Excitation of Alfvénic Modes via Electromagnetic Turbulence in Wendelstein 7-X.

In this Letter, we demonstrate by comparison of computer simulations and experimental results that excitation of turbulence-driven electromagnetic secondary instabilities can serve as a paradigm to explain the observed activity of otherwise stable modes in fusion devices. In particular, we discuss the excitation of Alfvén eigenmodes in electron cyclotron heated plasmas in the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator. In more than 700 experimental programs of W7-X Operational Phase 1.