A tutorial on the basic principles of microwave reflectometry applied to fluctuation measurements in fusion plasmas

Microwave reflectometry is now routinely used for probing the structure of magnetohydrodynamic and turbulent fluctuations in fusion plasmas. Conditions specific to the core of tokamak plasmas, such as small amplitude of density irregularities and the uniformity of the background plasma, have enabled progress in the quantitative interpretation of reflectometer signals. In particular the extent of applicability of the one-dimensional (1-D) geometric optics description of the reflected field is investigated by direct comparison to 1-D full wave analysis. Significant advances in laboratory experiments are discussed which are paving the way toward a thorough understanding of this important measurement technique. Data are presented from the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor [R. Hawryluk, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 33, 1509 (1991)] identifying the validity of the geometric optics description of the scattered field and demonstrating the feasibility of imaging turbulent fluctuations in fusion scale devices. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.