Detection of Zero-Mean-Frequency Zonal Flows in the Core of a High-Temperature Tokamak Plasma

Abstract

A low-frequency, spectrally broad (Deltaf approximately 10 kHz) poloidal flow structure that peaks near zero frequency is observed in time-resolved measurements of the turbulence velocity field in the core region (r/a approximately 0.6-0.9) of DIII-D tokamak plasmas. These flows exhibit a long poloidal wavelength (low m) and a short radial coherence length comparable to the ambient turbulence decorrelation length. Characteristics of these observed poloidal flows are consistent with the theoretically predicted residual or zero-mean-frequency zonal flows.