Alcator C-Mod Run 1021101 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:307
Date Filed: 6/19/2002
Title:High Bootstrap Fraction Regimes
First Author:Ron Parker
Session Leader:Ron Parker (shots 1-31)

Operators
Session leader(s):Ron Parker
Physics operator(s):Ian Hutchinson
Engineering operator(s):Gary Dekow

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP#307 High bootstrap regimes; SL: Parker; PO:Hutch; EO: Dekow/Fitz

Session Leader Plans

Physics Operators Plans

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 03:49:31:803PM
Author: To Be Determined
The idea of the run was to produce density barriers at low currents
in order to maximize the bootstrap current fraction. Unfortuately the
run was plagued by both discharge initiation problems and high radiation
levels in the discharge. Thus, when barriers were produced the radiation
became centrally peaked and strongly cooled the core of the discharge. As
the current was lowered, the density at which the temperature collapse
occured was reduced; therefore, there was likely no gain in bootstrap
fraction at lower currents (lower than the standard 800 kA), although
this needs to be confirmed by TRANSP runs.

It appears that central heating is needed to sustain the barrier modes at
high density. The mini-proposal envisioned having two-frequency ICRF
available, but this was not the case for this run as all transmitters
were essentially operating at the same frequency.

An interesting postcript is that in a subsequent run after boronization the
radiated power was lower than on this run and the quality of the ITB's
was improved. Thus, while this run was unsuccessful in establishing good
density ITB's, we have found that boronization is useful, at least in delaying
the core collapse. One can conjecture that boronization coupled with some
centrally deposited power would be effective. Trying this approach at
higher field, e.g., ~7 T with He3, would be interesting even with all
transmitters operating at 80 MHz since the central Ohmic heating would be
increased significcantly relative to that at 4.6 T.

Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 04:37:16:770PM
Author: To Be Determined
Physop 1021101

PO Hutch
SL Parker

MP 307 High Bootstrap Fraction ITBs

Summary
_______

Today was a bad physop day. Starting from a 4.5T initiation we ran
into duds. Therefore we loaded a 5.3T initiation from the shot we
started at 1021010. This also gave duds. An attempt to adjust it led
to a totally silly field evolution, apparently because the shots
from that day (and others) are subtly corrupted, but this problem only
shows up when you try to change them. Then we loaded shot
20 from yesterday, which had had very reliable startup. This also ran
into duds. Tweaks of fields, gas, and ECDC led to a fizzle
state. Eventually the shot was reloaded again and then ran reliably
until the final shot, 31 which was, appropriately for the day, a
fizzle.

Radiation was very severe in the off-axis modes we were pursuing. It
was reportedly Mo. In most plasmas during H-mode, radiation rose
quite rapidly to equal the injected heating power and then self
regulate at that level.

A new phenomenon was observed mostly at high ICRF power
off-axis. After an ITB forms and collapses, the central Te drops to a
very low value, e.g. 300eV. These plasmas have hollow Te and very low
stored energy. The sawteeth disappear. This appears to be a radiative
collapse of the plasma core, reminiscent of the PLT tungsten limiter
plasmas.

Practically no progress was made on the proposal. But it is pretty
clear that we are not going to access high-beta through these
conditions without some drastic improvements.

Scorecard
_________


Shot,Duration(s),Ipmax(MA) Shot,Duration(s),Ipmax
1 1.331 0.831 2 1.940 0.815
3 0.000 0.025 4 1.953 0.793
5 1.951 0.794 6 0.000 0.019
7 0.000 0.019 8 1.956 0.796
9 0.000 0.027 10 1.618 0.796
11 1.954 0.716 12 0.000 0.053
13 0.000 0.050 14 0.000 0.030
15 1.956 0.723 16 0.000 0.027
17 1.953 0.721 18 0.000 0.028
19 0.000 0.030 20 0.000 0.031
21 0.000 0.031 22 0.000 0.031
23 1.957 0.795 24 1.957 0.776
25 1.956 0.774 26 1.954 0.776
27 1.953 0.777 28 1.952 0.767
29 1.951 0.777 30 1.938 0.890
31 0.000 0.032
Finished summary for 1021101 Total of 31 shots.
31 shots. 18 plasmas. 7 fizzles. 6 duds.

