ALCATOR C-MOD Weekly Highlights Jan. 23, 1995 Alcator C-MOD is continuing plasma operations. Three runs were scheduled and completed this week. The major highlight of the week was the successful coupling of 3.5MW into the plasma (approximately 4 MW at the source). Other experiments included measurements on neutral density profiles in the plasma core, experiments on impurity transport in the divertor,and pellet injection in combination with RF heating. In addition, calibrations were carried out for the divertor neutral pressure gauge and the NINJA capillary gas puff system as well as the B-side valve used for impurity puffing experiments. Up to 3.5MW of ICRF was coupled to the plasma during piggy-back operation on Wednesday. This power level, corresponding to approximately 4MW at the source, is the nominal maximum power level for the current campaign, using both D-port and E-port antennas. Central electron and ion temperatures in the 4-5 keV range were obtained at line-average density of 1e20/m3 and a plasma current of 800kA. The stored energy in the plasma exceeded 100kJ for the first time. Preliminary assessments indicate the confinement was consistent with standard L-mode scaling. Heating experiments at the 3MW level continued on Friday, at higher density of 1.3 and 1.7e20. Virtually all shots with high RF power (two antennas) at these densities transitioned into H-mode. We were able to sustain the H-mode (ELM-free then becoming ELMy) for the duration of high power RF (200msec). Following the density rise in the ELM-free period, a new steady-state density level is maintained, with strong ELM activity, until the RF pulse is terminated. One shot had a Li pellet 50msec injected prior to the RF pulse, and a record neutron rate (almost 1e14/sec) was obtained during the "PEP" phase when the density profile is highly peaked. On Thursday, an investigation of impurity screening was carried out, using trace impurities (Ne, He, and Ar) puffed from capillary tubes in various poloidal locations. Comparisons were made for puffing at the inner wall, the private flux zone of the divertor, and the outer SOL. Preliminary analysis indicates the core neon signal, e.g., varies by less than a factor of two for the different source locations. Measurements of neutral density profiles, employing the technique of looking at charge exchange recombination of highly ionized Argon (MP#049A), were also carried out. The previously observed up-down asymmetry in the neutral density was confirmed, but a more quantitative assessment of the neutral profile was not possible due to the limited number of satisfactory shots. A Review of the C-MOD program was held at MIT on Tuesday and Wednesday. Participants from D.o.E. (Tuesday only) were Don Priester and Milt Johnson; attending as members of the C-MOD Advisory panel were G. Nielson, P. Edmonds, S. Allen, R. Hawryluk, and F. Perkins. Presentations on recent C-MOD results and future plans were made by I. Hutchinson, B. Lipschultz, M. Porkolab, R. Wilson (PPPL), M. Greenwald, S. Wolfe, R. Granetz, J. Irby, D. Gwinn, and E. Marmar.