Alcator C-Mod Run 1050707 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:422
Date Filed: 4/26/2005
Title: ITB formation-Ti critical gradient dependence
First Author:Kirill Zhurovich
Session Leader:Kirill Zhurovich (shots 1-30)

Operators
Session leader(s):Kirill Zhurovich
Physics operator(s):Jim Irby
Engineering operator(s):Bill Cochran,Sam Pierson,Bill Parkin

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP#422

Session Leader Plans
Entered: Jul 6 2005 01:36:56:893PM
Author: Kirill Zhurovich
MP#422 -- "ITB formation -- Ti critical gradient dependence"

The purpose of this experiment is to understand triggering mechanism for producing off-axis ICRF internal transport barriers. The question of whether ITB formation can be explained in the framework of suppressing ITG turbulence via increasing ion temperature scale length to the critical scale length is the target.
This idea will be tested by varying Bt and thus shifting the RF resonance location on shot-to-shot basis.

Required diagnostics: all standard core diagnostics, especially TS, ECE, HIREX, PCI +CHERS (if available)

Set up GPC for 5.4T (or higher) and GPC2 for 6.2T operation.
ICRF - 80MHz, 3MW (or less, but fault-free and constant for all discharges). ICRF power will be adjusted during first plasma shots.

Proposed Bt, Ip scan:

Bt Ip
5.4 0.9
5.5 0.917
5.6 0.933
5.7 0.95
5.8 0.967
5.9 0.983
6.0 1.0
6.1 1.017
6.2 1.033
6.3 1.05
6.4 1.067
6.45 1.075

First, establish an ITB at higher field. 1040310012 is a good candidate (just change a current a bit).
Then start Bt scan with 0.2T increment, filling the gaps later in the day as time allows.
Last time we did this experiment we were struggling with the radiation. This time we might want between shots boronization.
-

Physics Operators Plans
Entered: Jul 7 2005 07:25:12:210AM
Author: Jim Irby
Run Plan for Thursday, July 7, 2005

MP#422 ITB Formation

SL: Kirill Zhurovic

PO: Jim Irby

Run BEGINS @ 09:00 and ENDS @ 17:00

One hour of ECDC in D2 at 2e-4 Torr before the run

Power systems as on 1050701034 --- be ready for 6.5 T operation

A-coil in standard configuration (+Dtop -Dbot -Jtop +Jbot)
C-coil Start=0.3sec, Invert=2.0sec

ICRF in Run-on condition by 8:30 AM

Gas setup:
fill B-top 6psi D2 Hybrid Enabled (PG4)
fill B-side lower 1psi Argon Hybrid DISABLED (PG1)
leave B-side Upper alone Hybrid DISABLED (PG2)
fill B-main 40psi D2 Hybrid Enabled (PG3)

Enable: ECE, VUV, Z-bolo shutter

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2005 05:35:39:913PM
Author: Kirill Zhurovich
In the beginning we tried to reproduce ITBs from 1040310, which were obtained at Bt=6.45T. We were struggling with the machine operation first half of the day. Got some weak ITBs on shots 5,6.
Later Amanda and Steve Wolfe figured out that at this high field RF resonance touched J antenna. We lowered the field to shift the resonance away from the antenna a bit and starting from that point we had a successful run.
Useful shots: 19,20-29
Resultant Bt, Ip scan (numbers as requested by PO):

Bt Ip
6.27 1.0
6.2 0.989
6.1 0.973
6.0 0.957
5.9 0.941
5.8 0.925
5.7 0.909
5.6 0.893
5.5 0.877
5.4 0.861

Both GPC and GPC2 were working covering almost the whole profile for the entire scan. Later in the day RF was quite reliable.
Overall, successful run, scan is completed.
First results show sharp ITB threshold for the field, which is consistent with the data in the past. Today we had nice ITB at 6.3T, weaker for 6.2T, marginal for 6.1T, and no ITB for 6.0T. Analysis of the temperature gradient will follow.


Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2005 05:54:42:617PM
Author: Jim Irby
The object of this run, from the PO point of view, was to get ITBs and
then scan the toroidal field and plasma current at constant q. We
started from a good ITB shot from last year, 1040310012. During this
run D- and E-Port antennas were used to supply about 3 MW of power.
Because of our problem with D-Port, we used E- and J-Port for today's
run. However, running at the same field of 6.45 T used last year put
the 78 MHz ICRF resonance inside of the J-Port antenna (top and
bottom). This error resulted in injections and certainly no ITBs
(problem pointed out to PO by Amanda and Steve Wolfe on shot
18). Reducing the field produced a nice ITB on shot 19.

From shot 19 onward, some very nice h-mode plasmas were produced, and
the field and current scan proceeded well. We had one of the mystery
h-alpha glitches at startup which resulted in a fizzle, but otherwise
the machine ran very well.

We did 20 minutes of boronization before shot 9, but the resonance
location problem caused disruptions that probably quickly negated any
positive effects.

Shot 1 was a TF test at 50 kA since several fuses had been replaced.

Very little tuning of the fields or pressure was required today. For
shot 30 a 15 A change in ef4 brought Bz0 back in line and improved the
late breakdown.


Session Leader Comments
Jul 7 2005 09:23:40:583AM1050707002Kirill ZhurovichMultiple H-modes, one long one, which did not look like EDA
(though there is some indicaion of Qc mode: broad and around 250KHz)
RF trips a lot
No peaking
Jul 7 2005 09:44:08:757AM1050707003Kirill Zhurovich2 H-modes, second long one.
RF trip a lot during second H-mode
Radiation is reasonable.
No peaking
Jul 7 2005 10:04:01:170AM1050707004Kirill Zhurovich2 H-modes, second long one.
RF is 2.5MW, no trips
Looks like weak ITB for ~ 1.35-1.5s
Jul 7 2005 10:17:42:210AM1050707005Kirill Zhurovichmultiple H-modes, last one is longer (more ELM-free)
RF trips a lot during last H-mode
Looks like no peaking
Jul 7 2005 10:29:42:540AM1050707006Kirill Zhurovich2 H-modes, last one is long.
RF trips a lot during last H-mode
But there is an ITB starting at ~ 1.15s
Jul 7 2005 10:56:24:227AM1050707007Kirill ZhurovichDisruption at ~0.75 s (H-mode phase)
Jul 7 2005 11:16:36:947AM1050707008Kirill ZhurovichMultiple H-modes
RF is relatively clean at 2.5MW
Radiation killed all H-modes
Next: boronize for 20min
Jul 7 2005 11:58:17:587AM1050707009Kirill ZhurovichNo plasma as expected
Jul 7 2005 12:10:46:150PM1050707010Kirill ZhurovichDisruption at ~0.77s
Jul 7 2005 12:28:44:727PM1050707011Kirill Zhurovich3 H-modes, again killed by big injections
RF trips
Jul 7 2005 12:43:58:257PM1050707012Kirill ZhurovichFizzle
Jul 7 2005 12:59:43:100PM1050707013Kirill ZhurovichDisruption at ~0.77s
Jul 7 2005 01:11:47:867PM1050707014Kirill Zhurovich4 H-modes
RF is relatively clean at 2.6MW
Radiation is back - injections up to 2MW
Jul 7 2005 01:39:32:353PM1050707015Kirill ZhurovichL-mode
we raised the target density for this shot and apparantly reached H-mode threshold
RF was relatively clean at 2.5MW until ~1.28s
Next: decrease the target desnity a bit
Jul 7 2005 01:54:51:883PM1050707016Kirill Zhurovich2 brief H-modes
RF is relatively clean, but it seems that we are right on the H-mode threshold:
2.5MW --> no H-mode, 2.7MW --> L-H transition
Next:
1)decrease the target density a bit more to get H-mode,
2) decrease Ip to 1MA to make H-mode more EDAish
Jul 7 2005 01:57:55:240PM1050707017Kirill ZhurovichNo plasma
Jul 7 2005 02:20:16:510PM1050707018Kirill ZhurovichL-mode
It turns out that the RF resonance is inside J antenna right now.
Next: decrease Bt to shift the resonance inside the plasma
Jul 7 2005 02:36:17:477PM1050707019Kirill ZhurovichNice ITB starting at ~1.15s
RF is clean at 2.8MW
Bt=6.28T, Ip=1MA
q95=4.6
Next: decrease Bt by 0.2T and current proportionally
Jul 7 2005 02:54:30:570PM1050707020Kirill ZhurovichNo plasma
Next: Bt=6.1T and Ip=0.973MA
Jul 7 2005 03:14:19:790PM1050707021Kirill ZhurovichNice steady H-mode, possibly with weak ITB
RF is steady at 2.8MW
Bt=6.13T, Ip=0.973MA, q95=4.6

