arXiv subjects

L. Frassinetti

Publications and source records attributed to L. Frassinetti.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A predictive formula for the H-mode electron separatrix density: Bridging regression and physics-based models across C-Mod, AUG and JET tokamaks

The electron density at the separatrix ($n_{e,\mathrm{sep}}$) plays a central role in balancing energy confinement, detachment achievement, and ELM suppression in tokamaks, thereby influencing core-edge integration. To study what determines this key parameter, a database of H-mode separatrix density measurements from Alcator C-Mod, ASDEX Upgrade, and JET tokamaks has been assembled using a consistent analysis method across all devices. This dataset is used to derive a regression scaling expression based solely on engineering parameters, and the results are compared to predictions from the two-point model. The agreement found is remarkable: both the regression and model provide similar parameter dependencies and tokamak-specific multiplicative constants. Building on this agreement, a fully predictive formula that combines the regression dependencies and the two-point model multiplicative constant is proposed. This formula is able to estimate $n_{e,\mathrm{sep}}$ across the three machines within a factor of 1.5, and provides projections to next-step devices (ITER, SPARC, DTT, JT-60SA and COMPASS-U) that are in agreement with available SOLPS simulations.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

Reconstructions of electron-temperature profiles from EUROfusion Pedestal Database using turbulence models and machine learning

This study uses plasma-profile data from the EUROfusion pedestal database, focusing on the electron-temperature and electron-density profiles in the edge region of H-mode ELMy JET ITER-Like-Wall (ILW) pulses. We make systematic predictions of the electron-temperature pedestal, using the density profiles and engineering parameters of the pulses as inputs. We first present a machine-learning algorithm that, given more inputs than theory-based modelling and 80\% of the database as training data, can reconstruct the remaining 20\% of temperature profiles within 20\% of the experimental values, including accurate estimates of the pedestal width and location. The most important engineering parameters for these predictions are magnetic field strength, particle fuelling rate, plasma current, and strike-point configuration. This confirms the potential of accurate pedestal prediction using large databases. Next, we take a simple theoretical approach assuming a local power-law relationship between the gradients of density ($R/L_{n_e}$) and temperature ($R/L_{T_e}$): $R/L_{T_e}=A\left(R/L_{n_e}\right)^\alpha$ with $\alpha\approx 0.4$ fits well in the steep-gradient region. When $A$ and $\alpha$ are fit independently for each pedestal, a one-to-one correlation emerges, also valid for JET-C data. For $\alpha = 1$, $A \equiv \eta_e$, a known control parameter for turbulence in slab-ETG theory. Measured values of $\eta_e$ in the steep-gradient region lie well above the slab-ETG stability threshold, suggesting a nonlinear threshold shift or a supercritical turbulent state. Finally, we test heat-flux scalings motivated by gyrokinetic simulations, and we provide best-fit parameters for reconstructing JET-ILW pedestals. These models require additional experimental inputs to reach the accuracy of the machine-learning reconstructions.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2024

Isotope effects and Alfven eigenmode stability in JET H, D, T, DT, and He plasmas

While much about Alfven eigenmode (AE) stability has been explored in previous and current tokamaks, open questions remain for future burning plasma experiments, especially regarding exact stability threshold conditions and related isotope effects; the latter, of course, requiring good knowledge of the plasma ion composition. In the JET tokamak, eight in-vessel antennas actively excite stable AEs, from which their frequencies, toroidal mode numbers, and net damping rates are assessed. The effective ion mass can also be inferred using measurements of the plasma density and magnetic geometry. Thousands of AE stability measurements have been collected by the Alfven Eigenmode Active Diagnostic in hundreds of JET plasmas during the recent Hydrogen, Deuterium, Tritium, DT, and Helium-4 campaigns. In this novel AE stability database, spanning all four main ion species, damping is observed to decrease with increasing Hydrogenic mass, but increase for Helium, a trend consistent with radiative damping as the dominant damping mechanism. These data are important for confident predictions of AE stability in both non-nuclear (H/He) and nuclear (D/T) operations in future devices. In particular, if radiative damping plays a significant role in overall stability, some AEs could be more easily destabilized in D/T plasmas than their H/He reference pulses, even before considering fast ion and alpha particle drive. Active MHD spectroscopy is also employed on select HD, HT, and DT plasmas to infer the effective ion mass, thereby closing the loop on isotope analysis and demonstrating a complementary method to typical diagnosis of the isotope ratio.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2024

