The non-linear evolution of edge localized modes

Edge localized modes (ELMs) are instabilities in the edge of tokamak plasmas in the high confinement regime (H-mode). Without them the edge transport in ordinary H-mode plasmas is too low to establish a stationary situation. However in a future device large unmitigated ELMs are believed to cause divertor power flux densities far in excess of tolerable material limits. Hence the size of energy loss per ELM and the resulting ELM frequency must be controlled. To proceed in understanding how the ELM size is determined and how ELM mitigation methods work it is necessary to characterize the non-linear evolution of pedestal erosion. In order to achieve this experimental data is compared to the results of ELM simulations with the code JOREK (reduced MHD, non-linear) applying a specially developed synthetic magnetic diagnostic. The experimental data is acquired by several fast sampling diagnostics at the experiments ASDEX Upgrade and TCV at a large number of toroidal/poloidal positions. A central element of the presented work is the detailed characterization of dominant magnetic perturbations during ELMs. These footprints of the instability can be observed most intensely in close temporal vicinity to the onset of pedestal erosion. Dominant magnetic perturbations are caused by current perturbations located at or inside the last closed flux surface. In ASDEX Upgrade under certain conditions dominant magnetic perturbations like other H-mode edge instabilities display a similarity to solitons. Furthermore as expected they are often observed to be correlated to a perturbation of electron temperature. In TCV it is possible to characterize the evolution of the toroidal structure of dominant magnetic perturbations. Between growing above the level of background fluctuations and the maximum perturbation level for all time instance a similar toroidal structure is observed. This rigid mode-structure is an indication for non-linear coupling. Most frequently the dominant toroidal mode number is 1. Consistent with linear and non-linear MHD calculations this leads to the conclusion that the dominant toroidal mode number from the linear to the non-linear phase has a transition from intermediate (n ≈ 10) to low values (n ≈ 1). This structural transition emphasizes the need to approach the question of ELM-sizes non-linearly. Furthermore the question is raised, whether the interaction of this modified non-linear perturbation and the conducting wall leads to a temporary saturation of the perturbation. Dominant magnetic perturbations are compared with ELM signatures typically observed earlier (coherent ELM precursors) or later (ELM filaments) in order to obtain information and understanding of the ELM evolution. The transport during ELMs is characterized by a competition between parallel transport to the divertor and transport in radially ejected ELM filaments. The analysis method diagnostic mapping, which has been developed in the course of this thesis, allows to carry out an improved correlation of dominant magnetic perturbations and ELM filaments. The resulting observation of propagation of both features in different perpendicular directions is understood as a consequence of the strong perpendicu-