Macroscopic Stability Control Experiments with Phased Antennas in the GAMMA10 Tandem Mirror

Validity of averaged minimum-B configuration on Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) stability of the GAMMA10 tandem mirror are studied in the ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF)heated, hot ion mode plasma. It has been observed that the plasma can not be sustained mostly owing to the flute interchange mode when the high power ICRF is applied for the central cell ion heating. As the ratio of the central cell beta to the anchor cell beta increases, the amplitude of the flute interchange mode increases. The anchor cell plasma is also sustained by the another ICRF source in the central cell. The flute type MHD instability in GAMMA10 is well controlled by the phased ICRF antennas in the central cell.