Numerical Study of the Pedestal MHD Stability Limit on Upper and Lower Separatrix Triangularities
Jens von der Linden
Abstract
The dependence of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability limit of the edge pedestal on the upper and lower triangularities of a lower single null configuration is examined numerically. Although high triangularity has long been known to increase the pedestal height and improve confinement, the effect of varying upper and lower triangularities separately has never been systematically investigated. To study this dependence, Grad Shafranov equilibrium files are created for a range of separatrix shapes with varying triangularities using the EFIT code. These equilibria with variations in edge pressure and current density are used with the ELITE code to determine the stability limit. The pedestal pressure gradient was found to have a strong positive dependence on the upper triangularity and a weaker negative dependence on the lower triangularity. The negative dependence on lower triangularity is surprising and needs further investigation.
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