The application of time-delay-estimation techniques to two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations, obtained with beam emission spectroscopy in DIII-D ͓J. L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42, 614 ͑2002͔͒ plasmas, has provided temporally and spatially resolved measurements of the turbulence flow-field. Features that are characteristic of self-generated zonal flows are observed in the radial region 0.85рr/aр1.0. These features include a coherent oscillation ͑approximately 15 kHz͒ in the poloidal flow of density fluctuations that has a long poloidal wavelength, possibly m ϭ0, narrow radial extent (k r I Ͻ0.2), and whose frequency varies monotonically with the local temperature. The approximate effective shearing rate, dv /dr, of the flow is of the same order of magnitude as the measured nonlinear decorrelation rate of the turbulence, and the density fluctuation amplitude is modulated at the frequency of the observed flow oscillation. Some phase coherence is observed between the higher wavenumber density fluctuations and low frequency poloidal flow fluctuations, suggesting a Reynolds stress contribution. These characteristics are consistent with predicted features of zonal flows, specifically identified as geodesic acoustic modes, observed in 3-D Braginskii simulations of core/edge turbulence.

Demonstrating improved confinement of energetic ions is one of the key goals of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator. In the past campaigns, measuring confined fast ions has proven to be challenging. Future deuterium campaigns would open up the option of using fusion-produced neutrons to indirectly observe confined fast ions. There are two neutron populations: 2.45 MeV neutrons from thermonuclear and beam-target fusion, and 14.1 MeV neutrons from DT reactions between tritium fusion products and bulk deuterium. The 14.1 MeV neutron signal can be measured using a scintillating fiber neutron detector, whereas the overall neutron rate is monitored by common radiation safety detectors, for instance fission chambers. The fusion rates are dependent on the slowing-down distribution of the deuterium and tritium ions, which in turn depend on the magnetic configuration via fast ion orbits. In this work, we investigate the effect of magnetic configuration on neutron production rates in W7-X. The neutral beam injection, beam and triton slowing-down distributions, and the fusion reactivity are simulated with the ASCOT suite of codes. The results indicate that the magnetic configuration has only a small effect on the production of 2.45 MeV neutrons from DD fusion and, particularly, on the 14.1 MeV neutron production rates. Despite triton losses of up to 50 %, the amount of 14.1 MeV neutrons produced might be sufficient for a time-resolved detection using a scintillating fiber detector, although only in high-performance discharges.

Time-resolved measurements of the turbulent density flow field in a tokamak plasma reveal low-frequency ( approximately 15 KHz), coherent oscillations in the poloidal flow, v(theta). These flow oscillations have a long poloidal wavelength (m<3) and narrow radial extent (k(r)rho(i) approximately 0.2). The estimated flow-shearing rate is of the same order of magnitude as the turbulence decorrelation rate and may thus regulate the turbulence amplitude. These features are consistent with theoretically predicted axisymmetric, self-regulating, sheared flows recognized as geodesic acoustic modes.

A beam emission spectroscopy system has been installed on DIII-D to provide localized density fluctuation measurements for long-wavelength turbulent modes with kр3 cm Ϫ1 which are typically associated with anomalous radial transport. High signal-to-noise fluctuations measurements are accomplished through use of high speed electronics to maintain a frequency response of over 500 KHz and cryogenically cooled amplifiers and detectors to reduce electronic noise. The optics and neutral beam-sightline geometry have been optimized to allow for spatial resolution of ⌬r р1 cm. In addition, a half-scale two-dimensional ͑2D͒ fiber array to measure the 2D turbulent density field, necessary to measure the full S(k r ,k ) wavenumber spectra, has been implemented and initial results obtained.

Zonal flows, thought crucial to the saturation and self-regulation of turbulence and turbulent transport in magnetically confined plasmas, have been observed and characterized in the edge region of DIII-D plasmas. These flows exhibit temperature scaling characteristics and spatial features predicted for geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs), a class of higher-frequency zonal flows seen in nonlinear simulations of plasma turbulence. The zonal flows (GAMs) have been observed in the turbulence flow-field in the radial region 0.85 r/a 1.0 via application of time-delay-estimation techniques to two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations, obtained with beam emission spectroscopy. Spatial and temporal analysis of the resulting flow-field demonstrates the existence of a coherent oscillation (approximately 15 kHz) in the poloidal flow of density fluctuations that has a long poloidal wavelength, possibly m = 0, narrow radial extent (k r ρ i < 0.2), and a frequency that varies monotonically with the local temperature. The approximate effective shearing rate, dv θ /dr, of the flow is of the same order of magnitude as the measured nonlinear decorrelation rate of the turbulence. These characteristics are consistent with predicted features of zonal flows, specifically identified as GAMs, observed in three-dimensional Braginskii simulations of core/edge turbulence.