of circular\ud cylinders are shown
[1] An analytical-numerical technique for the solution of the two-dimensional electromagnetic plane wave scattering by a finite set of dielectric circular cylinders buried in a dielectric half-space is presented. The problem is solved for both the near-and far-field regions, for transverse magnetic and transverse electric polarizations. The scattered field is represented in terms of a superposition of cylindrical waves, and use is made of the plane wave spectrum to take into account the reflection and transmission of such waves by the interface. The validity of the approach is confirmed by comparisons with results available in the literature, with very good agreement, and by self-consistency tests. Applications of the method to objects of arbitrary cross section simulated by suitable configurations of circular cylinders are shown.
The important goal of adding to the bootstrap current a more flexible tool, capable of producing and controlling steady-state profiles with a high fraction of non-inductive plasma current, could be reached using the lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) effect. Experiments performed on FTU (Frascati Tokamak Upgrade) demonstrated that LHCD can occur at reactor-graded high plasma density, provided that the parametric instability (PI)-produced broadening of the spectrum launched by the antenna is reduced under proper operating conditions, capable of producing relatively high temperature in the outer region of plasma column. This condition was produced by operations that reduce particle recycling from the vessel walls, and enhance the gas fuelling in the core by means of fast pellet. New results of FTU experiments are presented documenting that the useful effect of temperature at the periphery, which reduces the LH spectral broadening and enhances the LH-induced hard-x ray emission level, occurs in a broader range of plasma parameters than in previous work. Modelling results show that a further tool for helping LHCD at a high density would be provided by electron cyclotron resonant heating of plasma periphery. New information is provided on the modelling, able determining frequencies, growth rates and LH spectral broadening produced by PI, which allowed assessing the new method for enabling LHCD at high densities. Further robustness is provided to theoretical and experimental fundaments of the method for LHCD at a high density.
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