Operational conditions and characteristics of ELM-events during H-mode plasmas in the stellarator W7-AS

H-mode operation in the low-shear stellarator W7-AS is achieved for specific plasma edge topologies characterized by three 'operational windows' of the edge rotational transform. An explanation for this strong influence of the magnetic configuration could be the increase of viscous damping if rational surfaces and thus island structures occur within the relevant plasma edge layer, thereby impeding the development of an edge transport barrier. Prior to the final transition to a quiescent state, the plasma edge passes a rich phenomenology of dynamic behaviour such as dithering and ELMs. Plasma edge parameters indicate that a quiescent H-mode occurs if a certain edge pressure is achieved.