Observation of magnetic islands in tokamak plasmas during the suppression of edge-localized modes
Journal article, 2024
In tokamaks, a leading platform for fusion energy, periodic filamentary plasma eruptions known as edge-localized modes occur in plasmas with high-energy confinement and steep pressure profiles at the plasma edge. These edge-localized modes could damage the tokamak wall but can be suppressed using small three-dimensional magnetic perturbations. Here we demonstrate that these magnetic perturbations can change the magnetic topology just inside the steep gradient region of the plasma edge. We identify signatures of a magnetic island, and their observation is linked to the suppression of edge-localized modes. We compare high-resolution measurements of perturbed magnetic surfaces with predictions from ideal magnetohydrodynamic theory where the magnetic topology is preserved. Although ideal magnetohydrodynamics adequately describes the measurements in plasmas exhibiting edge-localized modes, it proves insufficient for plasmas where these modes are suppressed. Nonlinear resistive magnetohydrodynamic modelling supports this observation. Our study experimentally confirms the predicted role of magnetic islands in inhibiting the occurrence of edge-localized modes. This will be beneficial for physics-based predictions in future fusion devices to control these modes.
Author
M. Willensdorfer
Max Planck Society
V. Mitterauer
Max Planck Society
M. Hoelzl
Max Planck Society
Wolfgang Suttrop
Max Planck Society
M. Cianciosa
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
M. Dunne
Max Planck Society
R. Fischer
Max Planck Society
N. Leuthold
Columbia University
J. Puchmayr
Max Planck Society
Oleg Samoylov
Max Planck Society
G. Suarez Lopez
ITER Organization
D. Wendler
Max Planck Society
S. Zoletnik
Centre for Energy Research
H. Zohm
Max Planck Society
A. Zito
Max Planck Society
B. Zimmermann
Max Planck Society
M. Zilker
Max Planck Society
W. Zholobenko
Max Planck Society
W. Zhang
Chinese Academy of Sciences
T. Zehetbauer
Max Planck Society
I. Zammuto
Max Planck Society
R. Zagórski
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
Q. Yu
Max Planck Society
C. Yoo
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Q. Yang
Chinese Academy of Sciences
E. Wolfrum
Max Planck Society
R C Wolf
Max Planck Society
M. Wischmeier
Max Planck Society
B. Wiringer
Max Planck Society
M. Willensdorfer
Max Planck Society
A.E. White
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
D. Wendler
Max Planck Society
M. Weiland
Max Planck Society
X. Wang
Max Planck Society
D. Wagner
Max Planck Society
U. Von Toussaint
Max Planck Society
I. Voitsekhovitch
Culham Science Centre
G. Vogel
Max Planck Society
E. Viezzer
University of Seville
T. Vierle
Max Planck Society
J. Vicente
Instituto Superior Tecnico
N. Vianello
Consorzio Rfx
Geert Verdoolaege
Royal Military Academy
T. Verdier
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
S. Varoutis
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
P. Varela
Instituto Superior Tecnico
B. Vanovac
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
F. Vannini
Max Planck Society
S. Vanmulders
ITER Organization
M.A. Van Zeeland
General Atomics
Martin Valovic
Culham Science Centre
M. Valisa
Consorzio Rfx
M. Usoltseva
Max Planck Society
G. Urbanczyk
Max Planck Society
P. Ulbl
Max Planck Society
M. Tripský
Royal Military Academy
G.L. Trevisan
Consorzio Rfx
W. Treutterer
Max Planck Society
Daniel Told
Max Planck Society
W. Tierens
Max Planck Society
E. Thorén
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
M. Teschke
Max Planck Society
D. Terranova
Consorzio Rfx
M. Tardocchi
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
G. Tardini
Max Planck Society
T. Tala
Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
B. Tál
Max Planck Society
T. Szepesi
Centre for Energy Research
W. Suttrop
Max Planck Society
G. Suarez Lopez
ITER Organization
E. Strumberger
Max Planck Society
U. Stroth
Max Planck Society
J. Stober
Max Planck Society
D. Stieglitz
Max Planck Society
M. Stejner
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
A. Stegmeir
Max Planck Society
M. Spolaore
Consorzio Rfx
G. Spizzo
Consorzio Rfx
M. Spacek
Max Planck Society
C. Sozzi
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
C. Sommariva
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
E. R. Solano
Laboratorio Nacional de Fusion
A. Snicker
Aalto University
S. Sipila
Aalto University
J. Simpson
Culham Science Centre
D. Silvagni
Max Planck Society
Carlos Silva
Instituto Superior Tecnico
A. Silva
Instituto Superior Tecnico