Details
_______

1021101xxx hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 8:03:41:443AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MP 307 High Bootstrap Fraction Regimes.
SL Parker
PO Hutch

Load from 1021022013 the lower field initiation of Marmar.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101xxx hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 9:07:52:016AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Segment 3 preparation.
Load from 1020820024 an early EF1 crowbar shaping shot.
Copy segment 2 TF to segment 3.
Actually, offsets on current may be different on this earlier shot.
Probably better just to copy the EF1 programming across.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101001 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 9:30:05:403AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma. Got about 2MW but H-mode is elm-free.
Disrupts at 1.3s.
Big thrash in startup. Some hard x-rays.
Problem with hybrid camac.

Increase nl04 to 1e20.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101002 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 9:48:27:156AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Argon to 20ms from 40ms before this shot.
Plasma. Not an ITB

Load from 1021010005 segment 2.
That's nl04 of .85 and slightly different shape.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101002 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 9:56:58:710AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reboot all linux boxes for mds.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101003 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 10:16:16:606AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dud.

Raise gas to 29ms.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101004 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 10:26:56:586AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma. Signs of ITB at the end of the H-modes
but radiation is sufficiently high that we don't
get very far.

Argon dropped to 30ms from 40ms.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101005 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 10:42:08:253AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma.

TF current to 123 from 124kA.
Argon to 1ms (basically off).
RXU to -.025 from -.02
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101006 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 10:52:38:343AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ICEF4 to 1310 from -1315 before this shot.
Dud.

Br offset to .0025 from .002
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101007 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 11:10:40:346AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dud

undo the field tweaks.
raise fill puff to 31ms.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101008 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 11:29:02:363AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101009 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 11:37:18:700AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dud

Give up on this startup. Load the entire shot 1021010005.
Turn off argon.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101010 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 11:58:08:286AM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma.
Some density peaking.


Lower Ip to .7MA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101011 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 12:14:32:410PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma. Still very radiative.

Move plasma in 3mm.
RCUR to .68 at 1ms.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101012 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 12:27:44:850PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fizzle. There is something strange about what happened to the rcur predictor
in segment 1. It came up with a message saying that all the predictor weights
are zero and then it called the predictor. That should not have happened.
This shot behaves as if there really is no feedback. There does not seem
to be a controller algorithm in this place. Put one in and called it.
Looks sort of sensible. Load and hope.

This is an interesting breakdown in which the plasma current seems to reach
30kA even though Bz is negative and never swings positive.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101013 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 12:43:02:593PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fizzle. Same as last one.
These are really broken. There is no field ramp.
Interesting blips as the field goes slightly positive.

Bring the 1ms point way down, to .63m.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101014 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 12:56:30:286PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dud. No TF.

Load segment 1 from 1021031020
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101015 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 1:14:28:646PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma. Wolfe informs me that days 1008 to 1016 have some
subtle corruption in segment 1 that was caused by hitting
the algs button. Now we have loaded an OK shot.

This is a hollow Te shot with ghastly radiation.
Move rcur out again by 2mm.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101016 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 1:28:03:966PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dud. No obvious reason.

No changes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101017 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 1:46:24:140PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma.
Cold cores again.

Install a current ramp from 800 to 600kA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101018 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 2:16:06:266PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dud.

Do 5 minutes ECDC to see if we can break this dud problem.
Fill puff to 30ms from 35ms.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101019 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 2:22:26:656PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fizzle. At least it is not a dud!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101020 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 2:29:22:630PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fizzle.

Fill puff back to 35ms.
Br offset to 1.5mT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101021 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 2:47:06:770PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fizzle

Br offset to 1.8mT
Rcur point at 1ms to .67m from .66m.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101022 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 3:13:55:140PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fizzle.

Load segment 1 from 1021031020 in desperation.
I think there is something here I don't understand.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101023 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 3:26:57:926PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma. This is a truly hollow 300eV central Te.

Load segment 2 from 1021010007.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101024 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 3:36:04:530PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma.

