SOLPS-ITER modeling with activated drifts for a snowflake divertor in ASDEX Upgrade

Abstract

We report on the first SOLPS-ITER simulations of a low-field side snowflake minus (LFS SF-) divertor configuration with drifts fully activated in ASDEX Upgrade. Compared to a reference case without drifts, the simulation in normal toroidal magnetic field configuration (B × ∇B points to the primary X-point) shows a larger low-field-side/high-field-side asymmetry, an enhanced radial cross field transport, as well as a flux redistribution between the primary and secondary strike points. Although small compared to the total input power, power is found even on a strike point magnetically disconnected from the outer mid-plane, which is hard to explain by purely diffusive transport.