Magnetic perturbation (MP) fields are currently studied in ASDEX Upgrade and many other tokamaks in terms of edge localized mode control and the implication onto steady state divertor power load and access to detachment. Previous studies at ASDEX Upgrade in low density, attached L-mode (Faitsch et al 2017 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion59 095006) are combined with high density L- and H-mode studies (Brida et al 2017 Nucl. Fusion57 116006). A consistent interpretation is presented for the steady state power load variation due to the 3D MP. The deviation from an axisymmetric power load is reducing with increasing density, being an effect of the increasing broadening in the divertor region. No deleterious effect on the access to a detached divertor regime is found. Experimental results from ASDEX Upgrade reveal similar power load profiles for plasmas without and a toroidal averaged profile in presence of an external MP. EMC3-Eirene modeling is showing agreement only if screening currents in the plasma as a response to the external magnetic field are added. In plasma scenarios with field penetration and locking of internal modes a fundamentally different power load pattern is observed. The pattern is in agreement with edge ergodization and the extent can be used to determine the magnitude of current needed to describe the internal mode.
Physics and performance of the I-mode regime over an expanded operating space on Alcator C-Mod