Characterization of Scrape-Off Layer Turbulence Changes Induced by a Non-Axisymmetric Magnetic Perturbation in an ASDEX Upgrade Low Density L-Mode

In the tokamak ASDEX Upgrade the influence of a non-axisymmetric n = 2 error field on the turbulence in the far scrape-off layer of a low density L-mode discharge has been studied. There is no density pump-out with the non-axisymmetric perturbation but an increase of the scrape-off layer density at the outer midplane. While the relative ion saturation current fluctuation level in the far scrape-off layer is decreasing, the skewness rises and especially the excess kurtosis grows by a factor of 1.5-3. The frequency of intermittent events (blobs) is increasing by 50 %. Also the poloidal velocity grows with the magnetic perturbation while the typical turbulent structure size becomes smaller by a factor 5-10 about 20-25 mm outside the separatrix. The local spectral density has been calculated from a two-point measurement of the ion saturation current. It is used to derive a dispersion relation. Two poloidal propagation velocities depending on the wave number have been found. One is an upper limit for the bulk E x B velocity and the second one the lower limit of the phase velocity. There is a significant contribution of the phase velocity to the propagation speed in the far scrape-off layer. ((c) 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)