Next: Bt=5.9T and Ip=0.941MA
Jul 7 2005 03:37:12:913PM1050707022Kirill Zhurovich2 H-modes, first one is longer
1 RF trip
Bt=5.93T, Ip=0.943MA, q95=4.5

Next: Bt=5.7T and Ip=0.909MA
Jul 7 2005 03:37:00:460PM1050707023Kirill Zhurovichnice long H-mode
2 RF trips at the beginning of H-mode
Bt=5.74T, Ip=0.91MA, q95=4.5

Next: Bt=5.5T and Ip=0.877MA
Jul 7 2005 03:47:14:570PM1050707024Kirill Zhurovichnice long H-mode
1 RF trip, 2.75MW
Bt=5.55T, Ip=0.88MA, q95=4.5

Next: Bt=6.2T, Ip=0.989MA
Jul 7 2005 04:03:46:227PM1050707025Kirill Zhurovichdefinitely an ITB, starting at around 1.12s
RF is clean at 2.75MW
Bt=6.22T, Ip=0.984MA, q95=4.55

Next: Bt=6.0T, Ip=0.957MA
Jul 7 2005 04:16:02:727PM1050707026Kirill Zhurovichnice long H-mode
RF is clean at 2.8MW
Bt=6.02T, Ip=0.955MA, q95=4.5

Next: Bt=5.8T, Ip=0.925MA
Jul 7 2005 04:32:11:477PM1050707027Kirill Zhurovichnice long H-mode
RF is clean at 2.75MW
Bt=5.83T, Ip=0.927MA, q95=4.5

Next: Bt=5.6T, Ip=0.893MA
Jul 7 2005 04:43:47:100PM1050707028Kirill Zhurovichnice long H-mode
RF is clean at 2.8MW
Bt=5.64T, Ip=0.894MA, q95=4.5

Next: Bt=5.4T, Ip=0.861MA
Jul 7 2005 04:58:23:290PM1050707029Kirill Zhurovichnice long H-mode
RF is clean at 2.8MW
Bt=5.45T, Ip=0.862MA, q95=4.5
We completed the scan!

Next: Bt=6.24T, Ip=0.995MA - ITB attempt
Jul 7 2005 05:08:57:353PM1050707030Kirill ZhurovichL-mode
end of run

Physics Operator Comments
Jul 7 2005 09:07:48:540AM1050707001Jim Irbyloaded shot from 1040310012 --- a good ITB shot
zeroed offset in clearin --- also did an unnecessary call
zeroed offset in IP --- did a call

TF current limit at 180 kA so we can get our 6.45 T

loaded seg 1 from 1050705022 into seg 1

prefill set to 16 ms

did a load/clean

both Bt and Ip came up faster in 1040310 than in last week's ITB attempt (1050701)
In 1040310 ICRF was provided by D- and E-Port antennas not J-Port. Last week the ICRF was ramped up rather than banged on. There were also 1/2 cm or more differences in gaps. H/(H+D) was similar as was the radiated power. 1040310 was several run days after a boronization. Radiation was lower during yesterday's run than during the 1040310 run.

