Previous experiments on MAST and other tokamaks have indicated that the level of fast ion redistribution can exceed that expected from classical diffusion and that this level increases with beam power. In this paper we present a quantification of this effect in MAST plasmas using a recently commissioned scanning neutron camera. The observed fast ion diffusivity correlates with the amplitude of n=1 energetic particle modes, indicating that they are the probable cause of the non-classical fast ion diffusion in MAST. Finally, it will be shown that broadening the fast ion pressure profile by the application of neutral beam injection at an off-axis location can mitigate the growth of these modes and result in the classical fast ion behaviour.
Energetic ions are found to be transported strongly from the core of MAST hybrid-like plasmas during long-lived mode (LLM) magnetohydrodynamic activity. The resulting impact on the neutral beam ion deposition and concurrent current drive is modelled using the guiding-centre approximation in the internal kinked magnetic topology. General coordinate guiding-centre equations are extended for this purpose. It is found that the kinked core spirals around the position of strongest ionization, which remains geometrically centred, so that a large fraction of the population is deposited in the high shear external region where the plasma is almost axisymmetric. Those particles ionized in the low shear region exhibit exotic drift motion due to the strongly non-axisymmetric equilibrium, periodically passing near the magnetic axis and then reflected by the boundary of the kinked equilibrium, which in this respect acts as a confining pinch. Broad agreement is found against experimental measurement of fast ion particle confinement degradation as the MAST LLM amplitude varies.
Preliminary measurements of neutron emissivity at the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) along collimated lines-of-sight show a clear correlation between the neutron emissivity temporal and spatial evolution and the evolution of different MHD instabilities. In particular, the variations in neutron emissivity during sawtooth oscillations are compared with changes in the classical fast ion slowing-down time, while fast ion losses are observed in bursts during fishbones or as a continuous process during long-lived modes.
The determination of the fuel ion ratio n(t)/n(d) in ITER is required at a precision of 20%, time resolution of 100 ms, spatial resolution of a/10, and over a range of 0.016 keV and for n(T)/n(D)<0.6. A crucial issue is the signal-to-background situation in the measurement of the weak 2.5 MeV emission from DD reactions in the presence of a background of scattered 14 MeV DT neutrons. Important experimental input and corroboration for this assessment are presented from the time-of-flight neutron spectrometer at JET where the presence of a strong component of backscattered neutrons is observed. Neutron emission components on ITER due to beam-thermal and tritium-tritium reactions can further enhance the prospects for NES.
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