Poloidal rotation, density asymmetries, and momentum confinement in tokamak experiments

Abstract

Poloidal rotation speeds and density asymmetries are calculated for the deuterium and dominant carbon (oxygen) impurity ions in discharges in the Axially Symmetric Divertor Experiment (ASDEX) [Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Research, (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1991), p. 325], Doublet III (DIII) [Nucl. Fusion 26, 543 (1986)], Impurity Studies Experiment (ISX‐B) [Nucl. Fusion 23, 1017 (1983)], Joint European Torus (JET) [Nucl. Fusion 31, 31 (1991)] and Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) (National Technical Information Document No. PB92177187) for which vϕ∼vth for the ions. These poloidal rotation speeds and density asymmetries are used to evaluate the neoclassical gyroviscous model for the momentum confinement time. The rather good agreement with experimental momentum confinement times obtained over this wide range of plasma parameters provides a measure of confidence in the calculated density asymmetries and poloidal rotation, as well as demonstrating that neoclassical calculations can predict momentum confinement in tokamaks.