Paper detail

Propagation in 3D of microwaves through density perturbations

Simulations using 3D and 2D full-wave codes have shown that edge filaments in tokamak plasmas can significantly affect the propagation of microwaves across a broad frequency spectrum, resulting in scattering angles of up to 46 degrees. Parameter scans were carried out for density perturbations comparable in width and amplitude to MAST filaments and the effect on the measured emission was calculated. 3D effects were discovered in the case of an obliquely incident beam. In general, the problem of EM propagation past wavelength-sized 3D inhomogeneities is not well understood, yet is of importance for both heating and diagnostic applications in the electron cyclotron frequency range for tokamaks, as well as atmospheric physics. To improve this understanding, a new cold-plasma code, EMIT-3D, was written to extend full-wave microwave simulations in magnetized plasmas to 3D, and make comparisons to the existing 2D code IPF-FDMC. This work supports MAST experiments using the SAMI diagnostic to image microwave emission from the plasma edge due to mode conversion from electron Bernstein waves. Significant fluctuations in the SAMI data mean that detailed modelling is required to improve its interpretation.