Laser-based measurements of magnetic fluctuation-induced particle transport and nonlinear mode interactions in the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed-field pinch

Magnetic fluctuation-induced particle transport and density fluctuations have been investigated in the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) reversed-filed pinch using a far infrared (FIR) laser based interferometer-polarimetry system. An extensive study focuses on the particle transport and density fluctuations during the sawtooth crash where the stochastic magnetic field is largest. Particle flux arising from the inieraction between density fluctuations and magnetic fluctuations has been measured to be significant at the reversal surface where modes with poloidal mode number m = 0 are resonant. The particle flux is comparable to that measured in the core where m = 1 modes dominate. The origin of density fluctuations has been studied experimentally. It is found that density fluctuations not only result from linear advection but also non-linear three-wave interactions. This is different from the previously reported results that indicated that the edge density fluctuations originate from linear advection. The results reported here reveal that m = 0 modes play an important role in density fluctuations and particle flux. An experiment where m = 0 modes are greatly reduced, by removing the reversal surface from the plasma, indicates that particle flux and density fluctuations are reduced significantly, which further confirms the importance of edge resonant modes in particle transport.