Electric potential dynamics in OH and ECRH plasmas in the T-10 tokamak

New experimental observations of the plasma potential using the heavy ion beam probe diagnostic are presented together with a theoretical description of the formation of the electric field Er in the T-10 circular tokamak (B0 = 1.5-2.5 T, R = 1.5 m, a = 0.3 m). Ohmically heated (OH) deuterium plasmas with main plasma parameters , Te(0) < 1.3 keV, Ti(0) < 0.6 keV are characterized by a negative potential (ρ) with maximum negative values of (6 cm) = −1400 V with respect to the wall. The potential profile monotonically increases towards the plasma edge. A density rise due to gas puff is accompanied by a plasma potential that becomes increasingly negative. When the density approaches values in the range , the value of the plasma potential saturates, while the energy confinement time still increases up to a saturation value that is obtained at a slightly higher density. With auxiliary heating by electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) up to 1.2 MW, Te(0) increases (up to 3 keV) and the absolute value of the plasma potential decreases. In some cases the plasma potential changes its sign and becomes positive at the edge. The radial profile of Er and its dependence on ne and Ti are qualitatively explained by a neoclassical model in the core, and a turbulent dynamic model (Braginskij magnetohydrodynamic equations) in the edge.