Recent development of the nonlinear magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) code JOREK has enabled the alignment of its two-dimensional finite-element grid along poloidal flux surfaces for double-null Grad–Shafranov equilibria. In previous works with the JOREK code, only single X-point plasmas were studied. The fast-camera diagnostic on MAST, which gives a global view of the pedestal filamentation during an ELM crash, clearly shows filaments travelling far into the scrape-off layer, as far as the first wall. Simulation of such a filament dynamics in MAST double-null plasmas is presented here and compared with experimental observations. In addition to direct comparison with the fast-camera images, general aspects of filaments are studied, such as their radial speed and composition. A qualitative validation of simulations is carried out against other diagnostics, such as the Thomson-scattering profiles or the infra-red camera images. Simulations are found to reproduce experimental edge localized modes in a reasonable manner, with similar energy losses and divertor heat-flux profiles. However, the MHD model used for those simulations is a reduced MHD model, which is likely approaching the limit of its applicability for the MAST device. Also, the absence of diamagnetic drift terms in the present MHD model results in nonlinear simulations being dominated by the highest mode number, and thus coupling with lower mode numbers is not observed.
The JOREK non-linear extended MHD code and applications to large-scale instabilities and their control in magnetically confined fusion plasmas