Radial electric field and transport near the rational surface and the magnetic island in LHD

The structure of the radial electric field and heat transport at the magnetic island in the large helical device (LHD) are investigated by measuring the radial profile of the poloidal flow with charge exchange spectroscopy and measuring the time evolution of the electron temperature with ECE. A vortex-like plasma flow along the magnetic flux surface inside the magnetic island is observed when the n/m = 1/1 external perturbation field becomes large enough to increase the magnetic island width above a critical range (15–20% of minor radius) in LHD. This convective poloidal flow results in a non-flat space potential inside the magnetic island. The sign of the curvature of the space potential (∂2Φ/∂r2, where Φ is the space potential) depends on the radial electric field at the boundary of the magnetic island. The heat transport inside the magnetic island is studied with a cold pulse propagation technique. The experimental results show the existence of radial electric field shear at the boundary of the magnetic island and a reduction in heat transport at the boundary and inside the magnetic island.