Publications by Antoine Pochelon

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The TCV tokamak (R = 0.88 in, a < 0.25 in, BT < 1.54 T) is equipped with six 0.5 MW gyrotron sources operating at 82.7 GHz for second harmonic X mode ECH. By distributing the ECCD current sources over the discharge cross section, fully driven stationary plasmas with I-p = 210 kA, n(e0) = 2 x 10(19) m(-3), T-e0 approximate to 4 keV, were obtained for the full discharge duration of 2 s. Highly peaked electron temperature profiles with T-e0 up to 12 keV were obtained in central counter-current drive scenarios

The operating space of the TCV tokamak has been extended to higher elongation, kappa = 2.8, and higher normalized current, I-N = I-p/aB = 3.6MA/mT, than were previously attainable. This has been achieved by optimizing the parameters of the vertical position control system and by optimizing the plasma shape. Experimental current and beta limits were found to be consistent with ideal MHD stability calculations, using measured plasma shapes and profiles. The sawtooth period was measured as a function of elonga

The TCV tokamak (B-T < 1.5 T, R approximate to 0.88 m, a < 0.25 m) has produced a wide variety of plasma configurations, both diverted and limited, with elongations kappa(a), ranging from 0.9 to 2.58, triangularities delta(a) from -0.7 to 1 as well as discharges with nearly rectangular cross sections. Plasma currents of 1 MA have been obtained in elongated discharges (kappa(a) approximate to 2.3). Ohmic discharges with delta(a) < 0 have smaller sawteeth and higher levels of MHD mode activity than plasmas wi

A small component of ECCD exists when heating off-axis with no toroidal injection due to the field helicity. The sign of the ECCD will change depending on the absorption location in a poloidal plane, the beam injection relative to delB(vac), and the direction of the toroidal magnetic field. The importance of the ECCD component can be confirmed by the behavior of the sawteeth when the ECH deposition crosses the q=1 surface. The sawtooth period is very sensitive to the local shear at q=1 and it is shown that

In the first results of electron Bernstein wave heating (EBWH) via O-X-B double mode conversion in a medium aspect ratio tokamak performed in TCV, the total power absorption efficiency was typically 60% and the deposition was made off-axis to avoid the central sawteeth perturbation that would prevent a clear detection of the deposition location. Central power deposition is however needed to maximize the global EBWH effects. Therefore, initial experiments have been started to optimize central deposition usin

Starting from a standard single null X-point configuration, a second order null divertor (snowflake (SF)) has been successfully created on the Tokamak à Configuration Variable (TCV) tokamak. The magnetic properties of this innovative configuration have bee ...

Electron heat transport experiments are performed in L-mode discharges at various plasma triangularities, using radially localized electron cyclotron heating to vary independently both the electron temperature T-e and the normalized electron temperature gr ...

In the TCV tokamak the sawtooth period and the sawtooth amplitude are observed to depend strongly on the shape of the poloidal plasma cross section. Systematic scans of plasma elongation and triangularity show small sawteeth with short periods at high elongation or low and negative triangularity, and large sawteeth with long periods at low elongation or high triangularity. Additional central electron cyclotron heating power further amplifies the shape dependence of the sawtooth properties. The sawtooth peri

The linear relativistic theory of electron cyclotron wave propagation predicts partial absorption of the extraordinary mode at the third electron cyclotron harmonic for typical parameters of present day tokamak plasmas. Since the waves are not totally damped, a quantitative confirmation of such predictions is important to establish this particular resonance scheme firmly for plasma heating and current drive. Specific experiments have been performed on Tore Supra, to measure the optical thickness of the thir

During the first two years of operation, the TCV tokamak has produced a large variety of plasma shapes and magnetic configurations, with 1.0 less than or equal to B-tor less than or equal to 1.46T, I-p less than or equal to 800kA, kappa less than or equal to 2.05, -0.7 less than or equal to delta less than or equal to 1. A new shape control algorithm, based on a finite element reconstruction of the plasma current in real time, has been implemented. Vertical growth rates up to 1000 s(-1) have been stabilized

Precise control of the shape and position of double-null divertor configurations in the TCV tokamak has been used to trigger reliably the transition from ELM-free to ELMy ohmic H mode and back. Preprogrammed modulation of the magnetic axis height (+/- 1.25 cm), with fixed shaping field, caused the plasma to evolve, during a single discharge, between double-null-upper, double-null and double-null-lower configurations, with the secondary X point remaining close to the separatrix. The transition from ELM-free

The impact of plasma shaping on electron heat transport is investigated in TCV L-mode plasmas. The study is motivated by the observation of an increase in the energy confinement time with decreasing plasma triangularity which may not be explained by a chan ...

