For high density H modes with constant gas puff on ASDEX Upgrade a slow evolution of the density profile is observed with a time constant much larger than τE.While the edge density remains constant the central density increases as doesthe stored energy until sawteeth are lost and impurity influx sets in.This peaking process is only observed with NBI heating. Substituting half of the heating by central ICRHleads to completely flat profiles even though half of the original NBI particlefuelling remains. This behaviour, as well as the slow timescale of the peakingprocess with pure NBI heating, is successfully modelled with a pinch of the orderof the neoclassical Ware pinch and a proportionality between the particlediffusion coefficient D and the heat conductivity χ.Such an assumption links D to the heat flux profile qheat, since the temperature profile is observed to be stiff.Such a model implies flat density profiles for a centrally heated fusionreactor.
Effects of triangularity on confinement, density limit andprofile stiffness of H-modes on ASDEX upgrade