Alcator C-Mod Run 1001102 Information

Back to runs

Miniproposals
Miniproposal:267
Date Filed: 4/4/2000
Title:Dependence of SOL Fluctuations and Particle Transport on Collisionality
First Author:Brian Labombard
Session Leader:Brian Labombard (shots 1-21)

Operators
Session leader(s):Brian Labombard
Physics operator(s):Ron Parker
Engineering operator(s): Unknown

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP 267 Dependence of SOL Fluctuations and Particle Transport on Collisio

Session Leader Plans

Physics Operators Plans

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 03:49:25:150PM
Author: To Be Determined
MP#267 - reversed field

"Dependence of SOL Fluctuations and Particle Transport on Collisionality"
- reversed field, Day 1

Session Leader - B. LaBombard
Phys Op - R. Parker

==============================================================================
Overall objectives of MP#267:

"The purpose of these experiments is to explore the dependence of
SOL fluctuation characteristics and attendant cross-field particle
transport on the collisionality of the SOL."

Reason for today's run:

Reversed field/current allows some important measurements
to be made on particle transport in the SOL and the associated
levels of plasma turbulence. From a series of shots over ~2
run days we hope to do the following:

(1) get data on SOL particle transport (using Ly-alpha diag.) in
reversed field. Does the field direction affect the 'scaling' of
Deff with collisionality?

(2) get data on in-out asymmetries. The outer divertor conditions should
change in reversed B. This may impact (1) through changes in the
sheath conditions at the divertor plate (e.g., affecting the propagation
velocity of the 'blobs' if they somehow involve the 'sheath impedance'
via a theory such as that outlined recently by S. Krasheninnikov)

(3) get data on field-reversed C2D4 plumes. ExB should now carry the
plume away from the probe shaft, resulting in plumes that may
be easier to interpret. The 'reversed flows' associated with
low collisionality near the separatrix should now become 'normal
flows' with reversed B. This should be interesting for the plumes.
The magnitude of Er in reversed B is of interest also.

(4) get fluctuation data from scanning probe and fast diodes systems.
Is the SOL plasma fluctuation character the same in reversed B?


Today's run was to cover the Day 1 plan outlined in MP#267:

Day 1 (today):
Fine density scan at fixed plasma current (0.8 MA) and
toroidal field (5.3 tesla).

Results:
This was another head-banging day for the Phys. Op.
We only got 9 usable plasmas today, but of these only the last 4
shots had good probe targeting with reasonable data. But, the
machine seems to be coming back on line and we hope to get
a good run day tomorrow. We managed to get a very rough
density scan: NL04 ~1.0, ~.8, ~.6

In-out divertor asymmetries showed the usual reversal
in the lower density plasmas. Parallel flows (mach probes)
also showed the expected reversal. Sanjay's plumes
seemed to reverse also on some shots but the reversal
was not as clean as expected and suggests that the
probe shaft may be interfering with the ExB flows
and the resultant impurity dispersal.

The East probe (or its coaxial cable) on the ASP
appears to be failing. The probe often exhibited
an intermittent short-circuit behavior in the high
g-force time of the scan. This artifact will complicate
the analysis for sure.

Shot notes:
FSP setup: N, S in Vf mode, E-W in double probe sweep mode
ASP setup: N, S in Vf mode, E,W in single probe sweep mode
FSP and ASP always scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec

Shot 1 - Inner limited plasma, no probes scanning

Shot 2 - Diverted plasma. NL04 ~ 1e20
Note: intermittent shorts seen on ASP East probe - this could be a problem today.

Shot 4 - Diverted plasma. NL04 ~ 1e20
Still see shorts on ASP

Shot 11 - NL04 ~ 1e20
C2D4 on on this shots and for the remainder of the run to generate 'plumes'
Not as many shorts on ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.

Shot 15 - NL04 ~ 1e20
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.
Got some data on FSP and ASP. Still they appear to be outside separatrix.

Shot 17 - NL04 ~ 1e20
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.
Got some good data on FSP and ASP. Still some shorts on the east probe.
SSEP is now around 2 cm and E-top pressures are now below 0.7 mtorr.

Shot 18 - NL04 ~ 0.7e20
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.
Got some good data on FSP and ASP. Many shorts on the ASP east probe.

Shot 19 - NL04 ~ 0.8e20
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.
Got some good data on FSP and ASP. Some shorts on the ASP east probe.

Shot 20 - NL04 ~ 0.6 ramping to 0.7
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.
Got some good data on FSP and ASP. Again, shorts on the ASP east probe.

Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 04:37:12:583PM
Author: To Be Determined
RUN PLAN:

SL LaBombard
PO Parker
MP 267 Dependence of SOL Fluctuations and Particle Transport on Collisionality
now with reversed (positive) toroidal field and plasma current

overnight discharge cleaning in D_2, stopping 2 hours before the run.

