OBSERVATIONS OF ARCING IN THE ISX TOKAMAK

Arcing has been proposed as a major source of metal impurities in tokamak plasmas. Arc tracks have been observed in the ISX tokamak on the limiter, the inner-wall surface, and on the samples from the surface analysis station. Linear as well as fern-like arc tracks have been observed. From optical and SEM analysis of the tracks, it was estimated that about 1016-1017 atoms were released per arc. To study the influence of arcing on the tokamak discharge, an experiment was set up to measure electrical and optical signals of arcing in situ. In well controlled tokamak discharges, arcing was observed only during the initial breakdown of the plasma and during the quenching phase at the end of the discharge. In disrupted discharges, each plasma disruption was accompanied by arcing. The pulse-length of one single unipolar arc was measured to be about 50 μs and the current amplitude was typically about 20 A. © 1979.