The JET hybrid H-mode scenario from a pedestal turbulence perspective

Turbulent transport is a decisive factor in determining the pedestal structure of H-modes. Here, we present the first comprehensive characterization of gyrokinetic turbulent transport in a JET hybrid H-mode pedestal. Local, linear simulations are performed to identify instabilities and global, nonlinear electromagnetic simulations reveal the turbulent heat and particle flux structure of the pedestal. Our analysis focuses on the Deuterium reference discharge \#97781 performed in the scenario development for the Deuterium-Tritium campaign. We find the pedestal top transport to be dominated by ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes. In the pedestal center turbulent ion transport is suppressed and electron transport is driven by multi-faceted electron temperature gradient (ETG) modes, which extend down to ion-gyroradius scales. A strong impact of $E\times B$ shear on the absolute turbulence level is confirmed by the global, nonlinear simulations. Furthermore, impurities are shown to reduce the main ion transport. Dedicated density and ion temperature profile variations test the sensitivity of the results and do not find strong differences in the turbulent transport in more reactor-like conditions.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2022

Developing Deep Learning Algorithms for Inferring Upstream Separatrix Density at JET

Predictive and real-time inference capability for the upstream separatrix electron density, $n_\text{e, sep}$, is essential for design and control of core-edge integrated plasma scenarios. In this study, both supervised and semi-supervised machine learning algorithms are explored to establish direct mapping as well as indirect compressed representation of the pedestal profiles for predictions and inference of $n_{\text{e, sep}}$. Based on the EUROfusion pedestal database for JET, a tabular dataset was created, consisting of machine parameters, fraction of ELM cycle, high resolution Thomson scattering profiles of electron density and temperature, and $n_{\text{e, sep}}$ for 608 JET shots. Using the tabular dataset, the direct mapping approach provides a mapping of machine parameters and ELM percentage to $n_{\text{e, sep}}$. Through representation learning, a compressed representation of the experimental pedestal electron density and temperature profiles is established. By conditioning the representation with machine control parameters, a probabilistic generative predictive model is established. For prediction, the machine parameters can be used to establish a conditional distribution of the compressed pedestal profiles, and the decoder that is trained as part of the algorithm can be used to decode the compressed representation back to full pedestal profiles. Although, in this work, a proof-of-principle for predicting and inferring $n_{\text{e, sep}}$ is given, such a representation learning can be used also for many other applications as the full pedestal profile is predicted. An implementation of this work can be found at https://github.com/fusionby2030/moxie.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2020

Microtearing modes as the source of magnetic fluctuations in the JET pedestal

We report on a detailed study of magnetic fluctuations in the JET pedestal, employing basic theoretical considerations, gyrokinetic simulations, and experimental fluctuation data, to establish the physical basis for their origin, role, and distinctive characteristics. We demonstrate quantitative agreement between gyrokinetic simulations of microtearing modes (MTMs) and two magnetic frequency bands with corresponding toroidal mode numbers n=4 and 8. Such disparate fluctuation scales, with substantial gaps between toroidal mode numbers, are commonly observed in pedestal fluctuations. Here we provide a clear explanation, namely the alignment of the relevant rational surfaces (and not others) with the peak in the omega star profile, which is localized in the steep gradient region of the pedestal. We demonstrate that a global treatment is required to capture this effect. Nonlinear simulations suggest that the MTM fluctuations produce experimentally-relevant transport levels and saturate by relaxing the background electron temperature gradient, slightly downshifting the fluctuation frequencies from the linear predictions. Scans in collisionality are compared with simple MTM dispersion relations. At the experimental points considered, MTM growth rates can either increase or decrease with collision frequency depending on the parameters thus defying any simple characterization of collisionality dependence.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2016

Local measurement of error field using naturally rotating tearing mode dynamics in EXTRAP T2R