Run begins at 9:00 and ends at 17:00.
Cell will close at 7:30AM

Power system setup as on 1001012017

Gas setup - fill B-top with 6 psi of D2 Hybrid enabled
fill B-side lower with 1 psi of Ar Hybrid enabled
fill B-side upper with 35 psi of D2 Hybrid DISABLED (for ECDC)
fill C-side with 30 psi of D2 Hybrid enabled
leave J-bottom as is Hybrid DISABLED

The following gate valves should be enabled, assuming no vacuum problems:
ECE, VUV, NPA (aka Beast)

This will be an ohmic run; RF is not required though it may do coupling studies

The purpose of these experiments is to explore the dependence of SOL
fluctuation characteristics and attendent cross-field particle transport on the
collisionality of the SOL.

The key diagnostics which must be operational for this study are:
(a) A-port and F-port scanning probes operated in a fluctuation mode (The
A-port probe will be used in both a spatially scanning and a fixed position
mode.), (b) divertor probes operated in a fluctuation mode, (c) fast visible
diodes viewing helium puffed from the A/B limiter capillary, (d) tangential
Ly-alpha diode array, (e) limiter particle flux probes, and (f) edge thomson
scattering.

Day 1: Fine density scan at fixed plasma current (0.8 MA) and toroidal field
(5.3 T).
Start with a reload of 1001012017.

Shot 1-3
NL01 = 1 x 10^20 m^-2
Setup equilibrium and FSP/ASP target

Begin density scan with two shots at each density. Alternate between A-port
probe in scanning and fixed location modes

Shot 4,5 NL01 = 1.0
6,7 NL01 = 0.9
8,9 NL01 = 0.8
10,11 NL01 = 0.7
12,13 NL01 = 0.6
14,15,16 NL01 = 1.1
17,18 NL01 = 1.2
19,20 NL01 = 1.3
21,22 NL01 = 1.4

repeat shots as needed to get good diagnostic data.

RUN SUMMARY

The run continued the attempts of the previous day to establish Reversed Field
discharges. These attempts had failed as all shots had either fizzled or were
duds. Therefore expectations were not high for this run.

Remarkably, the first two shots succeeded even though the last unsuccessful shot
of the previous run had been loaded (with a minor tweak of Br suggested by IHH).
The next shot fizzled, but the 4th shot ran so it seemed that the reversed
field shots were on track. However, this turned out not to be the case as there
then followed six shots which were either duds or fizzles. The tuning of the
startup phase became unstable and the PO decided to return to what had worked,
namely shot 2. The shot (11) ran OK but we were not out of the woods as the next
3 shots fizzled. ECH cleaning was done in between shots for these fizzles, but
in view of the fact that the shots were unsuccessful,
it was decided to abandon it. Shot 15 then ran, shot 16 fizzled, but then came
a string of successful shots, namely 17-20. Finally, the last shot of the day,
shot 21, fizzled. Nevertheless it appears that the machine is cleaning up and
hopefully will run well in the reversed field mode tomorrow (1001103).

Two problems did develop during the run: a nitrogen leak at F-Port (Hor) and a
slow rep rate apparently caused by slowing the cooling (in deference to control-
ling the leak) and possibly by instrumentation. Post run, the F-Port flange
was torqued and the leak rate reduced by a factor of 5.

So overall, not a great day, better than yesterday but hopefully not as good as
tomorrow will be.



Session Leader Comments
Nov 2 2000 09:39:03:360AMBrian LabombardMP#267 - reversed field

"Dependence of SOL Fluctuations and Particle Transport on Collisionality"
- reversed field, Day 1

Session Leader - B. LaBombard
Phys Op - R. Parker

==============================================================================
Overall objectives of MP#267:

"The purpose of these experiments is to explore the dependence of
SOL fluctuation characteristics and attendant cross-field particle
transport on the collisionality of the SOL."

Reason for today's run:

Reversed field/current allows some important measurements
to be made on particle transport in the SOL and the associated
levels of plasma turbulence. From a series of shots over ~2
run days we hope to do the following:

(1) get data on SOL particle transport (using Ly-alpha diag.) in
reversed field. Does the field direction affect the 'scaling' of
Deff with collisionality?

(2) get data on in-out asymmetries. The outer divertor conditions should
change in reversed B. This may impact (1) through changes in the
sheath conditions at the divertor plate (e.g., affecting the propagation
velocity of the 'blobs' if they somehow involve the 'sheath impedance'
via a theory such as that outlined recently by S. Krasheninnikov)

(3) get data on field-reversed C2D4 plumes. ExB should now carry the
plume away from the probe shaft, resulting in plumes that may
be easier to interpret. The 'reversed flows' associated with
low collisionality near the separatrix should now become 'normal
flows' with reversed B. This should be interesting for the plumes.
The magnitude of Er in reversed B is of interest also.

