arXiv subjects

Shiwei Xue

Publications and source records attributed to Shiwei Xue.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Minimum-q induced alternation between infernal modes and EP-driven modes in advanced tokamak configurations

For an advanced tokamak configuration in the presence of energetic particles (EPs), the dominant instability is found to alternate between infernal modes and Alfv\'en eigenmodes with the variation of the minimum safety factor $q_{\min}$. For relatively high $q_{\min}$, the mode is identified as a reversed-shear Alfv\'en eigenmode (RSAE), characterized by its finite Alfv\'enic frequency and radial localization near the minimum of safety-factor profile. As $q_{\min}$ is further reduced, the dominant branch sequentially transitions through a low-frequency infernal-mode interval, then an energetic-particle-mode (EPM) regime, and finally another low-frequency infernal-mode interval. Increasing the EP beta fraction $\beta_h$ tends to destabilize the RSAE and EPM branches but to stabilize the infernal modes. Phase-space diagnostics further indicate that the destabilizing effects of EPs on the RSAE and EPM branches are mainly associated with trapped-particle drive, whereas the stabilizing effects of EPs on the infernal modes is dominated by passing particles.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2026

Experiment-free disruption prediction for new devices enabled by synthetic diagnostic data augmentation

Deep learning based approaches have shown great promise in cross-device disruption prediction for tokamaks, however, the robustness of these models heavily relies on massive amounts of training data. For the upcoming ITER, to ensure the safety of the first plasma and subsequent operations, experimental data should be entirely unavailable initially, and disruptive discharges should be strictly avoided thereafter. This extreme data scarcity inherently conflicts with the data-intensive nature of deep learning algorithms. To address this challenge, we utilize synthetic diagnostic signals from the target device to supplement the experimental data from existing devices for the zero-shot disruption prediction on a new device. The detailed implementation pipeline of this scheme is presented. For experimental validation, a predictive model trained on data from the EAST tokamak is deployed for a zero-shot cross-device experiment on the J-TEXT tokamak. A synthetic diagnostic framework, configured with the diagnostic parameters of the target device, is developed to process NIMROD magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation data based on the target device's magnetic configuration, thereby achieving effective data augmentation. Ultimately, the results demonstrate that by integrating the target device's synthetic diagnostic data with Fourier Domain Adaptation, the zero-shot accurate early warning rate of the model on 1,596 J-TEXT discharges is improved from 50% to 57%, while exhibiting enhanced predictive robustness.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2026

Weak and reversed magnetic shear effects on internal kink and fishbone modes

Advanced tokamak scenarios often feature weak or reversed magnetic shear configurations. In this study, the hybrid kinetic-MHD model implemented in the NIMROD code is used to investigate the effects of reversed magnetic shear on internal kink and fishbone mode in a circular shaped limiter tokamak. In the absence of energetic particles (EPs), the mode growth rate initially increases and then decreases as the magnetic shear changes from positive to negative, indicating stabilizing effects of the reversed magnetic shear on the internal kink mode. In the presence of EPs, when the reversed magnetic shear region is sufficiently narrow, the transition from internal kink/fishbone modes to double kink/fishbone modes takes place, and the stabilizing effects of the reversed magnetic shear can significantly dominate the destabilization of EPs. For non-resonant modes, the EP beta fraction $\beta_f$ for excitation increases with $q_{min}$, concurrent with progressively lower growth rates in non-resonant fishbone modes. When the equilibrium profile has an internal transport barrier (ITB), broader ITB widths suppress internal kink modes more effectively, whereas steeper temperature gradients strengthen EP stabilization.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

Influence of plasma shaping on the parity of core-localized toroidal Alfv\'{e}n eigenmode in an advanced tokamak configuration

Toroidal Alfv\'{e}n eigenmodes (TAEs) and energetic particle modes (EPMs) can both be excited by energetic particles from auxiliary heating and fusion-born alpha particles in a tokamak. Using the hybrid kinetic-MHD model implemented in the NIMROD code, the excitation of these modes and their properties are investigated in an advanced tokamak configuration with reversed magnetic shear in the core region. The dominant TAE/EPM is found to exhibit odd parity with an anti-ballooning structure when the plasma has elongated, non-circular two-dimensional shaping. As the plasma shaping becomes more circular with reduced elongation, the mode parity undergoes a transition to even parity accompanied by a ballooning structure. These results may help explain the dominant parity of TAE/EPMs observed in advanced tokamak configurations with different plasma shaping.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

Increasing the density limit with ECRH-assisted Ohmic start-up on EAST

High plasma density operation is crucial for a tokamak to achieve energy breakeven and a burning plasma. However, there is often an empirical upper limit of electron density in tokamak operation, namely the Greenwald density limit $n_G$, above which tokamaks generally disrupt. Achieving high-density operations above the density limit has been a long-standing challenge in magnetic confinement fusion research. Here, we report experimental results on EAST tokamak achieving the line-averaged electron density in the range of 1.3 $n_G$ to 1.65 $n_G$,while the usual range in EAST is (0.8-1.0)$n_G$. This is performed with ECRH-assisted Ohmic start-up and a sufficiently high initial neutral density. This is motivated by and consistent with predictions of a recent plasma-wall self-organization (PWSO) theory, that increasing ECRH power or pre-filled gas pressure leads to lower plasma temperatures around divertor target and higher density limits. In addition, the experiments are shown to operate in the density-free regime predicted by the PWSO model. These results suggest a promising scheme for substantially increasing the density limit in tokamaks, a critical advancement toward achieving the burning plasma.

physics.plasm-ph↗