Alcator C-Mod Run 1010629 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:282a
Date Filed: 9/11/2000
Title:Triggering ELMs by fast current ramp-up
First Author:Dmitri Mossessian
Session Leader:Dmitri Mossessian (shots 1-21)

Operators
Session leader(s):Dmitri Mossessian
Physics operator(s):Earl Marmar
Engineering operator(s):Bill Cochran

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP282A: Triggering ELMs by fast current Ramp-Up. Mossessian/Marmar/Coc

Session Leader Plans

Physics Operators Plans

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 03:49:26:650PM
Author: To Be Determined
Run summary for 1010629:

MP282A: Triggering ELMs by fast current ramp-up.

SL: Dmitri Mossessian
PO: Earl Marmar

The purpose of this experiment is to check the idea that ELMs are
"peeling" modes that are driven by high values of edge current (collisionless
bootstrap current on tokamaks like DIII-D or JET).
One of the existing theories states, that these ELMs are "peeling" mode, driven by a large
bootstrap current that is formed at the plasma edge during H-mode due to
sharp pressure gradient in the pedestal region. According to the model,
the ELM occurs when the edge current density exceeds a critical value. While
in other tokamaks the bootstrap current is high enough to drive the modes, in C-Mod
the current is significantly (by a factor of 2 or more) reduced by collisionality,
which may explain the absence of ELMs in C-Mod plasmas.
A simple experiment can be carried out that could produce results in support of the theory.
If the reduction of the bootstrap
current is expected to inhibit the type I ELMs, than the ELM can be triggered if
one can provide sufficient edge current from a current ramp-up so that the edge
current is comparable to the bootstrap current in the banana regime.

Approach:
The edge current will be increased significantly if the plasma surface voltage
is stepped up to its maximum value. If the voltage is kept constant after that
for a short period of time (100 ms), the edge current would be maintained at
the value much higher than the bootstrap current can normally provide, while
the total plasma current would not be affected significantly (at a max ramp rate
of 1 MA/sec we'll get a 100 kA current rise, or 10% rise at 1 MA level). The voltage
can be increased by a factor of 2 (from around 1 V to max value of 2 V), which should,
at high edge temperature, provide values of edge current comparable to collisionless
bootstrap.
Therefore, the experiment would consist of programming a 100 msec long step
in plasma current during steady state EDA H-mode. If ELM is triggered, it should
be immediately seen on D-alpha signal, but also magnetic and other fluctuation diagnostics
should be used to watch for MHD activity during current ramp-up.
An attempt should be made to run at the lowest possible density and highest heating power
to provide for high edge temperature and low collisionality.

Results:

Interesting and somewhat successful run. We started with .8 MA, 2.5 MW shots and current ramp to .95 MA
at 2MA/sec. First 8 shots RF tripped right before the current ramp. On shot 9 we had nice EDA, 3 MW RF and
observed QC mode increasing frequency from approx 50 kHz to 150 kHz following the current ramp up, and then
decreasing back to 50 kHz at ramp down. Same picture on shot 10 and 12. No sign of QC mode changing character
or any ELM-like activity is observed.
The power was increased to 3.5 MW to get closer to grassy ELMs regime. Shot 1010629016 is a good example of grassy ELMs turning into
EDA when power drops from 3.5 MW to 2.5 MW. However, the power goes down at the same time with the current, so the effect of the
current remains unclear.
On shot 18 RF stayed on throughout current ramp-up phase. The changing current seems to kill small ELMs that existed there prior
to the ramp-up. The result is not clear and requires further analysis.
We reversed the ramp on shot 19, starting from 1 MA plasma and going to .85 MA. PCI didn't work on last 3 shots (19-21), so it's
not clear whether there was a QC mode on those shots, but ramp-down seems to trigger brief bursts of ELMs on all three shots.

Shots for analysis:

1010629009
1010629010
1010629012
1010629016
1010629018
1010629019
1010629020
1010629021

Since no clear result was produced, but the initial results seem to be interesting, the miniproposal will be resubmitted
with minor changes reflecting the gained experience.



Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 04:37:13:567PM
Author: To Be Determined
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629xxx marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 8:33:07:790AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engineering setup for 1010629

MP282A: Triggering ELMs by fast current ramp-up.

SL: Dmitri Mossessian
PO: Earl Marmar

Engineering setup:

ECDC in D2 at 2.e-4 Torr overnight prior to run.

We may require ECDC in D2 between shots

Power systems as on 1010628017

RF:
XMTR 1, main power on ONLY by 8:00
XMTR 2,3, 4 in RUN-ON started by 8:00 AM

Gas setup:

fill B-top with 6 psi of D2 Hybrid enabled (PG4)
fill B-side lower with 1 psi of Ar Hybrid enabled (PG1)
fill B-side upper with 30 psi of D2 Hybrid DISABLED (PG2)
fill C-side with 30 psi of D2 Hybrid enabled (PG3)
fill J-bottom with 30 psi of He Hybrid DISABLED (PG5)

Enable the following gate valves: ECE, DNB, VUV

Run starts at 09:00 and ends at 17:00

There may be a short delay at the beginning of the run during Mike Holland's
visit, but the cell and power rooms should be locked up at the normal time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

The run went quite well from the physop point of view. The machine ran well (1
fizzle, B_R a little high). The current ramp ups caused some shape lurching
(inner gap and triangularity). On the last shot we programmed a repetitive
ramp, which worked well. Many shots disrupted during RF. We also had many shots
with close to 4 MW of total power for substantial pulse lengths. Confinement
was good on a number of shots, with H-factors approaching 2 in EDA at 800 kA
plasma current. I added a gas puff during the H-mode, starting with shot 16,
which didn't appear to hurt, and may have helped the RF.

As a piggyback to the main MP, we injected Li pellets on a number of shots, and got
good cigar images, both in H-mode and L-mode. The ablation images clearly
show a systematic change in angle as the pellet penetrates from the edge to
the core, starting near 10 degrees and going close to 0. Shot 13 is a good
example.

Scorecard:

Plasmas 20
Fizzles 1
Duds 0
No power shots 0

Total cycles 21

_________________________________________________________________________________

1010629xxx marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 9:34:31:370AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
coldstart: logical name problem; spanna crashed yesterday. do a ccl remcam, and
redo.

2'nd coldstart: no errors, all matrices respond.

load from 1010628021; add current ramp starting at 1.0 second (up to 0.95 MA at
1.05, back to 0.8 MA by 1.2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629001 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 9:58:55:160AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
plasma

got the current ramp, but we lost the H-mode (D faulted)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629002 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 10:10:26:503AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
add derivative gain (3) to clearin at time of ramp

ask for OH1 voltage increase at time of ramp

increase target I_p during ramp (1e6 A)

decrease prepuff by 4 msec (DNB firing at 0.6 s)

disrupt at 0.78 (radiated power)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629003 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 10:30:52:833AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
plasma

disrupt just after 1 sec

radiation went up, then programming changes probably pushed it over the top
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629004 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 10:48:09:313AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
reduce clearin derivative gain (1)

reduce OH1 voltage preprog change at 1 sec

plasma

disrupt at 1.24 seconds, after the current ramp

Got a ramp rate of about 2 MA/s
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629005 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 11:41:32:660AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ECDC in D2 for 5 minutes before shot (P_fill=4e-4)

plasma

disrupt at 0.76
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629006 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 11:42:09:286AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
turn off D port

plasma

disrupt at 0.97
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629007 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 12:09:26:046PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
turn E-port off, D-port on

plasma all the way through rampdown

Got H-mode through the current ramp; D tripped during the ramp

We're getting shape changes during the ramp (triangularity goes up, inner gap
goes up)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629008 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 12:16:49:136PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Increase derivative gain on clearin (to 3) during I_p ramp and add a 5 mm jog;

