ASDEX Upgrade enhancements in view of ITER application

The aim of the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) programme is to support the design, prepare the physics base and develop regimes beyond the baseline of ITER and for DEMO. Its ITER-like geometry, poloidal field system, versatile heating system and power fluxes make AUG particularly suited. After the transition to fully tungsten coated plasma facing components AUG could be operated without prior boronizations and a low permanent deuterium retention was found qualifying W as wall material. ITER-like baseline H-modes (H98 similar to 1, beta(N) similar to 2) were routinely achieved up to 1.2 MA plasma currents. W concentrations could be kept at an acceptable level of <5 x 10(-5) by central wave heating (enhancing impurity outward transport) and ELM pacing with gas puffing. The compatibility of high performance improved H-modes, the ITER hybrid scenario, with all un-boronized W wall was demonstrated achieving H(98) similar to 1.1 and beta(N) up to 2.6 at modest triangularities delta <= 0.3. This performance is reached despite the gas Puffing needed for W influx control. Increasing delta to 0.35 allowed at even higher puff rates still a H(98) similar to 1.1. Reliable plasma operation in support of ITER comprised the demonstration of ECRF assisted low voltage plasma Start-up and current rise at toroidal electric fields below 0.3 V/m resulting in a ITER compatible range of plasma internal inductance of 0.71-0.97. Disruption mitigation is feasible using strong gas puffs, and the achieved electron densities approach values needed for runaway Suppression. Present hardware extensions in support of ITER include file upgrading of ECRH by a 4 MW/10s system with large deposition variability (tuneable frequency between 105 and 140 GHz, real-time steerable mirrors) for central heating and MHD mode control. A powerful system of 24 in-vessel coils produces error fields up to toroidal mode number n = 4 for ELM suppression and mode rotation control. In connection with a close conducting wall they will open up the road for RWM stabilization in advanced scenarios. For those we are considering LHCD for current drive and profile control With Up to 500 kA driven Current. The tungsten sources are dominated by Sputtering from intrinsic light impurities, and the W influx from the outboard limiters are the main source for the core plasma. ICRH induced electric fields accelerate light impurities, restricting the use of ICRH to just after boronization. 4-strap antennas imbedded in extended wall structures might solve this problem. Finally, doubling the plasma Volume with plasma currents above 2 MA in AUG Could be the solution for a needed ITER satellite. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.