TF to 130kA (4.7T).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101025 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 3:49:49:596PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma. No central cooling.

TF to 127kA. 4.6T.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101026 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 4:22:20:590PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma.

TF to 124kA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101027 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 4:22:42:293PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma

No PCS changes. Lower power for next shot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101028 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 4:34:55:560PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma. With 1.7MW the hollow temperature recovers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101029 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 4:44:15:460PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma. 1.4MW does not recover.

Ip to 0.9MA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101030 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 5:00:40:120PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plasma.

Raise Bt to 150kA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1021101031 hutch PHYSICS_OPERATOR Nov 1 2002 5:00:50:700PM
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fizzle.

Session Leader Comments

Physics Operator Comments
Nov 1 2002 08:03:41:443AMIan HutchinsonMP 307 High Bootstrap Fraction Regimes.
SL Parker
PO Hutch

Load from 1021022013 the lower field initiation of Marmar.
Nov 1 2002 09:07:52:017AMIan HutchinsonSegment 3 preparation.
Load from 1020820024 an early EF1 crowbar shaping shot.
Copy segment 2 TF to segment 3.
Actually, offsets on current may be different on this earlier shot.
Probably better just to copy the EF1 programming across.
Nov 1 2002 09:30:05:403AM1021101001Ian HutchinsonPlasma. Got about 2MW but H-mode is elm-free.
Disrupts at 1.3s.
Big thrash in startup. Some hard x-rays.
Problem with hybrid camac.

Increase nl04 to 1e20.
Nov 1 2002 09:48:27:157AM1021101002Ian HutchinsonArgon to 20ms from 40ms before this shot.
Plasma. Not an ITB

Load from 1021010005 segment 2.
That's nl04 of .85 and slightly different shape.
Nov 1 2002 09:56:58:710AM1021101002Ian HutchinsonReboot all linux boxes for mds.
Nov 1 2002 10:16:16:607AM1021101003Ian HutchinsonDud.

Raise gas to 29ms.
Nov 1 2002 10:26:56:587AM1021101004Ian HutchinsonPlasma. Signs of ITB at the end of the H-modes
but radiation is sufficiently high that we don't
get very far.

Argon dropped to 30ms from 40ms.
Nov 1 2002 10:42:08:253AM1021101005Ian HutchinsonPlasma.

TF current to 123 from 124kA.
Argon to 1ms (basically off).
RXU to -.025 from -.02
Nov 1 2002 10:52:38:343AM1021101006Ian HutchinsonICEF4 to 1310 from -1315 before this shot.
Dud.

Br offset to .0025 from .002
Nov 1 2002 11:10:40:347AM1021101007Ian HutchinsonDud

undo the field tweaks.
raise fill puff to 31ms.
Nov 1 2002 11:29:02:363AM1021101008Ian HutchinsonPlasma.
Nov 1 2002 11:37:18:700AM1021101009Ian HutchinsonDud

Give up on this startup. Load the entire shot 1021010005.
Turn off argon.
Nov 1 2002 11:58:08:287AM1021101010Ian HutchinsonPlasma.
Some density peaking.


Lower Ip to .7MA.
Nov 1 2002 12:14:32:410PM1021101011Ian HutchinsonPlasma. Still very radiative.

Move plasma in 3mm.
RCUR to .68 at 1ms.
Nov 1 2002 12:27:44:850PM1021101012Ian HutchinsonFizzle. There is something strange about what happened to the rcur predictor
in segment 1. It came up with a message saying that all the predictor weights
are zero and then it called the predictor. That should not have happened.
This shot behaves as if there really is no feedback. There does not seem
to be a controller algorithm in this place. Put one in and called it.
Looks sort of sensible. Load and hope.

This is an interesting breakdown in which the plasma current seems to reach
30kA even though Bz is negative and never swings positive.
Nov 1 2002 12:43:02:593PM1021101013Ian HutchinsonFizzle. Same as last one.
These are really broken. There is no field ramp.
Interesting blips as the field goes slightly positive.

Bring the 1ms point way down, to .63m.
Nov 1 2002 12:56:30:287PM1021101014Ian HutchinsonDud. No TF.

