Plasma edge modelling with ICRF coupling

Abstract

The physics of Radio-Frequency (RF) wave heating in the Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) in the core plasmas of fusion devices are relatively well understood while those in the Scrape-Off Layer (SOL) remain still unresolved. This paper is dedicated to study the ICRF interactions with the plasma edge, mainly from the theoretical and numerical point of view, in particular with the 3D edge plasma fluid and neutral transport code EMC3-EIRENE and various wave codes. Here emphasis is given to the improvement of ICRF coupling with local gas puffing and to the ICRF induced density convection in the SOL.