Increase prop gain on RCUR

fizzle
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629009 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 1:22:26:316PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
no PCS changes

plasma

got the ramp, with RF in EDA

Got a Li pellet at 1.7; cigar looks beautiful


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629010 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 1:23:23:580PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
reduce BR_0 offset by .5 mT

plasma; good shot

disrupt at 1.5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629011 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 1:24:44:880PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
decrease density (nl_zmeter to 0.3 from 0.45) aiming at nl_04=7e19 target

plasma

disrupt during I_p ramp at 1.09
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629012 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 1:50:29:513PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
no pcs changes

plasma
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629013 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 2:12:46:096PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
reduce argon puff by 5 msec

plasma
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629014 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 2:33:50:300PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
change timing on clearin derivative gain

plasma

no obvious changes in shape lurches
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629015 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 2:58:40:970PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
increase CLEARIN derivative gain to 6

plasma
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629016 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 3:21:52:723PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
reduce prepuff by 3 msec

increase target density (nl_zmeter to 0.37)

turn off density feedback between 0.9 and 1.3 seconds; valve to 35 volt

plasmas
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629017 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 3:42:04:240PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
increase H-mode puff level to 45 V on PG3.

plasma

disrupt at 1 second

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629018 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 4:26:49:043PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
reduce H-mode puff to 25 V

plasma
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629019 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 4:27:26:106PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
program to 1 MA with ramp-down to 0.8 starting at 1.0

plasma

disrupt shortly after current ramp-down
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629020 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 5:19:51:483PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
move RCUR out 1.5 mm

plasma

disrupt at 1.31 (Li pellet)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1010629021 marmar PHYSICS_OPERATOR Jun 29 2001 5:21:03:593PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
add multiple short I_p ramps

plasma

disrupt at 1.21 s

got 2 ramps

-

Session Leader Comments

Physics Operator Comments
Jun 29 2001 08:33:07:790AMEarl MarmarEngineering setup for 1010629

MP282A: Triggering ELMs by fast current ramp-up.

SL: Dmitri Mossessian
PO: Earl Marmar

Engineering setup:

ECDC in D2 at 2.e-4 Torr overnight prior to run.

We may require ECDC in D2 between shots

Power systems as on 1010628017

RF:
XMTR 1, main power on ONLY by 8:00
XMTR 2,3, 4 in RUN-ON started by 8:00 AM

Gas setup:

fill B-top with 6 psi of D2 Hybrid enabled (PG4)
fill B-side lower with 1 psi of Ar Hybrid enabled (PG1)
fill B-side upper with 30 psi of D2 Hybrid DISABLED (PG2)
fill C-side with 30 psi of D2 Hybrid enabled (PG3)
fill J-bottom with 30 psi of He Hybrid DISABLED (PG5)

Enable the following gate valves: ECE, DNB, VUV

Run starts at 09:00 and ends at 17:00

There may be a short delay at the beginning of the run during Mike Holland's
visit, but the cell and power rooms should be locked up at the normal time.
Jun 29 2001 09:34:31:370AMEarl Marmarcoldstart: logical name problem; spanna crashed yesterday. do a ccl remcam, and redo.

2'nd coldstart: no errors, all matrices respond.

load from 1010628021; add current ramp starting at 1.0 second (up to 0.95 MA at 1.05, back to 0.8 MA by 1.2)
Jun 29 2001 09:58:55:160AM1010629001Earl Marmarplasma

got the current ramp, but we lost the H-mode (D faulted)
Jun 29 2001 10:10:26:503AM1010629002Earl Marmaradd derivative gain (3) to clearin at time of ramp

ask for OH1 voltage increase at time of ramp

increase target I_p during ramp (1e6 A)

decrease prepuff by 4 msec (DNB firing at 0.6 s)

disrupt at 0.78 (radiated power)
Jun 29 2001 10:30:52:833AM1010629003Earl Marmarplasma

disrupt just after 1 sec

radiation went up, then programming changes probably pushed it over the top
Jun 29 2001 10:48:09:313AM1010629004Earl Marmarreduce clearin derivative gain (1)

