The Torsatron TJ-K, an experiment for the investigation of turbulence in a toroidal low-temperature plasma

The Torsatron TJ-K is a toroidal device operated with a magnetically confined low-temperature plasma to study turbulence and wave propagation. The magnetic configuration is the same as for a fusion plasma device. However, the plasma parameters are such that probes can be used in the entire plasma cross section to measure the detailed spatiotemporal structure of the turbulence. At the same time, the dimensionless parameters governing turbulence are in the same range as those of the fusion plasma edge. The objective of the experiment is to obtain data, which allow a close comparison with drift-wave turbulence simulations. Furthermore, the propagation of the helicon heating wave in a toroidal geometry as well as excited gap Alfven modes will be studied. The article presents the experimental setup and the diagnostics. It is demonstrated that the TJ-K plasma has parameters and profiles relevant to achieve the objectives of the project. First results of turbulence and wave studies are presented. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.