Limitations of bootstrap current models

We assess the accuracy and limitations of two analytic models of the tokamak bootstrap current: (1) the well-known Sauter model (1999 Phys. Plasmas 6 2834, 2002 Phys. Plasmas 9 5140) and (2) a recent modification of the Sauter model by Koh et al (2012 Phys. Plasmas 19 072505). For this study, we use simulations from the first-principles kinetic code NEO as the baseline to which the models are compared. Tests are performed using both theoretical parameter scans as well as core-to-edge scans of real DIII-D and NSTX plasma profiles. The effects of extreme aspect ratio, large impurity fraction, energetic particles, and high collisionality are studied. In particular, the error in neglecting cross-species collisional coupling-an approximation inherent to both analytic models-is quantified. Furthermore, the implications of the corrections from kinetic NEO simulations on MHD equilibrium reconstructions is studied via integrated modeling with kinetic EFIT.