A novel high-performance confinement regime in a tokamak driven by tearing mode locking and rotation shear
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In magnetically confined fusion plasmas, tearing mode (TM) locking is conventionally regarded as detrimental, often halting rotation and triggering disruptions. Contrary to this expectation, we demonstrate that locked TMs can enhance confinement by inducing an internal transport barrier (ITB). Specifically, the interaction between a locked outer plasma region and neutral beam injection (NBI)-driven core rotation generates a broad and intense toroidal velocity shear layer, which suppresses turbulence and improves core confinement. Beam emission spectroscopy and charge exchange recombination spectroscopy confirm a substantial reduction in turbulent transport and a rise in core ion temperature exceeding T i > 9 keV . This phenomenon—termed the Locking-Induced Flow and Transport (LIFT) mode—transforms a traditionally disruptive mechanism into a confinement enhancement strategy.
Source: Nuclear Fusion
Institution: Southwestern Institute of Physics
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,595
OpenAlex ID: W7214734682