Triangularity: Difference between revisions

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Add simple illustration of shift, elongation, triangularity, and squareness
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[[File:Geometry.png|400px|thumb|right|Sketch of tokamak geometry, including separatrix]]
[[File:Cross_section_1shift_2elong_3triang_4square.png|400px|thumb|right|Illustration of the m=1,2,3, and 4 perturbations to a tokamak plasma cross section. Triangularity is the m=3 perturbation.]]
The triangularity refers to the shape of the poloidal cross section of the Last Closed [[Flux surface]] (LCFS) or [[separatrix]] of a [[tokamak]].  
The triangularity refers to the shape of the poloidal cross section of the Last Closed [[Flux surface]] (LCFS) or [[separatrix]] of a [[tokamak]].  
Assuming:
Assuming<ref>T.C. Luce, [[doi:10.1088/0741-3335/55/9/095009|Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion '''55''' (2013) 095009 ]]</ref>:
* ''R<sub>0</sub>'' is the major radius of the midpoint of the 2 intersections of the LCFS or separatrix with the equatorial plane (''Z'' = 0).
* ''R<sub>max</sub>'' is the maximum value of ''R'' along the LCFS or separatrix.
* ''a'' is the minor radius of the plasma, defined as the difference of the 2 intersections of the LCFS or separatrix with the equatorial plane (''Z'' = 0), divided by 2.
* ''R<sub>min</sub>'' is the minimum value of ''R'' along the LCFS or separatrix.
* ''R<sub>up</sub>'' is the major radius of the upper X-point (in case it exists) or of the highest vertical point of the LCFS.
* ''R<sub>geo</sub>'' is the geometric major radius, defined as ''(R<sub>max</sub> + R<sub>min</sub>)/2''.
* ''R<sub>down</sub>'' is the major radius of the lower X-point (in case it exists) or of the lowest vertical point of the LCFS.
* ''a'' is the minor radius of the plasma, defined as ''(R<sub>max</sub> - R<sub>min</sub>)/2''.
* ''R<sub>upper</sub>'' is the major radius of the highest vertical point of the LCFS or separatrix.
* ''R<sub>lower</sub>'' is the major radius of the lowest vertical point of the LCFS or separatrix.
The upper triangularity is then defined as follows:
The upper triangularity is then defined as follows:
:<math> \kappa_{up} = (R_0-R_{up})/a</math>
:<math> \delta_{upper} = (R_{geo}-R_{upper})/a</math>
and similar for &kappa;<sub>down</sub>.
and similar for &delta;<sub>lower</sub>.
The overall triangularity is defined as the mean of &kappa;<sub>up</sub> and &kappa;<sub>down</sub>.
The overall triangularity is defined as the mean of &delta;<sub>upper</sub> and &delta;<sub>lower</sub>.
 
Triangularity, especially the triangularity opposite the dominant X-point (so upper triangularity for a lower null plasma), influences the stability and character of the [[pedestal]] and [[Edge Localized Modes|ELMs]].<ref>[[doi:10.1088/0741-3335/42/5A/319|T.H. Osborne, et al., Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion '''42''' (2000) A175]]</ref>
 
Some devices (TCV and DIII-D) can form plasma cross sections with negative triangularity (the X-points are pushed to larger <math>R</math> than the center of the plasma), which makes H-mode difficult or impossible to access but improves performance of the L-mode.<ref>[[doi:10.1088/1741-4326/abdb95|W. Han, et al., Nucl. Fusion '''61''' (2021) 034003]]</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==


* [[Ellipticity]]
* [[Ellipticity]]
* [[Toroidal coordinates]]
* [[Effective plasma radius]]
== References ==
<references />
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