Controlled Neoclassical Tearing Mode (Ntm) Healing By Fueling Pellets And Its Impact On Electron Cyclotron Current Drive Requirements For Complete Ntm Stabilization

Controlled partial stabilization of core m/n = 2/1 neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) by fueling deuterium pellets is reported in DIII-D and KSTAR H-mode plasmas (m/n are the poloidal/toroidal mode numbers). Analyses of DIII-D data exploring possible physics origins show that an explanation is offered by NTM-turbulence multi-scale interaction, triggered by a sudden increase of local gradients near q = 2 caused by the pellet. Pellet injection from the high-field side allows deep fueling which reaches the island region. In turn, low-k turbulent density fluctuations ((n) over tilde) increase by 30% in the island region. This (n) over tilde can drive transport across the island separatrices, reducing the pressure flat spot at the O-point and diminishing the NTM drive. The Mirnov probe array detects the reduction of the 2/1 magnetic amplitude by up to 20%. Causality between elevated gradients outside of the island, turbulence spreading into the island and reduced NTM drive is qualitatively supported by non-linear gyrokinetic turbulence simulations. These show increased penetration of ion-scale (n) over tilde from the background plasma to the O-point region when the background gradient is increased. This interaction has potentially far reaching consequences as it can lead to a reduction of the required electron cyclotron current density (j(ECCD)) for NTM suppression by 70%, as predicted by the modified Rutherford equation. This beneficial effect of fueling pellets can be important as j(ECCD) is the anticipated active NTM control technique for ITER, but its efficiency will be lowered by third harmonic absorption in Pre-Fusion Power Operation-1 (PFPO-1) at half magnetic field.