Scaling and transport analysis of divertor conditions on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak

Abstract

Detailed measurements and transport analysis of divertor conditions in Alcator C-Mod [Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] are presented for a range of line-averaged densities, 0.7<n̄e<2.2×1020 m−3. Three parallel heat transport regimes are evident in the scrape-off layer: sheath-limited conduction, high-recycling divertor, and detached divertor, which can coexist in the same discharge. Local cross-field pressure gradients are found to scale simply with a local electron temperature. This scaling is consistent with classical electron parallel conduction being balanced by anomalous cross-field transport (χ⊥∼0.2 m2 s−1) proportional to the local pressure gradient. A 60%–80% of divertor power is radiated in attached discharges, approaching 100% in detached discharges. Detachment occurs when the heat flux to the plate is low and the plasma pressure is high (Te∼5 eV). High neutral pressures in the divertor are nearly always present (1–20 mTorr), sufficient to remove parallel momentum via ion–neutral collisions.