Jena 2013 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik

P 19: Poster: Theorie und Modellierung

P 19.15: Poster

Donnerstag, 28. Februar 2013, 14:00–16:00, Poster EG

Nonlinear Evolution of the Mode Structure of ELMs in Realistic ASDEX Upgrade Geometry — •Isabel Krebs, Matthias Hölzl, Karl Lackner, Sibylle Günter, and The ASDEX Upgrade Team — Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmannstr. 2, Garching, Germany

Edge-localized modes (ELMs) are edge instabilities in H-mode plasmas, which eject particles and energy. The suitability of the H-mode for future fusion reactors depends crucially on the exact ELM dynamics as they can damage plasma facing components if too large.

We have simulated ELMs in ASDEX Upgrade geometry using the nonlinear MHD code JOREK. Emphasis was put on the mode structure evolution in the early ELM phase which is characterized by the exponential growth of the unstable toroidal Fourier harmonics followed by a phase of saturation. In the linear phase, toroidal harmonics grow independently, whereas at larger amplitudes, the nonlinear interaction between the toroidal harmonics influences their growth and structure.

Prior to mode saturation, the evolution of the mode structure can be reproduced well by a simple quadratic mode-interaction model, which yields a possible explanation for the strong n=1 component of type-I ELMs observed in ASDEX Upgrade. In the linear phase of the simulations, intermediate toroidal mode numbers (n~6-14) are most unstable as predicted by the peeling-ballooning model. But non-linearly, the n=1 component becomes important due to an energy transfer from pairs of linearly dominant toroidal harmonics with neighboring mode numbers to the n=1. The latter thereby changes its spatial structure.