Runaway production is observed to be enhanced in lower hybrid current driven (LHCD) plasmas during ion Bernstein wave (IBW) heating as compared with the LHCD only plasma in the HT-7 tokamak. The distortion of the electron distribution function is the effect of the quasilinear diffusions of two types of waves. IBWs modified the distribution function of the electrons by helping to fill the so-called lower hybrid wave (LHW) spectral gap for low parallel velocity. Thus the LHW was significantly coupled to the fast electrons produced by the IBW, and partial LHW power was absorbed on the first pass without significant n∥-upshift. The synergy interaction of two types of waves results in high electron parallel energy and enhanced quasilinear diffusion, which is favorable for the production of runaway electrons. This is directly related to the improvement of plasma performance in the operation mode of simultaneous injection of LHW and IBW power.
Experimental investigations of LHW–plasma coupling and current drive related to achieving H-mode plasmas in EAST