Using the MARS-F code (Liu et al 2000 Phys. Plasmas 7 3681), the single fluid resistive MHD plasma response to applied n = 2 resonant magnetic perturbations is computed, for a plasma discharge in the ASDEX-Upgrade tokamak. The computation predicts strong kink amplification, as previously predicted in DIII-D (Haskey et al 2014 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 56 035005), which is strongly dependent on the toroidal phase shift between the upper and lower coils, ϕ Δ ul . In particular, edge localised low n peeling modes with poloidal mode numbers just above pitch resonance-a subset of the kink response-are amplified. The robustness of the amplified peeling response with respect to truncation of the X point is investigated, by recomputing the plasma response for a range of edge geometries. It is found that the computed peeling response, when plotted against the safety factor, is not sensitive to the numerical truncation near the X point. It is also predicted that near the plasma edge where resistivity is large, the pitch aligned components are finite and also strongly dependent on ϕ Δ ul . A previous proposal that the amplified peeling response may indirectly drive the pitch aligned components by spectral proximity (Lanctot et al 2013 Nucl. Fusion 53 083019), is investigated by numerically applying magnetic perturbations of a single poloidal harmonic, as a boundary condition at the plasma edge. It is found that poloidal harmonic coupling causes harmonics to couple to and drive harmonics directly beneath them spectrally, and also that the pitch aligned components can be driven by this mechanism. This suggests that it is quite possible that the amplified low n peeling response can drive the pitch aligned components when it is strongly amplified, which would alter the coil configuration for optimum plasma stochastization, with implications for ELM control by RMPs.

The penetration dynamics of the resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) field is simulated in the full toroidal geometry, under realistic plasma conditions in MAST experiments. The physics associated with several aspects of the RMP penetration-the plasma response and rotational screening, the resonant and non-resonant torques and the toroidal momentum balance-are highlighted. In particular, the plasma response is found to significantly amplify the non-resonant component of the RMP field for some of the MAST plasmas. A fast rotating plasma, in response to static external magnetic fields, experiences a more distributed electromagnetic torque due to the resonance with continuum waves in the plasma. At fast plasma flow (such as for the MAST plasma), the electromagnetic torque is normally dominant over the neoclassical toroidal viscous (NTV) torque. However, at sufficiently slow plasma flow, the NTV torque can play a significant role in the toroidal momentum balance, thanks to the precession drift resonance enhanced, so called superbanana plateau regime.

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The paper presents results on the use of resonant field amplification for experimental probing of stability and β-limits (β is the ratio of the plasma pressure to the magnetic field pressure) in JET. It is found that an externally applied helical magnetic field is strongly enhanced when the plasma exceeds the ideal no-wall stability limit or approaches proximity to other marginally stable (i.e. current-driven) modes. This effect is known as the resonant field amplification (RFA) and was used for the systematic probing of stability in different advanced regimes on JET. The application of this technique on JET is discussed in the paper and the results of the RFA measurements are presented and related to the observed limitations in β.