Fast-ion losses induced by ACs and TAEs in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

The phase-space of convective and diffusive fast-ion losses induced by shear Alfv´en eigenmodes has been characterized in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. Time-resolved energy and pitch-angle measurements of fast-ion losses correlated in frequency and phase with toroidal Alfv´en eigenmodes (TAEs) and Alfv´en cascades (ACs) have allowed to identify both loss mechanisms. While single ACs and TAEs eject resonan fast-ions in a convective process, the overlapping of AC and TAE spatial structures leads to a large fast-ion diffusion and loss. The threshold for diffusive fast-ion losses depends on the ion energy (gyroradius). Diffusive fast-ion losses with gyroradius ˜70mm have been observed with a single TAE for local radial displacements of the magnetic field lines larger than ˜2 mm. Multiple frequency chirping ACs cause an enhancement of the diffusive losses. The ACs and TAEs radial structures have been reconstructed by means of cross-correlation techniques between the fast-ion loss detector and the electron cyclotron emission radiometer.