In order to understand the physics of the ELM trigger and determine the ELM size, the fast ELM dynamics of type I and grassy ELMs have been studied in JT-60U, using new fast diagnostics with high spatial and temporal resolutions such as a lithium beam probe (Δt ∼ 0.5 ms) and a charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (Δt ∼ 2.5 ms), which can measure the electron density and the ion temperature, respectively. The evolution of the ion pressure profile in the pedestal region has been evaluated for the first time by detailed edge profile measurements. Then, the dynamics of the density, the ion temperature and the ion pressure in the ELM cycle has been investigated. The co-rotating plasmas are compared with the counter (ctr)-rotating plasmas for the understanding of the toroidal rotation effects. Type I ELMs observed in co-rotating plasmas exhibit a larger and wider ELM affected area (Δnped/nped ∼ 30%, radial extent >15 cm) than ctr-rotating plasmas (Δnped/nped ∼ 20%, radial extent ∼10 cm). Just before a type I ELM crash, the pedestal ion pressure and its maximum gradient in co-rotating plasmas are 20% and 12% higher than those in ctr-rotating plasmas, respectively. It is found that the radial extent of the ion pressure gradient at the pedestal region in co-rotating plasmas is 14% wider than that in ctr-rotating plasmas. The experimental results suggest that the ELM size is connected with the structure of the plasma pressure in the whole pedestal region. As for the dynamics of grassy ELMs, the collapse of density pedestal is smaller (<20%) and narrower (∼5 cm) than those of type I ELMs, as observed in the collapse of the electron temperature pedestal. Thus, it is confirmed that both conductive and convective losses due to grassy ELMs are small.
Characteristics and control of the type I edge localized mode in JT-60U