Spatial and temporal analysis of DIII-D 3D magnetic diagnostic data.

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Fusion Energy Research
• Magnetic Confinement Fusion

Background:

• Tokamak devices require precise measurements of plasma behavior.
• Understanding non-axisymmetric (3D) magnetic field structures is crucial for plasma stability.
• Previous methods had limitations in resolving small-amplitude 3D magnetic field features.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the hardware and software techniques for measuring 3D magnetic features in DIII-D tokamak plasmas.
• To enable the estimation of spatial structures from discrete magnetic diagnostic signals.
• To support applications in detecting MHD instabilities, plasma control, and model validation.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing an extensive set of magnetic diagnostics on the DIII-D tokamak.
• Implementing signal conditioning techniques for individual magnetic sensor data.
• Developing analysis methods to reconstruct 3D plasma structures from discrete measurements.

Main Results:

• Successfully measured non-axisymmetric 3D plasma features with amplitudes down to 10^-5 of the total magnetic field.
• Demonstrated the capability to estimate the spatial structure of these features.
• Established a foundation for applying these measurements to critical areas of fusion research.

Conclusions:

• The developed techniques provide essential tools for characterizing 3D magnetic phenomena in tokamaks.
• These measurements are vital for advancing the understanding and control of fusion plasmas.
• The methods contribute to validating theoretical models of plasma behavior and stability.