First evidence of Alfven wave activity in KSTAR plasmas

TL;DR

This paper presents the first evidence of Alfven wave activity in KSTAR plasmas, identifying a beta-induced Alfven eigenmode resonant with the q=1 surface, supported by experimental data and MHD modeling.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental detection and analysis of Alfven eigenmodes in KSTAR, combining kinetic analysis, temperature measurements, and MHD modeling to understand mode stability.

Findings

Detection of 40 kHz magnetic fluctuations with n=1

Mode consistent with beta-induced Alfven eigenmode

Threshold analysis suggests instability driven by energetic ions

Abstract

We report on first evidence of wave activity during neutral beam heating in KSTAR plasmas: 40 kHz magnetic fluctuations with a toroidal mode number of n=1. Our analysis suggests this a beta-induced Alfven eigenmode resonant with the q=1 surface. A kinetic analysis, when coupled with electron temperature measurements from electron cyclotron emission and ion/electron temperature ratios from crystallography, enables calculation of the frequency evolution, which is in agreement with observations. Complementary detailed MHD modelling of the magnetic configuration and wave modes supports the BAE mode conclusion, by locating an n=1 mode separated from the continuum in the core region. Finally, we have computed the threshold to marginal stability for a range of ion temperature profiles. These suggest the BAE can be driven unstable by energetic ions when the ion temperature radial gradient is sufficiently large. Our findings suggest that mode existence could be used as a form of inference for temperature profile consistency in the radial interval of the mode, thereby extending the tools of MHD spectroscopy.