Abstract.I short revie\\. of some features of the edge plasma in limiter tokamaks is given. The limits of thr simple 1-1) SOL model and the relation betw-een the core plasma arc discussed. MARFE phenomcnir and detached plasma are closely connected with the particle and energy balance of the SOL. Their occurrence is bused on the relation of plasma parameters of the edge plasma to those of the core. Important problems of plasma wall interactions are the detection of the irnpurity sources and sinks and the study of the impurity transport and shielding. The non-uniform character of plasma wall interactions and their dependence on the discharge performance still renders difficult any t hc oreticnl forecast of impurity distribution and transport and calls for better diagnost ic.9.
Irit rodtietionThe torui(la1 tokaniak scheme proved to be most successful to produce high temperature plasmas of hydrogen isotopes reaching conditions close to the ignition of controlled thermonuclear reactions. For purposes of thermal insulation and stabilization of the plasma (plasma confinement) strong magnetic fields are used, which in the case of a tokamak represent a superposition of an externally produced toroidal field and the magnetic field of the discharge current. Additional fields are applied for stabilization and positioning of the discharge colnmn. This field configuration leads to a pronounced anisotropy of transport processes parallel and perpendicular to the resulting magnetic field. Solid limiters or magnetic divertors are used to control the plasma wall contact as well as the lieat. antl pa.rticle r e m o d .The bounclary between the plasnia. column and the edge plasma is determined by the edge of the limiter or the magnetic separatrix. Radially inside t.he boundary the magnetic surfaces are clusecl, radially outside they intersect the solid surface of the limiter or they are carried away from the niain plasiiia onto the t.arget plates of the tlkertor. In the following only the limiter case is considered. Obviously in t,hc so defined boundary or scrape-off layer (SOL) there is a large parallel loss of particles antl energy to the limiters. The length of the field lines (known as the connection length L ) connecting via the plasnia the surfaces of liniiters, probes and other inner structures of the tolamak play an important rule in determining the plasma conditions. It is mainly this contact of the plasma 1vit.h the limiter or the wall which produces the unir-anted impurities. Incompletely stripped impurity ions niay radiate enough energy to degrade the energy confinement. l ) Invited paper given a t the VIII. ESCAJIPlG, Greifswald, GDR, August 1986.