Load segment 1 from 1021031020
Nov 1 2002 01:14:28:647PM1021101015Ian HutchinsonPlasma. Wolfe informs me that days 1008 to 1016 have some
subtle corruption in segment 1 that was caused by hitting
the algs button. Now we have loaded an OK shot.

This is a hollow Te shot with ghastly radiation.
Move rcur out again by 2mm.
Nov 1 2002 01:28:03:967PM1021101016Ian HutchinsonDud. No obvious reason.

No changes.
Nov 1 2002 01:46:24:140PM1021101017Ian HutchinsonPlasma.
Cold cores again.

Install a current ramp from 800 to 600kA.
Nov 1 2002 02:16:06:267PM1021101018Ian HutchinsonDud.

Do 5 minutes ECDC to see if we can break this dud problem.
Fill puff to 30ms from 35ms.
Nov 1 2002 02:22:26:657PM1021101019Ian HutchinsonFizzle. At least it is not a dud!
Nov 1 2002 02:29:22:630PM1021101020Ian HutchinsonFizzle.

Fill puff back to 35ms.
Br offset to 1.5mT
Nov 1 2002 02:47:06:770PM1021101021Ian HutchinsonFizzle

Br offset to 1.8mT
Rcur point at 1ms to .67m from .66m.
Nov 1 2002 03:13:55:140PM1021101022Ian HutchinsonFizzle.

Load segment 1 from 1021031020 in desperation.
I think there is something here I don't understand.
Nov 1 2002 03:26:57:927PM1021101023Ian HutchinsonPlasma. This is a truly hollow 300eV central Te.

Load segment 2 from 1021010007.
Nov 1 2002 03:36:04:530PM1021101024Ian HutchinsonPlasma.

TF to 130kA (4.7T).
Nov 1 2002 03:49:49:597PM1021101025Ian HutchinsonPlasma. No central cooling.

TF to 127kA. 4.6T.
Nov 1 2002 04:22:20:590PM1021101026Ian HutchinsonPlasma.

TF to 124kA.
Nov 1 2002 04:22:42:293PM1021101027Ian HutchinsonPlasma

No PCS changes. Lower power for next shot.
Nov 1 2002 04:34:55:560PM1021101028Ian HutchinsonPlasma. With 1.7MW the hollow temperature recovers.
Nov 1 2002 04:44:15:460PM1021101029Ian HutchinsonPlasma. 1.4MW does not recover.

Ip to 0.9MA.
Nov 1 2002 05:00:40:120PM1021101030Ian HutchinsonPlasma.

Raise Bt to 150kA.
Nov 1 2002 05:00:50:700PM1021101031Ian HutchinsonFizzle.

Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:00:53:810AMPlasmaOk
209:31:51:080AMPlasmaOk
309:59:04:230AMPlasmaOk
410:14:14:663AMPlasmaOk
510:27:24:560AMPlasmaOk
610:47:49:770AMPlasmaOk
711:01:02:070AMPlasmaOk
811:14:15:793AMPlasmaOk
911:27:19:030AMPlasmaOk
1011:41:21:333AMPlasmaOk
1111:54:46:777AMPlasmaOk
1212:13:00:467PMPlasmaOk
1312:27:10:300PMPlasmaOk
1412:40:32:633PMPlasmaOk
1512:53:29:497PMPlasmaOk
1601:12:35:800PMPlasmaOk
1701:25:42:757PMPlasmaOk
1801:43:53:850PMPlasmaOk
1902:04:50:533PMPlasmaOk
2002:23:00:283PMPlasmaOk
2102:37:16:073PMPlasmaOk
2202:50:12:577PMPlasmaOk
2303:03:16:783PMPlasmaOk
2403:20:29:347PMPlasmaOk
2503:33:43:600PMPlasmaOk
2603:47:58:543PMPlasmaOk
2704:02:38:490PMPlasmaOk
2804:17:06:623PMPlasmaOk
2904:30:18:750PMPlasmaOk
3004:43:33:927PMPlasmaOk
3104:57:52:880PMPlasmaOk