3D Field Modifications of Core Neutral Fueling In the EMC3-EIRENE Code

The application of 3-D magnetic field perturbations to the edge plasmas of tokamaks has long been seen as a viable way to control damaging Edge Localized Modes (ELMs). These 3-D fields have also been correlated with a density drop in the core plasmas of tokamaks; known as “pump-out”. While pump-out is typically explained as the result of enhanced outward transport, degraded fueling of the core may also play a role. By altering the temperature and density of the plasma edge, 3-D fields will impact the distribution function of high energy neutral particles produced through ion-neutral energy exchange processes. Starved of the deeply penetrating neutral source, the core density will decrease. Numerical studies carried out with the EMC3-EIRENE code on National Spherical Tokamak eXperiment- Upgrade (NSTX-U) equilibria show that this change to core fueling by high energy neutrals may be a significant contributor to the overall particle balance in the NSTX-U tokamak: deep core ($\Psi$ $<$ 0.5) fueling from neutral ionization sources is decreased by 40-60 \% with RMPs.