Several fuses were replaced in the TF this morning. First shot will be a 50 kA test of the TF supply.

Should have gas

TF looks good to me

Gas pretty low --- will up for next shot



Jul 7 2005 09:30:18:007AM1050707002Jim Irbyprefill from 16 to 18 ms for this shot

plasma into rampdown

startup fields good, but gas looks very low --- almost lost it around 14 ms

bunch of early injections

Bt was low?

Outer gap a little to small for RF guys

radiated power high early
Jul 7 2005 09:48:35:490AM1050707003Jim Irbyrcur reduced from 0.664 to 0.662 m
TF current request to 178.385 kA

prefill from 18 to 19 ms

plasma into rampdown -- several h-modes

startup a little better

outer gap much better

several early injections did us in again


Jul 7 2005 10:04:32:200AM1050707004Jim Irbyrcur from 0.662 to 0.661 m

plasma into rampdown --- multiple h-modes again

injection at 0.77 s did in h-mode

RF power very clean but also a little lower at 2.48 MW
RF group happy with gaps

stored energy is higher with less power than on 1040310012
Jul 7 2005 10:27:30:133AM1050707005Jim IrbyTF current to 179 kA

Target density to 1.2 from 1.1e20 /m^2

plasma into rampdown --- multiple h-modes

got higher target density

still large injections


Jul 7 2005 10:49:19:820AM1050707006Jim Irbyrepeat with a little less power (2.5 MW)

plasma into rampdown --- 2 h-modes, second one extended

weak ITB seen

large injection does in first h-mode

Jul 7 2005 11:01:58:367AM1050707007Jim Irbydelay to setup for between shot boronization --- but will take a couple of more shots before we do it

TF current from 179 to 181 kA

disruption at .748 s, big injection

Bt to 6.46 T, not bad



Jul 7 2005 11:16:29:400AM1050707008Jim Irbyprefill reduced from 19 to 18 ms

plasma into rampdown --- several h-modes

2Pi radiation/injections

John sees moly up
Jul 7 2005 12:03:54:117PM1050707009Jim Irbystopped to do 20 minues of boronization before this shot --- 50/52/103 cm
diborne request 56 mTorr for first 15 minutes then 66 mTorr for last 5 minutes

prefill from 18 to 13 ms

3.5e-6 Torr entering INIT

fizzle --- as expected

CIII signal zeroed again


Jul 7 2005 12:23:19:273PM1050707010Jim Irbyprefill from 13 to 16 ms

disruption at 0.77 s: injection after rf

moly way down at least early in the shot

still see early injections on 2Pi

prad very low early

Jul 7 2005 12:38:34:807PM1050707011Jim Irbyleft prefill at 16 ms

plasma into rampdown --- 2 h-modes

will add a-coils next shot --- may have had locked mode
Jul 7 2005 12:46:10:617PM1050707012Jim Irbya-coils programmed to ramp up to 1000A from .3 to .45 s and then to 2500A from .45 to 1.5 s.

fizzle --- several bounces

fields good --- pressure low


Jul 7 2005 01:03:04:040PM1050707013Jim Irbyprefill from 16 to 18 ms

disruption at 0.77 s again!

next shot we move out of the slot
Jul 7 2005 01:18:27:227PM1050707014Jim IrbyRXL from -0.01 to 0.00

plasma into rampdown, but four h-modes
Jul 7 2005 01:45:48:320PM1050707016Jim Irbydensity request from 1.2 to 1.35e20 /m^2
neon puff from bside-upper from 1.4 to 1.44 s (voltage setting was too low)

plasma into rampdown, but no h-modes (density too high, pressure too high)