A. Sigalov
Max Planck Society
B. Sieglin
Max Planck Society
M. Siccinio
Max Planck Society
G. Sias
University of Cagliari
A. Shevelev
Russian Academy of Sciences
U. Sheikh
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
S. E. Sharapov
Culham Science Centre
A. Shalpegin
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Shabbir
Ghent university
E. Seliunin
Instituto Superior Tecnico
O. Seibold-Benjak
Max Planck Society
F. Sciortino
Max Planck Society
Josef Schweinzer
Max Planck Society
T. Schwarz-Selinger
Max Planck Society
C. Schuster
Max Planck Society
M. Schubert
Max Planck Society
R. Schrittwieser
University of Innsbruck
P.A. Schneider
Max Planck Society
O. Schmitz
University of Wisconsin Madison
K. Schmid
Max Planck Society
J. Scholte
Eindhoven University of Technology
A. Schlüter
Max Planck Society
G. Schall
Max Planck Society
O. Sauter
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
J. Santos
Instituto Superior Tecnico
L. Sanchis-Sanchez
University of Seville
O. Samoylov
Max Planck Society
A. Salmi
Aalto University
M. Salewski
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
S. Saarelma
Culham Science Centre
F. Ryter
Max Planck Society
D. Ryan
Culham Science Centre
M. Rubel
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
M. Rott
Max Planck Society
G. Ronchi
Eindhoven University of Technology
V. Rohde
Max Planck Society
P. Rodriguez-Fernandez
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
G. Rocchi
ENEA
J.F. Rivero-Rodriguez
University of Seville
J. Riesch
Max Planck Society
R. Riedl
Max Planck Society
D. Ricci
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
T. Ribeiro
Max Planck Society
B. Rettino
Max Planck Society
D. Reiter
Forschungszentrum Jülich
M. Reisner
Max Planck Society
D. Reiser
Forschungszentrum Jülich
F. Reimold
Max Planck Society
M. Reich
Max Planck Society
D. Refy
Centre for Energy Research
A. Redl
Tuscia University
G. Raupp
Max Planck Society
S. Ratynskaia
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
G.A. Rattá
Laboratorio Nacional de Fusion
J. Rasmussen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
M. Ramisch
University of Stuttgart
L. Radovanovic
Vienna University of Technology
T. Pütterich
Max Planck Society
J. Puchmayr
Max Planck Society
L. Porte
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
E. Poli
Max Planck Society
G. Pokol
Centre for Energy Research
V V Plyusnin
Instituto Superior Tecnico
B. Plöckl
Max Planck Society
B. Plaum
University of Stuttgart
U. Plank
Max Planck Society
C. Piron
Consorzio Rfx
P. Petersson
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
E. Peluso
University of Rome
M. Peglau
Max Planck Society
C. Paz-Soldan
Columbia University
G Pautasso
Max Planck Society
A. Pau
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
I. Paradela Perez
Aalto University
Gergely Papp
Max Planck Society
O. Pan
Max Planck Society
P. Oyola
University of Seville
J. Olsen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
R. Ochoukov
Max Planck Society
S. Nowak
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
I. Novikau
Max Planck Society
M. Nocente
University of Milano-Bicocca
T. Nishizawa
Max Planck Society
S. K. Nielsen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
A.H. Nielsen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
R. Neu
Max Planck Society
R.D. Nem
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
R. Nazikian
Princeton University
V Naulin
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
F. Nabais
Instituto Superior Tecnico
M. Muraca
Max Planck Society
P.A. Molina Cabrera
Max Planck Society
D. Milanesio
Polytechnic University of Turin
M. Michelini
Max Planck Society
H.F. Meyer
Culham Science Centre
A. Merle
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
R. Merkel
Max Planck Society
R. McDermott
Max Planck Society
P. McCarthy
University College Cork
M.L. Mayoral
Culham Science Centre
M. Mayer
Max Planck Society
F. Matos
Max Planck Society
P. Martin
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L. Marrelli
Consorzio Rfx
M. Markl
Vienna University of Technology
C. Marchetto
Polytechnic University of Turin
Mark Maraschek
Max Planck Society
P. Manz
University of Greifswald
M. Mantsinen
Centro Nacional de Supercomputacion
P. Mantica
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
A. Manhard
Max Planck Society
Andrea Mancini
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
V. Maquet
Royal Military Academy
E. Maljaars
Eindhoven University of Technology
O. Maj
Max Planck Society
R. Maingi
Princeton University
J. Mailloux
Culham Science Centre
H. Maier
