Electron Bernstein Wave Experiment on the Madison Symmetric Torus

A system to heat electrons and possibly drive off-axis field-aligned current is under development on the Madison Symmetric Torus RFP. Staged experiments have reached an input power of 150kW at 3.6GHz and have produced a localized increase in SXR emission during rf injection. This measured emission is consistent with modeling in its location, energy spectrum and dependence on radial diffusion within the plasma. The emission is strongest in the region where ray tracing predicts deposition of the injected power. The multi-chord SXR camera used is sensitive to 4-7 keV photons. Enhanced emission in this energy range is consistent with Fokker-Plank modeling of EBW injection. The enhanced SXR emission vanishes quickly when radial diffusion in the plasma is high (as indicated by m=0 magnetic activity); this is also consistent with Fokker-Plank modeling. An increase of boron emission (and presumably boron within the plasma) is also observed during EBW injection. This presents an alternative explanation to the enhanced SXR emission. Subsequent experiments with a different antenna at lOOkW input showed a small increase in SXR emission near 3 keV. A higher frequency experiment (5.5 GHz) with more input power available is currently under construction. Initial tests are centered on a circular waveguide launcher which requires only a 5 cm circular port in the vacuum vessel and has a target launch power of 400 kW.