Mitigation of NBI-driven Alfvén eigenmodes by electron cyclotron heating in the TJ-II stellarator

Alfvén eigenmode (AE) activity driven by NBI-produced fast ions is observed in TJ-II plasmas. A two-step response of the measured AEs to electron cyclotron heating (ECH) power is seen. In a first step, the continuous character of the unstable AEs changes to a chirping character of the marginally unstable AEs when moderate values of ECH power are applied to the NBI-only-heated plasma. In a second step, a significant reduction of the AE amplitude is observed when the ECH power is doubled. This stabilizing effect has been experimentally confirmed both on a shot-by-shot basis and along a single discharge by means of ECH modulation. The observed stabilizing effect is stronger with on-axis ECH than with off-axis ECH power injection. (letter)