Turbulence and transport reduction with innovative plasma shapes in TCV -- correlation ECE measurement and gyrokinetic simulations Due to turbulence, core energy transport in tokamaks generally exceeds collisional transport by at least an order of magnitude. It is therefore crucial to understand the instabilities driving the turbulent state and to find ways to control them. Shaping the plasma is one of these fundamental tools. In low collisionality plasmas, such as in a reactor, changing triangularity from

Within the range of plasma shapes and plasma currents investigated, the electron confinement time, Tau_E increases with density, elongation and negative triangularity (-0.4

A steady-state, fully noninductive plasma current has been sustained for the first time in a tokamak using electron cyclotron current drive only. In this discharge, 123 kA of current have been sustained for the entire gyrotron pulse duration of 2 s. Careful distribution across the plasma miner radius of the power deposited from three 0.5-MW gyrotrons was essential for reaching steady-state conditions. With central current drive, up to 153 kA of current have been fully replaced transiently for 100 ms. The no

Stability limits of highly elongated, D-shaped plasmas have been measured in the TCV (tokamak a configuration variable) tokamak. It is found that the plasma current is limited by kink-type disruptions, preceded by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) mode activity. The mode structure has been analyzed using magnetic fluctuation and soft x-ray diagnostics. Mode numbers, growth rates, and experimental stability limits are consistent with ideal and resistive MHD models, based on measured plasma shapes and profiles. These

Modulation of the amplitude of externally injected electron cyclotron (EC) power is a frequent method used to determine the radial power deposition profile in fusion plasmas. There are many tools to analyze the plasma response to the power modulations unde ...

Clear evidence is reported for the first time of a rapid localized reduction of core electron energy diffusivity during the formation of an electron internal-transport barrier. The transition occurs rapidly (similar or equal to3 ms), during a slow (similar or equal to200 ms) self-inductive evolution of the magnetic shear. This crucial observation, and the correlation of the transition with the time and location of the magnetic shear reversal, lend support to models attributing the reduced transport to the l

Density limit disruptions have been studied during the current flat-top of TCA. Disruption occurs at two different densities, depending on discharge programming. The highest densities are achieved by a strong influx of neutral gas called 'hard gas puffing'. This allows the plasma density to cross a range which is otherwise unstable and to reach a second region of stability with high internal inductance. When disruption occurs after hard gas puffing, the internal inductance decreases in time, in contrast to

The Tokamak Configuration Variable (TCV) tokamak (R = 0.88 m, a < 0.25 m, B < 1.54 T) programme is based on flexible plasma shaping and heating for studies of confinement, transport, control and power exhaust. Recent advances in fully sustained off-axis electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) scenarios have allowed the creation of plasmas with high bootstrap fraction, steady-state reversed central shear and an electron internal transport barrier. High elongation plasmas, kappa = 2.5, are produced at low nor

Antoine Pochelon

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Overview of TCV results

Stability and energy confinement of highly elongated plasmas in TCV

Effect of plasma shape on confinement and MHD behaviour in TCV

Poloidally asymmetric plasma response with ECH deposition near q=1 in TCV

Electron Bernstein Wave Core Deposition via O-X-B Double Mode Conversion in TCV

Snowflake Divertor Plasmas on TCV

Electron heat transport in shaped TCV L-mode plasmas

Effect of triangular and elongated plasma shape on the sawtooth stability

Measurement of the optical depth at the third electron cyclotron harmonic in tore supra

Recent Results from the Tcv Tokamak

Elm Control During Double-Null Ohmic H Modes in Tcv

Impact of plasma triangularity and collisionality on electron heat transport in TCV L-mode plasmas

Turbulence and transport reduction with innovative plasma shapes in TCV - correlation ECE measurements and gyrokinetic simulations

Preliminary Confinement Studies during ECRH in TCV

Steady-state fully noninductive current driven by electron cyclotron waves in a magnetically confined plasma

Experimental and theoretical stability limits of highly elongated tokamak plasmas

Multiple EC power deposition locations tracking by break-in-slope analysis in TCV plasmas

Rapid and localized electron internal-transport-barrier formation during shear inversion in fully noninductive TCV discharges

Density Limits and Disruptions in the Tca Tokamak

An overview of results from the TCV tokamak