Impact of zonal flows on edge pedestal collapse

We perform a computational study of the role of zonal flows in edge pedestal collapse on the basis of a nonlinear three-field reduced magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. A dramatic change of dynamics takes place when ideal ballooning modes are completely stabilized. Analyses show that a new instability is developed due to a strong excitation of zonal vorticity, resulting in a series of secondary crashes. The presence of subsidiary bursts after a main crash increases the effective crash time and energy loss. These simulation results resemble the behavior of compound edge localized modes (ELMs). Analyses in this paper indicate that a complete understanding of ELM crash dynamics requires the self-consistent inclusion of nonlinear zonal flows-MHD interaction and transport physics.