(4) get fluctuation data from scanning probe and fast diodes systems.
Is the SOL plasma fluctuation character the same in reversed B?


Today's run was to cover the Day 1 plan outlined in MP#267:

Day 1 (today):
Fine density scan at fixed plasma current (0.8 MA) and
toroidal field (5.3 tesla).
Nov 2 2000 09:35:22:090AM1001102001Brian LabombardShot 1 - Inner limited plasma, no probes scanning

Next shot - get diverted plasma and scan probes into far SOL to test systems.
Nov 2 2000 10:53:39:607AM1001102002Brian LabombardShot 2 - Diverted plasma. NL04 ~ 1e20
FSP setup: N, S in Vf mode, E-W in double probe sweep mode
ASP setup: N, S in Vf mode, E,W in single probe sweep mode
FSP and ASP scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec in FAR sol
Note: intermittant shorts seen on ASP East probe - this could be a problem today.

Next shot - decrease outer gap, lower x-point by 5 mm and increase negative ramp on ZXL by 5 mm,
also scan probes deeper
Nov 2 2000 10:55:29:860AM1001102004Brian LabombardShot 4 - Diverted plasma. NL04 ~ 1e20
FSP and ASP scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec in FAR sol
Still see shorts on ASP

Next shot - lower x-point again by 5 mm and also in by 5 mm
Turn C2D4 on for 'plumes'
Nov 2 2000 01:10:01:437PM1001102011Brian LabombardShot 11 - NL04 ~ 1e20
FSP and ASP scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec in FAR sol
Not as many shorts on ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.

Next shot - repeat with plumes and deeper ASP/FSP insertion
also try to increase SSEP by moving upper x-point up
Nov 2 2000 04:30:34:217PM1001102015Brian LabombardShot 15 - NL04 ~ 1e20
FSP and ASP scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.

Got some data on FSP and ASP. Still they appear to be outside separatrix.

Next shot - repeat with plumes and deeper ASP/FSP insertion
again try to increase SSEP by moving upper x-point up
Nov 2 2000 04:30:17:077PM1001102017Brian LabombardShot 17 - NL04 ~ 1e20
FSP and ASP scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.

Got some good data on FSP and ASP. Still some shorts on the east probe.
SSEP is now around 2 cm and E-top pressures are now below 0.7 mtorr.

Next shot - go to NL04 ~ 0.7
otherwise the same.
Nov 2 2000 04:29:55:170PM1001102018Brian LabombardShot 18 - NL04 ~ 0.7e20
FSP and ASP scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.

Got some good data on FSP and ASP. Many shorts on the ASP east probe.

Next shot - repeat with FSP in far SOL
Nov 2 2000 04:29:32:920PM1001102019Brian LabombardShot 19 - NL04 ~ 0.8e20
FSP and ASP scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.

Got some good data on FSP and ASP. Some shorts on the ASP east probe.

Next shot - go to NL04 ~ 0.5
Nov 2 2000 04:57:19:640PM1001102020Brian LabombardShot 20 - NL04 ~ 0.6 ramping to 0.7
FSP and ASP scanning at .7, .95 and 1.2 sec
ASP - running with reduced bias voltage.

Got some good data on FSP and ASP. Again, shorts on the ASP east probe.

Next shot - repeat with FSP scanning ~10 mm outside LCFS
Nov 2 2000 05:14:10:780PM1001102021Brian LabombardShot 21 - Fizzle

Physics Operator Comments
Nov 2 2000 09:21:11:123AM1001102001Ron Parker
We are attempting to run with reversed field and starting with conditions similar to
shot 1001101034. For the first shot, the Br will be increased by 0.5 mT.

Remarkably, the shot ran, presumably due to the presence and/or suggestions of of IHH.
Nov 2 2000 09:35:46:390AM1001102001Ron Parker
Next shot will have similar startup conditions, except the fill pressure will be
lowered to .06 mT. The offset for clearin has been chnged in sign, from -12700 to 12700
to bring the discharge off the inner wall.
Nov 2 2000 10:08:16:390AM1001102002Ron Parker
Shot 2 ran well. Fill pressure was not reduced significantly.

Next shot: Outer gap decreased by 5 mm and X-point lowered by 5 mm. No change in
startup settings.
Nov 2 2000 10:25:02:860AM1001102003Ron ParkerShot 3 fizzled for no apparent reason. For next shot, the fill will be lowered.


