MS Thesis Presentation by Zachary W. Friis
Tuesday, September 6, 2005

(Dr. Weston M. Stacey, Chair)

" An Investigation of MARFE Induced H-L Back Transitions"

Abstract

The common observation that the onset of a core MARFE (edge localized, poloidally asymmetric, highly radiating region) is followed immediately by a High-to-Low confinement mode transition in DIII-D was investigated by comparing a theoretical prediction of the threshold non-radiative power across the separatrix needed to maintain H-mode with an experimental determination of the non-radiative power flowing across the separatrix. It was found that in three shots with continuous gas fueling that the increased neutral influx associated with the MARFE formation caused a sharp increase in the predicted threshold non-radiative power crossing the separatrix that was required for the plasma to remain in H-mode to a value comparable to the experimental power crossing the separatrix, indicating a theoretical prediction of an H-L transition in agreement with experimental observation.