Theoretical and experimental investigation of the phase-runaway in microwave reflectometry

Runaway of the reflectometer output phase can be produced by transversely propagating density fluctuations if the antenna system is operated in the tilt-mode, i.e. away from perpendicular incidence. The observed characteristics of the phase runaway are explained with an analytical model. The two-dimensional (2D) effects resulting from poloidally propagating density fluctuations are calculated using a time-independent full-wave 2D code. Numerical simulations for both monochromatic and turbulent density fluctuations are presented. Good agreement with the characteristics of phase runaway measured with reflectometry in the W7-AS stellarator is obtained. The potential of a reflectometer in the tilt-mode to measure the radially resolved poloidal propagation velocity of density fluctuations is analysed.