Comparison of small ELM characteristics and regimes in Alcator C-Mod, MAST and NSTX

We report on the status of a set of ITPA-coordinated experiments between the Alcator C-Mod, MAST and NSTX devices to compare the characteristics and access conditions of discharges with small edge-localized modes (ELMs). The small ELMs in C-Mod, MAST and one of the two small ELM types in NSTX exist when approached 10–15%, although the lower/upper limits of the operational windows differ. These small ELM regimes appear in diverted configurations very close to balanced double-null in each device. We classify these small ELMs as type II, based on the published characteristics from a number of previous studies. In addition, these type II ELMs in each device had multiple filaments with propagation in the co-I p or ion diamagnetic drift direction. Moreover, we conclude that these type II ELMs are distinct from the type V ELMs routinely observed in NSTX, which have one or two filaments and propagate in the electron diamagnetic drift direction.