INVESTIGATION OF RESISTIVE GEODESIC ACOUSTIC MODE IN THE EDGE OF STOR-M TOKAMAK

Abstract

A new resistive Geodesic Acoustic Mode (GAM) theory is developed by two-fluids analysis and resistive gyro-kinetic formulation in this thesis. An analytical expression is obtained for the resistive GAM frequency. This theory suggests a large collision frequency will prohibit the parallel current in tokamak, which establishes the cross-field charge neutrality condition ∇·J⊥= 0 for the existence of GAM at the edge plasma of tokamak. Therefore, the resistive GAM theory provides a more plausible explanation to edge GAM phenomena. Various probe arrays are designed and installed in the STOR-M tokamak to search for the poloidal GAM phenomena. A series of experiments were conducted in the L-mode and RMP discharges. The FFT and wavelet analyses indicate the existence of GAM phenomena in STOR-M, and the observed GAM frequencies match the theoretical predication using the resistive GAM model.