Effect of unstable MHD modes on the confinement of a stellarator plasma

The results of an experimental study of the influence of unstable MHD modes on plasma confinement in an L-2M stellarator are presented. The spectral and statistical characteristics of turbulent plasma simultaneously at both the edge and center of the plasma are investigated. It is shown that at constant power of electron-cyclotron heating of the plasma the energy content of the plasma depends strongly on the strength of the externally applied vertical magnetic field used to adjust the position of the plasma column. Appreciable degradation of plasma confinement is observed for values of the vertical field such that ideal MHD modes become unstable in the greater part of the plasma column. This in turn is due to the formation of a magnetic configuration with a magnetic “hump.” At the same time, in the edge plasma the instability of resistive-balloon modes grows, and turbulent particle transport increases.