Poloidal mode analysis of magnetic probe data in a spherical tokamak configuration.

A method to determine the poloidal mode number m in a spherical tokamak based on magnetic probe data was developed. Perturbed magnetic fields at Mirnov coils are calculated for distributed helical filamentary currents on rational surfaces assuming the maximum current amplitude, m and n (toroidal mode number), and the toroidal location of the filaments. These free parameters were determined from the best fit to the measured signals. The residual error was reduced by a factor of 2 by introducing helical filaments instead of toroidal filaments. Using this method, m∕n=2∕1 and 3∕2 modes were identified in Mega-Ampere Spherical Tokamak discharges, and the time evolution of the tearing modes was derived.