Max Planck Society
A. Magnanimo
Max Planck Society
J. Madsen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
T. Maceina
Max Planck Society
A Lyssoivan
Royal Military Academy
T. Lunt
Max Planck Society
N.C. Luhmann
University of California
T. Luda Di Cortemiglia
Max Planck Society
Z. Lu
Max Planck Society
Yueqiang Liu
General Atomics
B. Lipschultz
University of York
O. Linder
Max Planck Society
J. Likonen
Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
Li Li
Forschungszentrum Jülich
N. Leuthold
Columbia University
E. Lerche
Max Planck Society
M Lehnen
ITER Organization
Ph Lauber
Max Planck Society
P.T. Lang
Max Planck Society
P. Lainer
Vienna University of Technology
A. Lahtinen
Aalto University
F. Laggner
Princeton University
K. Lackner
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B. Labit
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
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Max Planck Society
Taina Kurki-Suonio
Aalto University
D. Kulla
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O. Kudlacek
Max Planck Society
K. Krieger
Max Planck Society
A. Kreuzeder
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M. Krause
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M. Kong
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
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F. Klossek
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V. Klevarova
Ghent university
S. Kjer Hansen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
A. Kirk
Culham Science Centre
M. Kircher
Max Planck Society
E. Khilkevitch
Russian Academy of Sciences
W. Kernbichler
Vienna University of Technology
A. Kendl
University of Innsbruck
Y. Kazakov
Royal Military Academy
S. Kasilov
Technische Universität Graz
C.-P. Kasemann
Max Planck Society
J. Karhunen
Aalto University
A. Kappatou
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M. Kantor
Eindhoven University of Technology
J. Kalis
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A. Kallenbach
Max Planck Society
E. Joffrin
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
T. Jensen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Frank Jenko
Max Planck Society
F. Jaulmes
Czech Academy of Sciences
A. Jansen Van Vuuren
University of Seville
F. Janky
Max Planck Society
N. Jaksic
Max Planck Society
W. Jacob
Max Planck Society
S. Jachmich
ITER Organization
I. Ivanova-Stanik
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
C. Ionita Schrittwieser
University of Innsbruck
Klara Insulander Björk
Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic, High Energy and Plasma Physics
J. Illerhaus
Max Planck Society
M. Iliasova
Russian Academy of Sciences
V. Igochine
Max Planck Society
K. Hunger
Max Planck Society
A. Huber
Forschungszentrum Jülich
A. Hubbard
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
A. Houben
Institut Jean Lamour
T. Höschen
Max Planck Society
L. Horváth
University of York
C. Hopf
Max Planck Society
M. Hölzl
Max Planck Society
J.H. Holm
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
K. Höfler
Max Planck Society
J. Hobirk
Max Planck Society
F. Hitzler
Technical University of Munich
E. Heyn
Technische Universität Graz
A. Herrmann
Max Planck Society
S. Heuraux
Institut Jean Lamour
P. Hennequin
École polytechnique
S.S. Henderson
Culham Science Centre
T. Hellsten
General Atomics
P. Heinrich
Max Planck Society
B. Heinemann
Max Planck Society
T. Hayward-Schneider
Max Planck Society
V. Hauer
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
J.R. Harrison
Culham Science Centre
G.F. Harrer
Vienna University of Technology
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Max Planck Society
T. Happel
Max Planck Society
C. Ham
Culham Science Centre
A.H. Hakola
Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
D. Hachmeister
Instituto Superior Tecnico
S. Günter
Max Planck Society
L. Guimarais
Instituto Superior Tecnico
A. Gude
Max Planck Society
O. Grover
Max Planck Society
M. Groth
Aalto University
M. Griener
Max Planck Society
H. Greuner
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G. Grenfell
Max Planck Society
A. Grater
Max Planck Society
G. Granucci
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
D. Gradic
Max Planck Society
T. Görler
Max Planck Society
G. Gorini
University of Milano-Bicocca
T. Goodman
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
J. Gonzalez Martin
University of Seville
J. Gonzalez
Max Planck Society
M. Gobbin
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S. Glöggler
Max Planck Society
T. Gleiter
Max Planck Society
O. Girka
Max Planck Society
E. Giovannozzi
