This work introduces heavy ion beam probe diagnostics and presents an
overview of its applications. The heavy ion beam probe is a unique tool
for the measurement of potential in the plasma core in order to
understand the role of the electric field in plasma confinement,
including the mechanism of transition from low to high confinement
regimes (L-H transition). This allows measurement of the steady-state
profile of the plasma potential, and its use has been extended to
include the measurement of quasi-monochromatic and broadband oscillating
components, the turbulent-particle flux and oscillations of the electron
density and poloidal magnetic field.
Special emphasis is placed on the study of Geodesic Acoustic Modes and
Alfvén Eigenmodes excited by energetic particles with experimental data
sets. These experimental studies help to understand the link between
broadband turbulent physics and quasi-coherent oscillations in devices
with a rather different magnetic configuration.
The book also compares spontaneous and biased transitions from low to
high confinement regimes on both classes of closed magnetic traps
(tokamak and stellarator) and highlights the common features in the
behavior of electric potential and turbulence of magnetized plasmas.
A valuable resource for physicists, postgraduates and students
specializing in plasma physics and controlled fusion.