Speaker
Description
Understanding edge plasma dynamics is fundamental for the success of magnetic confinement fusion, as it dictates the global energy confinement and the feasibility of first-wall materials. However, characterizing this region requires diagnostics with simultaneous high spatial and temporal resolution across diverse magnetic configurations.
Here we report on the development and implementation under the NEFERTARI project of a suite of innovative diagnostic systems for the RFX-mod2 experiment, designed to operate in reversed-field pinch as well as in tokamak equilibria.
Our approach integrates a fast reciprocating manipulator (FarM) with complex electrostatic and magnetic arrays, enabling deep-edge sampling while avoiding thermal degradation. To capture the multi-scale nature of plasma turbulence, we deployed ultra-high-frequency magnetic probes and a distributed network of over 500 in-vessel sensors, including Langmuir, ball-pen, and Mach probes. This setup is complemented by an ultrafast four-unit reflectometric system for real-time position control and density profiling, alongside advanced spectroscopic tools: a seven-camera light impurity tomography (LIT) system and a 2D-polychromator for tangential edge imaging.
Together, these systems provide a comprehensive characterization of electron temperature, density, and plasma flow, as well as the 3D interaction between particle sources and magnetic topologies.
By bridging the gap between small-scale instability detection and global plasma control, these diagnostics offer a robust framework for investigating transport phenomena in shaped and circular plasmas. These advancements are critical for optimizing the boundary conditions of future fusion reactors and validating complex magnetohydrodynamic models in non-axisymmetric configurations.