Balmer emission measurements in JET-ILW hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and deuterium-tritium low-confinement mode plasmas

Measurements of Balmer-alpha (B-α) and Balmer-gamma (B-γ), where B = H, D, or T isotopes of hydrogen, emission across the low-field side (LFS) divertor in JET ITER-like Wall (ILW), low-confinement mode (L-mode) plasma indicate that the divertor plasma was more strongly detached in deuterium, tritium...

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Main Authors: A.G. Meigs, M. Groth, V.-P. Rikala, B. Lomanowski, N. Vianello, M. Wischmeier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Nuclear Materials and Energy
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179125000833
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author A.G. Meigs
M. Groth
V.-P. Rikala
B. Lomanowski
N. Vianello
M. Wischmeier
author_facet A.G. Meigs
M. Groth
V.-P. Rikala
B. Lomanowski
N. Vianello
M. Wischmeier
author_sort A.G. Meigs
collection DOAJ
description Measurements of Balmer-alpha (B-α) and Balmer-gamma (B-γ), where B = H, D, or T isotopes of hydrogen, emission across the low-field side (LFS) divertor in JET ITER-like Wall (ILW), low-confinement mode (L-mode) plasma indicate that the divertor plasma was more strongly detached in deuterium, tritium and deuterium–tritium than in hydrogen plasmas. These measurements are consistent with the lower degree of detachment in hydrogen versus tritium plasmas inferred from Langmuir probes (Groth et al., 2023) [1]. The ratio of B-γ to B-α is a suitable indicator of high density/low temperature conditions because B-α emission is dominated by electron impact excitation with a small electron–ion recombination component regardless of electron temperature and density (for conditions in tokamak plasmas) whilst for B-γ the recombination component increases and the excitation component decreases as the electron temperature decreases and the electron density increases. Within the uncertainty of the measurements, the electron density at the low-field side separatrix and the power crossing the separatrix are similar to permit these comparisons. The B-©/B-α ratio is well correlated with the onset of detachment as measured by Langmuir probes (McCracken et al., 1998; Groth et al., 2023). The ratios of B-γ and B-α varied between 0.005 and 0.035 for low-recycling, high-recycling and partially detached conditions, and were 60–70 % higher in partially detached hydrogen than in tritium plasmas. In contrast, the difference between deuterium, tritium and 40–60 % deuterium–tritium is within 10 % and thus within the uncertainties of the measurements. Profiles of the B-α and B-γ emission was measured with two filtered CCDs connected to the visible lost light leg of JET’s mirror link spectroscopy system (Meigs et al., 2010; Lomanowski et al., 2014)[4,5]. Spatially (radial) narrower B-α profiles were measured with increasing isotope mass, while similarly broadened B-γ profiles were measured.
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spelling doaj-art-0a2a37184d8745ed92e072aaac52ff7a2025-08-20T02:18:35ZengElsevierNuclear Materials and Energy2352-17912025-06-014310194110.1016/j.nme.2025.101941Balmer emission measurements in JET-ILW hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and deuterium-tritium low-confinement mode plasmasA.G. Meigs0M. Groth1V.-P. Rikala2B. Lomanowski3N. Vianello4M. Wischmeier5UKAEA, Culham Campus, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 3DB, UK; Corresponding author.Aalto University, Espoo, FinlandAalto University, Espoo, FinlandOak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USAConsorzio RFX, CNR, ENEA, INFN, Universita di Padova, Padova, ItalyMax Planck Institut fur Plamaphysik, Garching, GermanyMeasurements of Balmer-alpha (B-α) and Balmer-gamma (B-γ), where B = H, D, or T isotopes of hydrogen, emission across the low-field side (LFS) divertor in JET ITER-like Wall (ILW), low-confinement mode (L-mode) plasma indicate that the divertor plasma was more strongly detached in deuterium, tritium and deuterium–tritium than in hydrogen plasmas. These measurements are consistent with the lower degree of detachment in hydrogen versus tritium plasmas inferred from Langmuir probes (Groth et al., 2023) [1]. The ratio of B-γ to B-α is a suitable indicator of high density/low temperature conditions because B-α emission is dominated by electron impact excitation with a small electron–ion recombination component regardless of electron temperature and density (for conditions in tokamak plasmas) whilst for B-γ the recombination component increases and the excitation component decreases as the electron temperature decreases and the electron density increases. Within the uncertainty of the measurements, the electron density at the low-field side separatrix and the power crossing the separatrix are similar to permit these comparisons. The B-©/B-α ratio is well correlated with the onset of detachment as measured by Langmuir probes (McCracken et al., 1998; Groth et al., 2023). The ratios of B-γ and B-α varied between 0.005 and 0.035 for low-recycling, high-recycling and partially detached conditions, and were 60–70 % higher in partially detached hydrogen than in tritium plasmas. In contrast, the difference between deuterium, tritium and 40–60 % deuterium–tritium is within 10 % and thus within the uncertainties of the measurements. Profiles of the B-α and B-γ emission was measured with two filtered CCDs connected to the visible lost light leg of JET’s mirror link spectroscopy system (Meigs et al., 2010; Lomanowski et al., 2014)[4,5]. Spatially (radial) narrower B-α profiles were measured with increasing isotope mass, while similarly broadened B-γ profiles were measured.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179125000833JETDivertorBalmerDetachmentDensity limitSpectroscopy
spellingShingle A.G. Meigs
M. Groth
V.-P. Rikala
B. Lomanowski
N. Vianello
M. Wischmeier
Balmer emission measurements in JET-ILW hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and deuterium-tritium low-confinement mode plasmas
Nuclear Materials and Energy
JET
Divertor
Balmer
Detachment
Density limit
Spectroscopy
title Balmer emission measurements in JET-ILW hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and deuterium-tritium low-confinement mode plasmas
title_full Balmer emission measurements in JET-ILW hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and deuterium-tritium low-confinement mode plasmas
title_fullStr Balmer emission measurements in JET-ILW hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and deuterium-tritium low-confinement mode plasmas
title_full_unstemmed Balmer emission measurements in JET-ILW hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and deuterium-tritium low-confinement mode plasmas
title_short Balmer emission measurements in JET-ILW hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and deuterium-tritium low-confinement mode plasmas
title_sort balmer emission measurements in jet ilw hydrogen deuterium tritium and deuterium tritium low confinement mode plasmas
topic JET
Divertor
Balmer
Detachment
Density limit
Spectroscopy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179125000833
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