reduce OH1 voltage preprog change at 1 sec

plasma

disrupt at 1.24 seconds, after the current ramp

Got a ramp rate of about 2 MA/s
Jun 29 2001 11:41:32:660AM1010629005Earl MarmarECDC in D2 for 5 minutes before shot (P_fill=4e-4)

plasma

disrupt at 0.76
Jun 29 2001 11:42:09:287AM1010629006Earl Marmarturn off D port

plasma

disrupt at 0.97
Jun 29 2001 12:09:26:047PM1010629007Earl Marmarturn E-port off, D-port on

plasma all the way through rampdown

Got H-mode through the current ramp; D tripped during the ramp

We're getting shape changes during the ramp (triangularity goes up, inner gap goes up)
Jun 29 2001 12:16:49:137PM1010629008Earl MarmarIncrease derivative gain on clearin (to 3) during I_p ramp and add a 5 mm jog;

Increase prop gain on RCUR

fizzle
Jun 29 2001 01:22:26:317PM1010629009Earl Marmarno PCS changes

plasma

got the ramp, with RF in EDA

Got a Li pellet at 1.7; cigar looks beautiful


Jun 29 2001 01:23:23:580PM1010629010Earl Marmarreduce BR_0 offset by .5 mT

plasma; good shot

disrupt at 1.5
Jun 29 2001 01:24:44:880PM1010629011Earl Marmardecrease density (nl_zmeter to 0.3 from 0.45) aiming at nl_04=7e19 target

plasma

disrupt during I_p ramp at 1.09
Jun 29 2001 01:50:29:513PM1010629012Earl Marmarno pcs changes

plasma
Jun 29 2001 02:12:46:097PM1010629013Earl Marmarreduce argon puff by 5 msec

plasma
Jun 29 2001 02:33:50:300PM1010629014Earl Marmarchange timing on clearin derivative gain

plasma

no obvious changes in shape lurches
Jun 29 2001 02:58:40:970PM1010629015Earl Marmarincrease CLEARIN derivative gain to 6

plasma
Jun 29 2001 03:21:52:723PM1010629016Earl Marmarreduce prepuff by 3 msec

increase target density (nl_zmeter to 0.37)

turn off density feedback between 0.9 and 1.3 seconds; valve to 35 volt

plasmas
Jun 29 2001 03:42:04:240PM1010629017Earl Marmarincrease H-mode puff level to 45 V on PG3.

plasma

disrupt at 1 second

Jun 29 2001 04:26:49:043PM1010629018Earl Marmarreduce H-mode puff to 25 V

plasma
Jun 29 2001 04:27:26:107PM1010629019Earl Marmarprogram to 1 MA with ramp-down to 0.8 starting at 1.0

plasma

disrupt shortly after current ramp-down
Jun 29 2001 05:19:51:483PM1010629020Earl Marmarmove RCUR out 1.5 mm

plasma

disrupt at 1.31 (Li pellet)
Jun 29 2001 05:41:13:000PM1010629021Earl Marmaradd multiple short I_p ramps

plasma

disrupt at 1.21 s

got 2 ramps

Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:35:52:200AMPlasmaOk
209:59:53:533AMPlasmaOk
310:18:43:190AMPlasmaOk
410:34:50:057AMPlasmaOk
511:04:40:743AMPlasmaOk
611:23:45:600AMPlasmaOk
711:44:47:337AMPlasmaOk
812:11:51:270PMPlasmaOk
912:24:46:913PMPlasmaOk
1012:45:49:103PMPlasmaOk
1101:11:37:017PMPlasmaOk
1201:31:09:860PMPlasmaOk
1301:55:44:163PMPlasmaOk
1402:17:52:603PMPlasmaOk
1502:44:52:510PMPlasmaOk
1603:07:56:467PMPlasmaOk
1703:27:57:670PMPlasmaOk
1803:49:05:140PMPlasmaOk
1904:09:15:720PMPlasmaOk
2004:32:11:880PMPlasmaOk
2104:59:25:500PMPlasmaOk