Validation of gyrokinetic simulations with measurements of electron temperature fluctuations and density-temperature phase angles on ASDEX Upgrade

Measurements of turbulent electron temperature fluctuation amplitudes, δTe⊥/Te, frequency spectra, and radial correlation lengths, Lr(Te⊥), have been performed at ASDEX Upgrade using a newly upgraded Correlation ECE diagnostic in the range of scales k⊥<1.4 cm−1, kr<3.5 cm−1 ( k⊥ρs<0.28 and krρs<0.7). The phase angle between turbulent temperature and density fluctuations, αnT, has also been measured by using an ECE radiometer coupled to a reflectometer along the same line of sight. These quantities are used simultaneously to constrain a set of ion-scale non-linear gyrokinetic turbulence simulations of the outer core (ρtor = 0.75) of a low density, electron heated L-mode plasma, performed using the gyrokinetic simulation code, GENE. The ion and electron temperature gradients were scanned within uncertainties. It is found that gyrokinetic simulations are able to match simultaneously the electron and ion heat flux at this radius within the experimental uncertainties. The simulations were performed based on a ...