Global Alfvén modes: Theory and experiment*

It is shown that the theoretical predictions and experimental observations of toroidicity‐induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE’s) are now in good agreement, with particularly detailed agreement in the mode frequencies. Calculations of the driving and damping rates predict the importance of continuum damping for low toroidal mode numbers and this is confirmed experimentally. However, theoretical calculations in finite‐β, shaped discharges predict the existence of other global Alfven modes, in particular the ellipticity‐induced Alfven eigenmode (EAE) and a new mode, the beta‐induced Alfven eigenmode (BAE). The BAE mode is calculated to be in or below the same frequency range as the TAE mode and may contribute to the experimental observations at high β. Experimental evidence and complementary analyses are presented confirming the presence of the EAE mode at higher frequencies.

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