Structure and scaling properties of the geodesic acoustic mode

Characteristics and scaling properties of the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM), a coherent, radially-sheared high frequency (similar to 15 kHz) zonal flow oscillation, are studied systematically using time-delay-estimation techniques applied to localized, multi-point density fluctuation measurements obtained by beam emission spectroscopy on DIII-D. The GAM amplitude is shown to increase strongly with increasing safety factor, q(95), and to likewise become undetectably small for q(95) < 4.2, qualitatively consistent with theoretical predictions based on collisional damping as well as simulations. The radial structure of the GAM exhibits peak amplitude in the radial range 0.88 < r/a < 0.95 with a rapid amplitude reduction inside and outside this region. The measured frequency is close to the predicted frequency, though some deviation to higher frequency is observed at lower q. The GAM amplitude is also shown to increase with plasma elongation, k, while its frequency decreases.