Use of Cherenkov-type detectors for measurements of runaway electrons in the ISTTOK tokamak

Abstract

Gas, fluid, or solid Cherenkov-type detectors have been widely used in high-energy physics for determination of parameters of charged particles, which are moving with relativistic velocities. This paper presents experimental results on the detection of runaway electrons using Cherenkov-type detectors in the ISTTOK tokamak discharges. Such detectors have been specially designed for measurements of energetic electrons in tokamak plasma. The technique based on the use of the Cherenkov-type detectors has enabled the detection of energetic electrons (energies higher than 80 keV) and determination of their spatial and temporal parameters in the ISTTOK discharges. Obtained experimental data were found in adequate agreement to the results of numerical modeling of the runaway electron generation in ISTTOK.