Fast imaging of visible phenomena in TFTR

A commercial fast framing visible imaging system was used at TFTR to study edge plasma phenomena. This system was typically operated at 1000 frames/s, with exposures as short as 10 ms. These short exposures ar made possible by the image intensification of the camera, which also allows narrow band interference filters to be used. Sequences of over 1600 digital images (239 pixel × 192 pixel × 8 bit) can be captured into temporary memory banks for later slow play-back and/or storage into computer archives. Examples are shown illustrating plasma disruption, flying debris, lithium pellet injection, shallow deposition of lithium by laser outside the plasma (DOLLOP) and edge plasma turbulence. The characteristics of this system make it also very useful to the machine operator, since they provide slow motion video coverage of the interior of the device.