ENEA
L. Gil
Instituto Superior Tecnico
S. Gibson
Durham University
L. Giannone
Max Planck Society
B. Geiger
University of Wisconsin Madison
M. Garcia-Munoz
University of Seville
S. Garavaglia
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
Y. Gao
Forschungszentrum Jülich
A. Gallo
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
D. Gallart Escolà
Centro Nacional de Supercomputacion
J. Galdon-Quiroga
University of Seville
K. Galazka
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
S. Futatani
Centro Nacional de Supercomputacion
H. Fünfgelder
Max Planck Society
J.C. Fuchs
Max Planck Society
G. Fuchert
Max Planck Society
M. Fröschle
Max Planck Society
L. Frassinetti
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
O. Ford
Max Planck Society
R. Fischer
Max Planck Society
A. Figueredo
Instituto Superior Tecnico
O. Ficker
Czech Academy of Sciences
F Felici
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
H. Faugel
Max Planck Society
M. Farník
Czech Academy of Sciences
U. Fantz
Max Planck Society
D. Fajardo Jimenez
Max Planck Society
M. Faitsch
Max Planck Society
E. Fable
Max Planck Society
B. Esposito
ENEA
A. Encheva
ITER Organization
S. Elgeti
Max Planck Society
T. Eich
CFS
R. Dux
Max Planck Society
B. Duval
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Dunne
Max Planck Society
M. Dreval
National Science Center
Dániel Dunai
Centre for Energy Research
J. Dominguez-Palacios Durán
University of Seville
M. Dibon
Max Planck Society
A. Di Siena
Max Planck Society
P. Denner
Forschungszentrum Jülich
R. Delogu
Consorzio Rfx
P. De Marné
Max Planck Society
M. De Baar
Eindhoven University of Technology
C. Day
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
P. David
Max Planck Society
A. Dal Molin
University of Milano-Bicocca
O. D’Arcangelo
ENEA Consorzio CREATE
I. Cziegler
University of York
G. Cseh
Centre for Energy Research
D.J. Cruz Zabala
University of Seville
G. Croci
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
A. Creely
CFS
T.B. Cote
University of Wisconsin Madison
D. Coster
Max Planck Society
S. Costea
University of Innsbruck
G.D. Conway
Max Planck Society
L. Colas
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
J.W. Coenen
Forschungszentrum Jülich
R. Coelho
Instituto Superior Tecnico
S. Coda
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
F. Clairet
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
C. Cianfarani
ENEA
A. Chomiczewska
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
A. V. Chankin
Max Planck Society
C. Challis
Culham Science Centre
C. Cazzaniga
Consorzio Rfx
M. Cavedon
University of Milano-Bicocca
A. Castillo Castillo
Max Planck Society
C. Castaldo
ENEA
P. Carvalho
Instituto Superior Tecnico
M. Carr
Culham Science Centre
D. Carlton
Max Planck Society
P. Cano Megías
Max Planck Society
B. Cannas
University of Cagliari
Y. Camenen
Aix Marseille University
A. Burckhart
Max Planck Society
A. Buhler
Max Planck Society
J. Buchanan
Culham Science Centre
F. Brochard
Institut Jean Lamour
Daniele Brida
Max Planck Society
S. Brezinsek
Forschungszentrum Jülich
M. Brenzke
Forschungszentrum Jülich
H. Van Den Brand
Eindhoven University of Technology
A. Bottino
Max Planck Society
C. Bottereau
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
B. Böswirth
Max Planck Society
A. Bortolon
Princeton University
N. Bonanomi
Max Planck Society
T. Bolzonella
Consorzio Rfx
T. Body
Max Planck Society
L. Bock
Max Planck Society
A. Bock
Max Planck Society
V. Bobkov
Max Planck Society
T.C. Blanken
Eindhoven University of Technology
G. Birkenmeier
Max Planck Society
R. Bilato
Max Planck Society
R. Bielajew
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
A. Biancalani
Leonardo de Vinci University Center
M. Bernert
Max Planck Society
J. Bernardo
Instituto Superior Tecnico
M. Bergmann
Max Planck Society
A. Bergmann
Max Planck Society
M. Bauer
Max Planck Society
A. Banon-Navarro
Max Planck Society
V. Bandaru
Max Planck Society
M. Balden
Max Planck Society
O. Asunta
Aalto University
M. Astrain
Max Planck Society
V. Artigues
Max Planck Society
N. Arden
Max Planck Society
C. Angioni
Max Planck Society
E. Alessi
Istituto Di Fisica Del Plasma Piero Caldirola, Milan
D. Aguiam
Instituto Superior Tecnico
Nature Physics
1745-2473 (ISSN) 17452481 (eISSN)
Vol. In PressImplementation of activities described in the Roadmap to Fusion during Horizon Europe through a joint programme of the members of the EUROfusion consortium
European Commission (EC) (101052200), 2021-01-01 -- 2025-12-31.
Subject Categories
Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
DOI
10.1038/s41567-024-02666-y