Modelling third harmonic ion cyclotron acceleration of deuterium beams for JET fusion product studies experiments

• Published in: Nuclear fusion Vol. 56; no. 11; pp. 112022 - 112037
• Main Authors: Schneider, M., Johnson, T., Dumont, R., Eriksson, J., Eriksson, L.-G., Giacomelli, L., Girardo, J.-B., Hellsten, T., Khilkevitch, E., Kiptily, V.G., Koskela, T., Mantsinen, M., Nocente, M., Salewski, M., Sharapov, S.E., Shevelev, A.E.
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.11.2016
• Subjects: Aplicacions industrials; Enginyeria biomèdica; fast ions; Fusion reactions; gamma spectroscopy; ICRH; integrated modelling; neutron spectroscopy; Plasma (Gasos ionitzats); Plasma dynamics; Plasma heating; synthetic diagnostics; tokamak; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC
• ISSN: 0029-5515; 1741-4326; 1741-4326
• DOI: 10.1088/0029-5515/56/11/112022

Recent JET experiments have been dedicated to the studies of fusion reactions between deuterium (D) and Helium-3 (3He) ions using neutral beam injection (NBI) in synergy with third harmonic ion cyclotron radio-frequency heating (ICRH) of the beam. This scenario generates a fast ion deuterium tail enhancing DD and D3He fusion reactions. Modelling and measuring the fast deuterium tail accurately is essential for quantifying the fusion products. This paper presents the modelling of the D distribution function resulting from the NBI+ICRF heating scheme, reinforced by a comparison with dedicated JET fast ion diagnostics, showing an overall good agreement. Finally, a sawtooth activity for these experiments has been observed and interpreted using SPOT/RFOF simulations in the framework of Porcelli's theoretical model, where NBI+ICRH accelerated ions are found to have a strong stabilizing effect, leading to monster sawteeth.