Case XGC-222: Use of MMM95 modules is delayed by 1000 time steps

In order to give time for the radial electric field to develop, the use of MMM95 module through the FMCFM interface is delayed by 1000 time steps. Particle and thermal diffusivities from tbl namelist were used during the first 1000 time steps.

There are relatively small changes for the plasma density profile; electron temperature profile looks more realist.

Overall summary: There is insufficient flow shear stabilization for the particle transport in the inner pedestal region. The next thing to try is the updated sheath potential and radiation models provided by Gunyoung Park.


New DIII-D eqdsk files are provided by Rich Groebner

Four equilibria that represent plasma current scan has been provided by Rich Groebner. The readme file that came with the eqdsk files describes these discharges as follows

Jan 22, 2010

 This directory contains DIII-D eqdsks from and experiment performed
 March 4, 2008.  This experiment had discharges which covered a range of
 plasma currents, toroidal fields and plasma triangularities.  The following
 discharges were part of a four point current scan (0.5-1.5 MA) at a constant
 toroidal magnetic field (2.1T) and at a constant shape (average triangularity
 0.55). These discharges were run at an approximately constant normalized
 toroidal beta (beta_n ~ 2.1-2.4). The pedestal temperature and density were
 not constant in the scan.

 The list of shots and currents for the eqdsks in this directory.  These are
 the eqdsks that were used for the ONETWO analysis as part of the profiles.py
 analysis, used to generate beam pressure profiles in the analysis. The
 g-eqdsks are from: /u/groebner/analysis/exps/2008/theory_test/python4.
 The a-eqdsks were obtained from mdsplus with the writea.pro IDL procedure.
 These eqdsks were earh run at the time of a specific Thomson laser pulse.
 The fitting model used for the eqdsks allows for a finite edge current,
 but the current density and pressure profiles should not be taken as anywhere
 close to the experimental values.  These eqdsks were used for purposes of
 mapping experimental data on magnetic flux coordinates.

 shot #       Ip (MA)       EFIT runid     EFIT time

 132016       1.50            EFIT04         3023
 132014       1.17            EFIT04         3023
 132017       0.85            EFIT04         2998
 132018       0.51            EFIT04         1948

 Results from this experiment have been discussed in"

 Snyder et al., Phys of Plasmas 16 (2008) 056118
 Groebner et al., NF 49 (2009) 085037

The discharges are analyzed with the TEQ equilibrium solver in the Caltrans code. Results of the analysis are to be published on the DIII-D analysis webpage. The TEQ code shows relatively high residuals for the GS solution in the near separatrix region. These discrepancies between the EFIT and TEQ solutions need to be addressed in future.


Simulations with strongly reduced particle anomalous transport (case XGC-220)

Simulation with strongly reduced particle anomlous transport show expected slow evolution of plasma density profiles in the pedestal region (case XGC-220). There is still significant increase of the electron temperature in the SOL region.

Summary: There might be different ExB flow shear effects for the particle and thermal transport


Expression for the ExB flow shear rate is improved in the XGC-0 code

The ExB flow shear rate has been implemented as simple derivative of the radial electric field with respect to minor radius:

omega_{rm ExB}equivfrac{partial E_r}{partial r}.

New implementation is according to Ref. [T.S. Hahm and K.H. Burrell Phys. Plasmas 2, 1648 (1995)]:

omega_{rm ExB}equiv left|frac{R B_theta}{B_phi}frac{partial}{partial r} left(frac{E_r}{R B_theta}right)right|,

where B_theta and B_phi are the poloidal and toroidal components of the magnetic field.