Observation of zero current density in the core of JET discharges with lower hybrid heating and current drive

• Simultaneous current ramping and application of lower hybrid heating and current drive (LHCD) have produced a region with zero current density within measurement errors in the core (r/a less than or equal to 0.2) of JET tokamak optimized shear discharges. The reduction of core current density is consistent with a simple physical explanation and numerical simulations of radial current diffusion including the effects of LHCD. However, the core current density is clamped at zero, indicating the existence of a physical mechanism which prevents it from becoming negative.

Keyword

reversed magnetic shear

confinement

transport

tokamaks

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)