The electron Bernstein wave (EBW) is typically the only wave in the electron cyclotron (EC) range that can be applied in spherical tokamaks for heating and current drive (H&CD). Spherical tokamaks (STs), which feature relatively high neutron flux and good economy, operate generally in high-ß regimes, in which the usual EC O- and X- modes are cut-o…
The interpretation of EBW emission from spherical tokamaks is nontrivial. We report on a 3D simulation model of this process that incorporates Gaussian beams for the antenna, a full wave solution of EBW-X and EBW-X-O conversions using adaptive finite elements, and EBW ray tracing to determine the radiative temperature. This model is then used to in…