An error field (EF) detection technique using the amplitude modulation of a naturally rotating tearing mode (TM) is developed and validated in the EXTRAP T2R reversed field pinch. The technique was used to identify intrinsic EFs of $m/n = 1/-12$, where $m$ and $n$ are the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers. The effect of the EF and of a resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) on the TM, in particular on amplitude modulation, is modeled with a first-order solution of the Modified Rutherford Equation. In the experiment, the TM amplitude is measured as a function of the toroidal angle as the TM rotates rapidly in the presence of an unknown EF and a known, deliberately applied RMP. The RMP amplitude is fixed while the toroidal phase is varied from one discharge to the other, completing a full toroidal scan. Using three such scans with different RMP amplitudes, the EF amplitude and phase are inferred from the phases at which the TM amplitude maximizes. The estimated EF amplitude is consistent with other estimates (e.g. based on the best EF-cancelling RMP, resulting in the fastest TM rotation). A passive variant of this technique is also presented, where no RMPs are applied, and the EF phase is deduced.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2015

Improved Confinement in JET High {beta} Plasmas with an ITER-Like Wall

The replacement of the JET carbon wall (C-wall) by a Be/W ITER-like wall (ILW) has affected the plasma energy confinement. To investigate this, experiments have been performed with both the C-wall and ILW to vary the heating power over a wide range for plasmas with different shapes.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Contrasting H-mode behaviour with deuterium fuelling and nitrogen seeding in the all-carbon and metallic versions of JET

The former all-carbon wall on JET has been replaced with beryllium in the main torus and tungsten in the divertor to mimic the surface materials envisaged for ITER. Comparisons are presented between Type I H-mode characteristics in each design by examining respective scans over deuterium fuelling and impurity seeding, required to ameliorate exhaust loads both in JET at full capability and in ITER.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2013

MHD and Gyro-kinetic Stability of JET Pedestals

The pedestal profile measurements in high triangularity JET plasmas show that with low fuelling the pedestal width decreases during the ELM cycle and with high fuelling it stays constant. In the low fuelling case the pedestal pressure gradient keeps increasing until the ELM crash and in the high fuelling case it initially increases then saturates during the ELM cycle. Stability analysis reveals that both JET plasmas become unstable to finite-n ideal MHD peeling-ballooning modes at the end of the ELM cycle. During the ELM cycle, infinite-n ideal MHD ballooning modes and kinetic ballooning modes are found to be locally stable in most of the steep pressure gradient region of the pedestal owing to the large bootstrap current, but to be locally unstable in a narrow region of plasma at the extreme edge. Unstable micro-tearing modes are found at the JET pedestal top, but they are sub-dominant to ion temperature gradient modes. They are insensitive to collisionality and stabilised by increasing density gradient.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2013

Error Field Assessment from Driven Rotation of Stable External Kinks at EXTRAP-T2R Reversed Field Pinch

A new non-disruptive error field (EF) assessment technique not restricted to low density and thus low beta was demonstrated at the EXTRAP-T2R reversed field pinch. Stable and marginally stable external kink modes of toroidal mode number n=10 and n=8, respectively, were generated, and their rotation sustained, by means of rotating magnetic perturbations of the same n. Due to finite EFs, and in spite of the applied perturbations rotating uniformly and having constant amplitude, the kink modes were observed to rotate non-uniformly and be modulated in amplitude. This behavior was used to precisely infer the amplitude and approximately estimate the toroidal phase of the EF. A subsequent scan permitted to optimize the toroidal phase. The technique was tested against deliberately applied as well as intrinsic error fields of n=8 and 10. Corrections equal and opposite to the estimated error fields were applied. The efficacy of the error compensation was indicated by the increased discharge duration and more uniform mode rotation in response to a uniformly rotating perturbation. The results are in good agreement with theory, and the extension to lower n, to tearing modes and to tokamaks, including ITER, is discussed.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2000

The see-saw mechanism and heavy Majorana neutrino masses in an SO(10) model

We apply the see-saw mechanism and an SO(10) model to neutrino masses and mixing in order to estimate the heavy Majorana masses. We discuss shortly the decay modes of heavy Majorana neutrinos and calculate their contribution to the lepton number violating processes μ\to eγ, τ\toμγand τ\to eγ.

hep-ph↗