Impacts of 3D magnetic perturbations on the edge plasma transport and stability on EAST

The next generation fusion machines, like ITER and DEMO, will need a reliable method for controlling or suppressing large edge-localized modes (ELMs). Resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs), which change the magnetic topology of the confined plasma, have been applied to completely suppress ELMs or to mitigate ELMs in several devices. Although the physics mechanism is still unclear, experimental results from those experiments demonstrate that the magnetic topology plays a key role in plasma transport, edge magnetohydrodynamic stability, and interactions between the plasma and the first wall, particularly with the divertor.