Self Consistent Calculations of Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating in Toroidal Plasmas

A method for self consistent calculations of ion cyclotron resonance heating has been developed. The dielectric tensor is calculated from a particle distribution function calculated with the orbit averaged Monte Carlo code fido. The tensor is then fed into the global wave code lion. The calculated wave field and power partitions are fed back into the fido code. By using two existing codes in an iteratively manner, the first self consistent calculations including the finite orbit widths and rf induced transport is obtained. The code package, called the selfo code, has been applied on fast wave electron current drive scenarios in a medium size machine. The electron current drive is inhibited by majority ion absorption. The ion high energy tail, and hence the absorption, is different whether the fast wave is launched co or contra the plasma current. This asymmetry in the ion absorption, and thereby the electron current drive efficiency, is recovered in the simulations and found to be in good agreement with the experiments. As a first step of the method, α-particle absorption is studied in jet like dt plasmas, using only one iteration. The finite orbit widths are found to be a correction to the previous results. The method is also used for calculating the amount of α-particle absorption in an iter scenario. Reversed shear is found as an effect of the α-particle absorption and current drive. Descriptors Fusion plasma, rf heating, self consistent calculations, ion cyclotron resonance, fast wave current drive