Jul 7 2005 01:52:23:040PM1050707016Jim Irbydensity request to 1.2e20/m^2

plasma into rampdown --- very late h-mode


Jul 7 2005 02:09:58:350PM1050707017Jim Irbydensity request to 1.1e20/m^2
Ip request to 1.0 MA

fizzle --- doubling of h-alpha signal at 10 ms as seen yesterday


Jul 7 2005 02:21:45:493PM1050707018Jim Irbyno DCPS changes

l-mode plasma into rampdown

Amanda and Steve Wolfe point out the resonance is at the top of the
j-port antenna
Jul 7 2005 02:51:24:633PM1050707020Jim IrbyTF from 175.4 to 169.7 kA
Didn't drop Ip as asked for by SL

dud ---

Jul 7 2005 03:13:00:163PM1050707021Jim Irbyargon enabled

Bt to 6.1T, 170.913 kA
Ip to 0.973 MA

prefill from 18 to 20 ms

plasma into rampdown --- very nice extended h-mode
Jul 7 2005 03:24:10:867PM1050707022Jim IrbyBt to 5.9 T at 165.3 kA
Ip to 0.941 MA

prefill to 21 ms

plasma into rampdown

two h-modes


Jul 7 2005 03:38:25:383PM1050707023Jim IrbyBt to 5.7 T
Ip to 0.909 MA

plasma into rampdown

nice h-mode
Jul 7 2005 03:47:32:523PM1050707024Jim IrbyBt to 5.5 T
Ip to 0.877 MA

plasma into rampdown

nice long h-mode
Jul 7 2005 04:04:43:757PM1050707025Jim IrbyBt 6.2 T
Ip 0.989 MA

plasma into rampdown

ITB looks good


Jul 7 2005 04:14:06:820PM1050707026Jim Irbyneon puff from 1.0 to 1.040 s (was at 1.4 s)

Bt to 6.0 T
Ip to 0.957 MA

plasma into rampdown


Jul 7 2005 04:33:41:180PM1050707027Jim IrbyBt to 5.8 T
Ip to 0.925 MA

neon at 0.3 s for 40 ms

nice h-mode


Jul 7 2005 04:43:58:257PM1050707028Jim IrbyBt to 5.6 T
Ip to 0.893 MA

plasma into rampdown

good extended h-mode


Jul 7 2005 04:59:36:587PM1050707029Jim IrbyBt to 5.4 T
Ip to 0.861 MA

Added 1 ms to prefill

nice long h-mode
Jul 7 2005 05:21:08:727PM1050707030Jim Irbyef4 to -1325 from -1310 A

Bt to 6.24 T
Ip to 0.995 MA

plasma into rampdown

l-mode?? had rf, current, and field




Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:02:33:350AMTestOkTF 50kA PLC test shot
209:15:10:443AMPlasmaOk
309:36:30:507AMPlasmaOk
409:53:58:813AMPlasmaOk
510:08:48:947AMPlasmaOk
610:23:05:650AMPlasmaOk
710:53:38:680AMPlasmaOk
811:06:29:913AMPlasmaOk
911:55:47:523AMPlasmaOk
1012:08:28:867PMPlasmaOk
1112:22:03:100PMPlasmaOk
1212:39:46:900PMPlasmaOk
1312:52:15:570PMPlasmaOk
1401:05:15:320PMPlasmaOk
1501:27:39:947PMPlasmaOk
1601:40:36:367PMPlasmaOk
1701:55:03:210PMPlasmaOk
1802:08:04:773PMPlasmaOk
1902:23:05:383PMPlasmaOk
2002:42:05:850PMPlasmaOk
2102:58:31:913PMPlasmaOk
2203:16:59:257PMPlasmaOk
2303:29:34:447PMPlasmaOk
2403:42:18:697PMPlasmaOk
2503:54:49:180PMPlasmaOk
2604:08:31:663PMPlasmaOk
2704:27:04:150PMPlasmaOk
2804:39:52:227PMPlasmaOk
2904:52:13:523PMPlasmaOk
3005:05:51:913PMPlasmaOk