Observation of Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes during Minor Disruptions in Ohmic Plasmas

Abstract

Toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) excited in purely ohmically heated plasmas without any auxiliary heating have been identified for the first time in the SUNIST spherical tokamak. The TAE modes are observed during minor disruptions and have a frequency range of 150-500 kHz. The mode structure analysis indicates the existence of both m/n=-3/-1 and -4/-1 harmonics, propagating in the electron diamagnetic direction in the laboratory frame of reference. These TAEs appear simultaneously with the generation of runaway electrons in the current quench phase, accompanying with the density sweeping during the minor disruption. Possible driving mechanisms and potential applications of these TAEs are discussed.