q = 2 sawteeth and major disruptions in tokamaks

In numerical simulations of q = 2 tearing modes, the maximum amplitude of the mode is found to increase rapidly as the safety factor on axis q(0) rises above 1.5. The associated magnetic islands grow to the center of the column, encompassing virtually the entire plasma cross section. As a result of the formation of these very large islands, the hot central plasma is rapidly convected out to the edge of the column, thereby destroying central confinement. Experimental evidence from several tokamaks linking the formation of these very large islands with major disruptions is presented. Typically, major disruptions are observed to occur in two (or more) stages. During the first stage(s) q rises on axis while the final stage, which terminates the discharge, is associated with the violent growth of an m = 2 perturbation. Under some circumstances q = 2 sawteeth are predicted to occur. Evidence for such sawteeth in a divertor tokamak is discussed