Stationary Zonal Flows during the Formation of the Edge Transport Barrier in the JET Tokamak

Phys Rev Lett. 2016 Feb 12;116(6):065002. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.065002. Epub 2016 Feb 10.

Abstract

High spatial resolution Doppler backscattering measurements in JET have enabled new insights into the development of the edge Er. We observe fine-scale spatial structures in the edge Er well with a wave number krρi≈0.4-0.8, consistent with stationary zonal flows, the characteristics of which vary with density. The zonal flow amplitude and wavelength both decrease with local collisionality, such that the zonal flow E×B shear increases. Above the minimum of the L-H transition power threshold dependence on density, the zonal flows are present during L mode and disappear following the H-mode transition, while below the minimum they are reduced below measurable amplitude during L mode, before the L-H transition.