Nov 2 2000 05:48:30:077PM1001102004Ron Parker
Shot 4 ran OK, although with a hesitation on the current rise.
Nov 2 2000 05:53:03:543PM1001102004Ron Parker

Nov 2 2000 11:13:09:717AM1001102005Ron Parker
Shot 5 had minor tweaks set for shape and position, but fizzled.
IHH Takes over for RP as PO for ~ 1 hour.
Nov 2 2000 11:32:19:780AM1001102006Ian HutchinsonFizzle.

Lower EF4 to 1315 from 1325A.
Br offset to .0017 from .0012
Load. Shut down Parker's PCS. Start my own.
Implement between shots ECDC.
Nov 2 2000 12:28:05:483PM1001102007Ian HutchinsonFizzle.

Load seg 1 from 1000330026.
Call RCUR and ZCUR predictors. Load.
Nov 2 2000 12:27:51:497PM1001102008Ian HutchinsonFizzle. Breakdown at 10ms Br was too negative by about 1.5mT

Raise Br offset from -2.5 to -2mT.
Fill puff to 20ms from 18.
Load. Close PCS.
Nov 2 2000 12:23:01:297PM1001102009Steve WolfeWolfe in for Hutch who was in for Parker.
Shot#9 was loaded by hutch, with a Br and gas tweak on #8, which was reloaded (seg 1) from 1000330026.
Note: IC_oh1=19000
IC_oh2=27500
IC_ef1=5800
IC_ef4=1310
Br0=-.001 (was -.0025)
pg4 = 20msec (was 18)
Result: dud? fields look ok.
next shot: raise fill by 2 more msec.
Nov 2 2000 12:38:40:607PM1001102010Steve Wolfeshot 10: another dud. Parker will now be back in the chair;
he will reload seg 1 from shot #2 for shot 11
Nov 2 2000 01:06:06:043PM1001102011Ron Parker
For some strange reason, the shot went breaking a string of fizzles and duds.

We'll try this shot again. Also restart ECDC between shots.
Note that RF is pigyybacking at the end of the shot, probably causing its disruptive end.

Nov 2 2000 01:38:41:437PM1001102012Ron Parker
Shot 12 fizzled, again for no apparent reson when the startup is compared to
shot 11. I suspect the problem is with wall conditions and impurities during the
startup phase. CII is a little higher during the early current ramp.

Next shot: repeat of shot 12 setup conditions. We'll continue ECDC between
shots.
Nov 2 2000 02:00:38:967PM1001102013Ron Parker
Shot 13 was another fizzle. ECDC doesn't seem to help.

Next shot unchanged except for fill pressure -- pulse reduced by 2 msec.
Nov 2 2000 02:19:23:997PM1001102014Ron ParkerShot 14 was a fizzle (again). ECDC will be stopped.
Added 0.5 mT to BR offset.
Nov 2 2000 02:47:10:983PM1001102015Ron Parker
Shot 15 ran. Minor tweaks for next shot. Breakdown pressure for this shot was lower ~.05 mT.
this presumably helps startup. Upper X-Point will be moved 5mm up for next shot.
Nov 2 2000 03:13:50:263PM1001102016Ron ParkerShot 16 was a fizzle. No obvious problem except possibly during burnout.
Try again on shot 17.


Nov 2 2000 03:35:24:170PM1001102017Ron ParkerShot ran. Density ramp was slowed to reduce early MARFE.
For next shot, density will be reduced to 0.7e14.
Nov 2 2000 04:05:10:810PM1001102018Ron Parker
Shot 18 ran--two in a row! We'll try again without changes.
Nov 2 2000 04:37:19:857PM1001102019Ron Parker
Shot ran as programmmed. Next shot: density lowered to 0.5e20.
Nov 2 2000 04:59:43:967PM1001102020Ron Parker
Shot ran well again. Density was a little higher than programmed.
Next and last shot will be a repeat.
Nov 2 2000 05:18:15:763PM1001102021Ron ParkerShot 21 fizzled. It could be that the BR offset was too high, perhaps by 0.5 mT.
Suggest lowering it from 2 mT to 1.5 mT.

Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:18:33:077AMPlasmaOk
209:48:39:937AMPlasmaOk
310:10:08:403AMPlasmaOk
410:28:34:437AMPlasmaOk
510:54:30:543AMPlasmaOk
611:13:23:327AMPlasmaOk
711:33:25:343AMPlasmaOk
811:53:04:217AMPlasmaOk
912:13:12:997PMPlasmaOk
1012:33:58:623PMPlasmaOk
1112:53:55:997PMPlasmaOk
1201:23:15:217PMPlasmaOk
1301:45:33:670PMPlasmaOk
1402:08:40:403PMPlasmaOk
1502:30:28:373PMPlasmaOk
1602:56:35:920PMPlasmaOk
1703:23:22:280PMPlasmaOk
1803:49:24:937PMPlasmaOk
1904:15:37:890PMPlasmaOk
2004:44:59:247PMPlasmaOk
2105:11:08:013PMPlasmaOk