Overview of the beam emission spectroscopy diagnostic system on the National Spherical Torus Experiment.

A beam emission spectroscopy (BES) system has been installed on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) to study ion gyroscale fluctuations. The BES system measures D(α) emission from a deuterium neutral heating beam. The system includes two optical views centered at r/a≈0.45 and 0.85 and aligned to magnetic field pitch angles at the neutral beam. f/1.5 collection optics produce 2-3 cm spot sizes at the neutral beam. The initial channel layout includes radial arrays, poloidal arrays, and two-dimensional grids. Radial arrays provide coverage from r/a≈0.1 to beyond the last-closed flux surface. Photodetectors and digital filters provide high-sensitivity, low-noise measurements at frequencies of up to 1 MHz. The BES system will be a valuable tool for investigating ion gyroscale turbulence and Alfvén/energetic particle modes on NSTX.