Prediction of high-performance scenario with localized magnetic shear reversal on EAST tokamak

Abstract

Abstract An advanced scenario with high poloidal beta, large-radius internal transport barriers (ITBs) and localized reversed-shear q-profile, has been demonstrated in DIII-D/EAST joint experiments recently on the DIII-D tokamak. This scenario is also one of the future explorations on EAST. In this article, integrated modeling has been utilized to explore the regime with localized reversed-shear q-profile and high performance based on the developed long-pulse scenario on EAST. A scenario with a strong reversed-shear q-profile has been achieved with the combination of 2 MW off-axis ECH, 2.6 MW LHW and 2 MW NBI (H98y2 ∼ 1.35, β P ∼ 2.56, β N ∼ 2.23, f bs ∼ 56 % ). In addition, a small amount (∼0.1 MW) of centrally deposited ECH facilitates the generation of the bootstrap current on or near the axis, and hence reduces the level of the q-profile in this region; thus, a scenario with localized magnetic shear reversal and strong large-radius ITBs is obtained (H98y2 ∼ 1.4, β P ∼ 2.66, β N ∼ 2.31, f bs ∼ 60 % ). Modeling predictions indicate that off-axis ECH/LHW and high plasma density promote the formation of large-radius ITBs. A further increase in the injected power of centrally deposited ECH (0.15 MW) or NBI (4 MW) leads to an increase in the temperature gradient, especially the electron temperature near the axis, and large-radius ITBs disappear in all channels (T e, T i, n e); also, the confinement quality decreases. The bootstrap current density profiles and LHW-driven current profiles tend to peak near the axis due to the increase in electron temperature profiles, which eventually leads to peaked total current profiles, similar to the EAST long-pulse scenario. Changes in magnetic shear result in the disappearance of large-radius ITBs. Modeling validation will be carried out in the near future on the EAST tokamak.