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Abstract:
NSTX is a small aspect ratio tokamak (R = 0.85 m, a = 0.65 m). The High Harmonic Fast Wave (HHFW) system is a 30 MHz, 12-element array capable of launching both symmetric and
directional wave spectra for plasma heating and non-inductive current drive. It has delivered up to 6 MW for short pulses and has routinely operated at ~3 MW for 100-400 ms pulses. Results include strong, centrally-peaked electron heating in both D and He plasmas for both high and low phase
velocity spectra. H-modes were obtained with application of HHFW power alone, with stored energy doubling after the L-H transition. Beta poloidal as large as unity has been obtained with significant fractions (0.4) of bootstrap current. Differences in the loop voltage are observed depending on whether the array is phased to drive current in the co- or counter-current directions. A fast ion tail with energies extending up to 140 keV has been observed when HHFW interacts with 80 keV neutral beams; neutron rate and lost ion measurements, as well as modeling, indicate significant power absorption by the fast ions. Radial rf power deposition and driven current profiles have been calculated with ray tracing and kinetic full-wave codes and compared with measurements.
