Edge localized modes (ELMs) in high-confinement mode plasmas were completely suppressed in KSTAR by applying n=1 nonaxisymmetric magnetic perturbations. Initially, the ELMs were intensified with a reduction of frequency, but completely suppressed later. The electron density had an initial 10% decrease followed by a gradual increase as ELMs were suppressed. Interesting phenomena such as a saturated evolution of edge T(e) and broadband changes of magnetic fluctuations were observed, suggesting the change of edge transport by the applied magnetic perturbations.

An extensive study of intrinsic and controlled non-axisymmetric field (δB) impacts in KSTAR has enhanced the understanding about non-axisymmetric field physics and its implications, in particular, on resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) physics and power threshold (Pth) for L–H transition. The n  =  1 intrinsic non-axisymmetric field in KSTAR was measured to remain as low as δB/B0 ~ 4  ×  10−5 even at high-beta plasmas (βN ~ 2), which corresponds to approximately 20% below the targeted ITER tolerance level. As for the RMP edge-localized-modes (ELM) control, robust n  =  1 RMP ELM-crash-suppression has been not only sustained for more than ~90 τE, but also confirmed to be compatible with rotating RMP. An optimal window of radial position of lower X-point (i.e. Rx  =   m) proved to be quite critical to reach full n  =  1 RMP-driven ELM-crash-suppression, while a constraint of the safety factor could be relaxed (q95  =  5 0.25). A more encouraging finding was that even when Rx cannot be positioned in the optimal window, another systematic scan in the vicinity of the previously optimal Rx allows for a new optimal window with relatively small variations of plasma parameters. Also, we have addressed the importance of optimal phasing (i.e. toroidal phase difference between adjacent rows) for n  =  1 RMP-driven ELM control, consistent with an ideal plasma response modeling which could predict phasing-dependent ELM suppression windows. In support of ITER RMP study, intentionally misaligned RMPs have been found to be quite effective during ELM-mitigation stage in lowering the peaks of divertor heat flux, as well as in broadening the ‘wet’ areas. Besides, a systematic survey of Pth dependence on non-axisymmetric field has revealed the potential limit of the merit of low intrinsic non-axisymmetry. Considering that the ITER RMP coils are composed of 3-rows, just like in KSTAR, further 3D physics study in KSTAR is expected to help us minimize the uncertainties of the ITER RMP coils, as well as establish an optimal 3D configuration for ITER and future reactors.

The effect of static n ¼ 1 resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) on the spatial structure and temporal dynamics of edge-localized modes (ELMs) and edge turbulence in tokamak plasma has been investigated. Two-dimensional images measured by a millimeter-wave camera on the KSTAR tokamak revealed that the coherent filamentary modes (i.e., ELMs) are still present in the edge region when the usual large scale collapse of the edge confinement, i.e., the ELM crash, is completely suppressed by n ¼ 1 RMP. Cross-correlation analyses on the 2D images show that (1) the RMP enhances turbulent fluctuations in the edge toward the ELM-crash-suppression phase, (2) the induced turbulence has a clear dispersion relation for wide ranges of wave number and frequency, and (3) the turbulence involves a net radially outward energy transport. Nonlinear interactions of the turbulent eddies with the coexisting ELMs are clearly observed by bispectral analysis, which implies that the exchange of energy between them may be the key to the prevention of large scale crashes.

The temporal evolution of edge-localized modes (ELMs) has been studied using a 2-D electron cyclotron emission imaging system in the KSTAR tokamak. The ELMs are observed to evolve in three distinctive stages: the initial linear growth of multiple filamentary structures having a net poloidal rotation, the interim state of regularly spaced saturated filaments, and the final crash through a short transient phase characterized by abrupt changes in the relative amplitudes and distance among filaments. The crash phase, typically consisted of multiple bursts of a single filament, involves a complex dynamics, poloidal elongation of the bursting filament, development of a fingerlike bulge, and fast localized burst through the finger. Substantial alterations of the ELM dynamics, such as mode number, poloidal rotation, and crash time scale, have been observed under external magnetic perturbations with the toroidal mode number n ¼ 1. V C 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx

A decade-long operation of the Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) has contributed significantly to the operation of superconducting tokamak devices and the advancement of tokamak physics which will be beneficial for the ITER and K-DEMO programs. Even with limited heating capability, various conventional as well as new operating regimes have been explored and have achieved improved performance. As examples, a long pulse high-confinement mode operation with and without an edge-localized mode (ELM) crash was well over 70 and 30 s, respectively. The unique capabilities of KSTAR allowed it to improve the capability of controlling harmful instabilities, and they have been instrumental in uncovering much new physics. The highlights are that the L/H transition threshold power is sensitive to the resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) and insensitive to non-resonant magnetic perturbation. Co-Ip offset rotation dominated by an electron channel predicted by general neoclassical toroidal viscosity theory was confirmed. Improved heat dispersal in a divertor system using three rows of rotating RMP was demonstrated and predictive control of the ELM-crash with a priori modeling was successfully tested. In magnetohydrodynamic physics, validation of the full reconnection model (i.e. q0  >  1 right after the sawtooth crash) and self-consistent validation of the anisotropic distribution of turbulence amplitude and flow in the presence of the 2/1 island with theoretical models were achieved. The turbulence amplitude induced by RMP was linearly increased with the slow RMP coil current ramp-up time (i.e. the magnetic diffusion time scale). The Dα spikes (i.e. ELM-crash amplitude) was linearly decreased with the turbulence amplitude and not correlated with the perpendicular electron flow. In the turbulence area, a non-diffusive ‘avalanche’ transport event and the role of a quiescent coherent mode in confinement were studied. To accommodate the anticipation of a higher performance of the KSTAR plasmas with the increased heating powers, a new divertor/internal interface with a full active cooling system will be implemented after a full test of the new heating (neutral beam injection II and electron cyclotron heating) and current drive (CD) (Helicon and lower hybrid CD) systems. An upgrade plan for the internal hardware, heating systems and efficient CD system may allow for a long pulse operation of higher performance plasmas at βN  >  3.0 with f bs ~ 0.5 and Ti  >  10 keV.