External kink modes in a Large Helical Device (LHD) equilibrium with self-consistent bootstrap current

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability studies of low-mode-number free-boundary kink modes in a finite-β Large Helical Device (LHD) [A. Ilyoshi, et al. Fusion Technology 17, 169 (1990)] equilibrium series with self-consistent bootstrap current find some serious free-boundary modes. They indicate that care must be taken in the design of high-β experiments. Since the LHD configuration is flexible, with the possibility of introducing or modifying dipole and quadrapole fields, unbalancing the currents in the helical coils, operating with a high-temperature divertor, and changing the collisionality regime by working with different values of temperature and density, paths to high-β operation should exist. Comparison of the experimental results with these theoretical predictions for the studied equilibrium sequence will provide understanding of the MHD stability properties of LHD.