The mega-ampere spherical tokamak (MAST) experiment is a new, large, low aspect ratio device operating its first experimental physics campaign. Designed to study a wide variety of plasma shapes with up to 2 MA of plasma current with an aspect ratio down to 1.3, the poloidal field (PF) coils used for plasma formation, equilibrium and shaping are ins…
First physics results are presented from MAST (Mega-Amp Spherical Tokamak), one of the new generation of purpose built spherical tokamaks (STs) now commencing operation. Some of these results demonstrate, for the first time, the novel effects of low aspect ratio, for example, the enhancement of resistivity due to neo-classical effects. H-mode is ac…
Electron Bernstein waves are analyzed as possible candidates for heating spherical tokamaks. An inhomogeneous plane slab model of the plasma with a sheared magnetic field is used to calculate the linear conversion of the ordinary mode (O-mode) to the extraordinary mode (X-mode). A formula for the fraction of the incident O-mode energy which is conv…
