Localized measurements of turbulence in the TORE SUPRA tokamak

A collective infra-red laser scattering diagnostic has been installed on the TORE SUPRA tokamak for the measurement of plasma density fluctuations. For the range of wavenumbers explored (3-15 cm^-1), the scattering angles are very weak ( approximately 1 mrad). Consequently, the scattering signals are averaged along the whole observation chord, resulting in poor longitudinal spatial localization. By virtue of the pitch angle variation of the magnetic field lines in the tokamak, and of the perpendicularity of the turbulence wavevector to these field lines, it has been possible to obtain partial spatial resolution along the direction of the beam. Good agreement between the experimental and theoretical angular resolution of the diagnostic as well as the results of cross-correlation performed on the signals obtained by two simultaneous probing beams also justify this novel concept.