Sawtooth oscillation in current-carrying plasma in the large helical device

Phys Rev Lett. 2003 May 23;90(20):205001. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.205001. Epub 2003 May 20.

Abstract

Sawtooth oscillations have been observed in current-carrying helical plasmas by using electron-cyclotron-emission diagnostics in the Large Helical Device. The plasma current, which is driven by neutral beam injection, reduces the beta threshold of the sawtooth oscillation. When the central q value is increased due to the plasma current, the core region crashes, and, when it is decreased, the edge region crashes annularly. Observed rapid mixture of the plasma in the limited region suggests that these sawtooth crashes are reconnection phenomena. Unlike previous experiments, no precursor oscillation has been observed.