[en] Reflectometry applied to the measurement of density profiles on fusion plasmas has been subject to many recent developments. After a brief reminder of the principles of reflectometry, the theoretical accuracy of reflectometry measurements is discussed. The main difficulties limiting the performance, namely the plasma fluctuations and the quality of the transmission lines, are analysed. The different techniques used for reflectometry are then presented. The present status and achievements of actual implementations of these techniques are shown, with an analysis of their respective limitations and merits, as well as foreseen developments. (author)

[en] Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) at an oblique angle to the magnetic field provides a means of probing the electron distribution function. An overview of the general characteristics of Oblique ECE and it is shown how optically thin emission can be radially localized. Radially localized measurements of the fast electron distribution during Lower Hybrid Current Drive on PBX-M is presented. It is shown how Oblique ECE can be used to obtain fine-scale energy space resolution of the emission from a 'near-Maxwellian' plasma. (K.A.)

[en] During this reporting period we conducted experiments both on the Omega Upgrade 60 beam laser at the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) and on the Trident laser at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). 3 figs

[en] The aim of this work is to study the nonlinear dynamics of Langmuir and electromagnetic waves in space plasmas. Firstly, the generalized Zakharov equations are derived which are used to study the hybrid parametric instability involving the generation of daughter Langmuir, electromagnetic and ion-acoustic waves induced by two counter-propagating Langmuir pump waves with different amplitudes based on a coupled dispersion relation. Secondly, starting from the generalized Zakharov equations the linear and nonlinear coupled mode theories of three-wave and four-wave parametric interactions are developed, respectively. In three-waves processes, a Langmuir wave decays into another Langmuir wave and an ion-acoustic wave (electrostatic parametric decay) or into an electromagnetic wave and an ion-acoustic wave (electromagnetic parametric decay). In four-wave (modulational) processes, the interaction involves two wave triplets: in the decay triplet a pump wave couples with a low-frequency wave to generate a Stokes wave, and in the fusion triplets: in the decay triplet a pump wave couples with a low-frequency wave to generate a Stokes wave, and in the fusion triplet the coupling of a pump wave with a low-frequency wave generate an anti-Stokes wave. These modulational processes are convective and resonant processes wherein the low-frequency modes are Eigenmodes of plasma and are known as the stimulated modulational processes. Four such processes are investigated in this thesis: two with Langmuir pump waves (electrostatic and hybrid stimulated modulation processes) and the other two with electromagnetic pump waves (stimulated modulation Brillouin scattering and electromagnetic stimulated modulation process). Applications of the theoretical results in space plasmas are discussed. In particular, it is shown that the electrostatic and electromagnetic parametric decay processes of Langmuir waves can model the generation and modulation of radio emissions and Langmuir waves in the solar wind, both in the interplanetary space as well as in the upstream regions of some planets, and can explain some observational characteristics. (author)

[en] Microwave reflectometry is based on the analysis of the properties (phase delay, time delay, amplitude) of a millimeter wave beam which is launched and reflected at the plasma critical layer. Operation with a fixed frequency beam can be used to analyze the electron density fluctuations in the reflecting region. If several frequencies are launched, information about the density profile can be obtained. In these proceedings, a collection of papers is presented on the issues of density fluctuation studies and profile analysis as well as a special contribution about the development of reflectometry for the ITER project. (Author) 145 refs

[en] In order to benchmark and improve current 2D radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models of Z-pinch plasmas, we have performed experiments which characterize the plasma -conditions at stagnation. In the experiments the SATURN pulsed power facility at Sandia National Laboratory was used to create an imploding -Ar-Ne plasma. An absolutely calibrated, high resolution space- and time- resolving Johann crystal spectrometer was used to infer the electron temperature Te from the slope of the hydrogenlike Ne free-bound continuum, and the ion density ni from the Stark broadening of the Ar heliunlike Rydberg series. 2D electron temperature profiles of the plasma are obtained from a set of imaging crystals also focused on the Ne free-bound continuum. We shot two types of gas nozzles in the experiment, annular and uniform fill which varies the amount of mass in the plasma. 2D local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE MM models predict a radiating region denser and cooler than measured

[en] Filtered x-ray diode, (XRD), detectors are used as primary radiation flux diagnostics on Sandia's Z-accelerator, which generates nominally a 200 TW, 2 MJ, x-ray pulse. Given such flux levels and XRD sensitivities the detectors are being fielded 23 meters from the source. The standard diagnostic setup and sensitivities are discussed. Vitreous carbon photocathodes are being used to reduce the effect of hydrocarbon contamination present in the Z-machine vacuum system. Nevertheless pre- and post-calibration data taken indicate spectrally dependent changes in the sensitivity of these detectors by up to factors up to 2 or 3

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