Non-Inductive Plasma Vertical Position and Current Profile Measurements on EAST

Plasma vertical position is measured non-inductively using a Faraday rotation based POlarimeter-INTerferometer (POINT) diagnostic on EAST. The non-magnetic Faraday-effect approach is fusion reactor relevant as it has no integrator issues like those encountered using flux loop techniques. In addition, the Faraday measurement offers fast time response like magnetic pickup coils and can be used to track changes in position on the time scale of MHD instability growth rate. During the most recent run campaign, the POINT diagnostic has been successfully used to measure the plasma vertical position for the record 1056 second high-temperature discharge. In addition, the time response of the position measurement has been tested in plasmas where the vertical position changed by greater than 1 cm on a sub-millisecond timescale. Furthermore, current profile broadening with injection of ECRH at different radii is measured directly by the POINT system on EAST. The measured current change is consistent with decreasing plasma inductance.