Bifurcation to a stable limiter MARFE in Tore Supra

Abstract This paper reports on the observation on the tokamak Tore Supra of a very high density, highly radiating edge regime featuring a high recycling divertor. This regime is stable over several energy confinement times, without any additional external control. It is achieved through strong deuterium gas puffing, in an ICRH heated plasma scenario. When the electron density reaches ∼1.1 times the Greenwald density, a bifurcation occurs, leading to strong edge asymmetries: electron density, enhanced edge radiated power localized close to the limiter surface, and a consistent reduction of the conducted power to the limiter. A Greenwald fraction up to ∼1.4 is then achieved, without any loss of confinement, and with low plasma core contamination.