PLASMA FLOWS AND FLUCTUATIONS IN THE EDGE REGION OF HELIOTRON-E ECH PLASMAS

The characteristics near the last closed flux surface have been studie d with a multi-faced Langmuir probe for the edge heated ECH plasmas in Heliotron E. Related to the usually observed degradation of the parti cle confinement in ECH plasmas (plasma ''pump-out'' phenomena), we hav e made the following observations. (a) The characteristics of the plas ma flow and electrostatic fluctuations differ with and without the pla sma pump-out phenomena, (b) these changes are closely coupled to the l oss of the energetic electrons produced by ECH and/or to the resultant electric field, (c) the fluctuation-induced particle flux is well cor related with the degradation of the particle transport.