Ion temperature gradient mode and H-mode confinement

The stability properties of the toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode change dramatically for plasmas with flat density profiles, as found in H-mode plasmas. Even though η i ≫ 1, the relevant stability parameter is is the ion temperature gradient scale length and R is the major radius). It is proposed that a significant element in the improved confinement observed in the L- to H-mode transient is the diminution of ITG mode turbulence, mediated by broader H-mode ion temperature profiles. Confinement results of L- and H-mode simulations of DIII-D, based on a simplified energy transport equation, are presented to support this hypothesis.