Effect of plasma profile curvature on microwave scattering in reflectometry

Bruskin, L. G.; Mase, Atsushi*

The results of analytical solution of the time-dependent 2D full wave equation in cylindrical coordinates are presented here with application to plasma fluctuation reflectometry. We consider a family of plasma density profiles with cylindrical symmetry, which allow for a full integrationof the microwave scattering problem in Born approximation. Based on the results of analytical modeling, the effects of beam refraction and scattering are studied taking into account possible asymmetries such as antenna misalignments and movement of plasma fluctuations. It is shown that the reflectometer sensitivity to the small radial scale fluctuations increases in the plasma with the high curvature. It is also noted that the microwave reflectometry measurements are better localized in high curvature plasmas.