Abstract. Recent progress regarding the excitation of energetic-particle driven geodesic acoustic modes (EGAMs) in particle-in-cell simulations is presented in this paper. The exact dispersion relation with adiabatic electrons is derived and solved. The origin of the so-called EGAM is briefly analysed and we show that its nature changes, at least, with the safety factor. A simple expression for the GAM frequency modified in the presence of a small concentration of energetic particles is given in the fluid limit. We show that gyrokinetic simulations with Nemorb in the presence of adiabatic electrons are able to reproduce the analytic predictions. Also, different energy channels are analysed by means of dedicated energy diagnostics characterizing the wave-particle interaction. Finite Larmor radius and finite orbit width effects are studied regarding the excitation of geodesic acoustic modes, showing that these effects are likely to be negligible for sufficiently high concentration of energetic particles, but significant when approaching the threshold of excitation.

Geodesic Acoustic Modes (GAMs) are electrostatic, axisymmetric modes which are non-linearly excited by turbulence. They can also be excited linearly by fast-particles; they are then called Energetic-particle-driven GAMs (EGAMs). Do GAMs and EGAMs belong to the same mode branch? Through a linear, analytical model, in which the fast particles are represented by a Maxwellian bump-on-tail distribution function, we find that the answer depends on several parameters. For low values of the safety factor q and for high values of the fast ion energy, the EGAM originates from the GAM. On the contrary, for high values of q and for low values of the fast ion energy, the GAM is not the mode which becomes unstable when fast particles are added: the EGAM then originates from a distinct mode, which is strongly damped in the absence of fast particles. The impact of other parameters is further explored: ratio of the ion temperature to the electron temperature, width of the fast particle distribution, mass and charge of the fast ions. The ratio between the EGAM and the GAM frequencies was found in experiments (DIII-D) and in non-linear numerical simulations (code GYSELA) to be close to 1/2: the present analytical study allows one to recover this ratio.

A power-balance model, with radiation losses from impurities and neutrals, gives a unified description of the density limit (DL) of the stellarator, the L-mode tokamak, and the reversed field pinch (RFP). The model predicts a Sudo-like scaling for the stellarator, a Greenwald-like scaling, , for the RFP and the ohmic tokamak, a mixed scaling, , for the additionally heated L-mode tokamak. In a previous paper (Zanca et al 2017 Nucl. Fusion 57 056010) the model was compared with ohmic tokamak, RFP and stellarator experiments. Here, we address the issue of the DL dependence on heating power in the L-mode tokamak. Experimental data from high-density disrupted L-mode discharges performed at JET, as well as in other machines, are taken as a term of comparison. The model fits the observed maximum densities better than the pure Greenwald limit.

The 2014–2016 JET results are reviewed in the light of their significance for optimising the ITER research plan for the active and non-active operation. More than 60 h of plasma operation with ITER first wall materials successfully took place since its installation in 2011. New multi-machine scaling of the type I-ELM divertor energy flux density to ITER is supported by first principle modelling. ITER relevant disruption experiments and first principle modelling are reported with a set of three disruption mitigation valves mimicking the ITER setup. Insights of the L–H power threshold in Deuterium and Hydrogen are given, stressing the importance of the magnetic configurations and the recent measurements of fine-scale structures in the edge radial electric. Dimensionless scans of the core and pedestal confinement provide new information to elucidate the importance of the first wall material on the fusion performance. H-mode plasmas at ITER triangularity (H  =  1 at βN ~ 1.8 and n/nGW ~ 0.6) have been sustained at 2 MA during 5 s. The ITER neutronics codes have been validated on high performance experiments. Prospects for the coming D–T campaign and 14 MeV neutron calibration strategy are reviewed.

Recent JET experiments have been dedicated to the studies of fusion reactions between Deuterium (D) and Helium-3 (

Since the installation of an ITER-like wall, the JET programme has focused on the consolidation of ITER design choices and the preparation for ITER operation, with a specific emphasis given to the bulk tungsten melt experiment, which has been crucial for the final decision on the material choice for the day-one tungsten divertor in ITER. Integrated scenarios have been progressed with the re-establishment of long-pulse, high-confinement H-modes by optimizing the magnetic configuration and the use of ICRH to avoid tungsten impurity accumulation. Stationary discharges with detached divertor conditions and small edge localized modes have been demonstrated by nitrogen seeding. The differences in confinement and pedestal behaviour before and after the ITER-like wall installation have been better characterized towards the development of high fusion yield scenarios in DT. Post-mortem analyses of the plasma-facing components have confirmed the previously reported low fuel retention obtained by gas balance and shown that the pattern of deposition within the divertor has changed significantly with respect to the JET carbon wall campaigns due to the absence of thermally activated chemical erosion of beryllium in contrast to carbon. Transport to remote areas is almost absent and two orders of magnitude less material is found in the divertor.

Evidence for the impact of energetic particles (EPs) on turbulence is given in this paper. Firstly, the excitation of electrostatic instabilities in linear gyrokinetic simulations performed with the global gysela code by introducing distribution functions typical of fast ions in tokamak plasmas is presented. The obtained mode is unambiguously characterized as an EGAM, i.e. a Geodesic Acoustic Mode (GAM) excited by EPs. The influence of EGAMs on turbulence and associated transport is then analyzed by implementing a source adapted to the inclusion of fast particle populations in non-linear simulations. This source successfully excites EGAMs in the presence of turbulence, and leads to a drastic reduction of the turbulent transport. However, this reduction is only transient, and is followed by an increase of the turbulent activity, characterized by a complex interaction between the EGAMs and turbulence. In the subsequent steady-state regime, turbulent transport appears to be modulated at the EGAM frequency.

Inici > Fusion product studies via fast ion D-D and D-3He fusion on JET