The presence of a large pinch velocity in the edge pedestal of high confinement (H-mode) tokamak plasmas implies that particle transport in the plasma edge must be treated by a pinch-diffusion theory, rather than a pure diffusion theory. Momentum balance also requires the inclusion of a pinch term in descriptions of edge particle transport. A numerical investigation of solving generalized pinch-diffusion theory using methods extended from the numerical solution methodology of pure diffusion theory has been carried out. The generalized diffusion equation has been numerically integrated using the central finite-difference approximation for the diffusion term and three finite difference approximations of the pinch term, and then solved using Gauss reduction. The pinch-diffusion relation for the radial particle flux was solved directly and used as a benchmark for the finite-difference algorithm solutions to the generalized diffusion equation. Both equations are solved using several mesh spacings, and it is found that a finer mesh spacing will be required in the edge pedestal, where the inward pinch velocity is large in H-mode plasmas, than is necessary for similar accuracy further inward where the pinch velocity diminishes. An expression for the numerical error of various finite-differencing algorithms is presented.

Evolution of measured profiles of densities, temperatures and velocities in the edge pedestal region between successive ELM (edge-localized mode) events are analyzed and interpreted in terms of the constraints imposed by particle, momentum and energy balance in order to gain insights regarding the underlying evolution of transport processes in the edge pedestal between ELMs in a series of DIII-D discharges. The data from successive inter-ELM periods during an otherwise steady-state phase of the discharges were combined into a composite inter-ELM period for the purpose of increasing the number of data points in the analysis. These composite periods were partitioned into sequential intervals to examine inter-ELM transport evolution. The GTEDGE integrated modeling code was used to calculate and interpret plasma transport and properties during each interval using particle, momentum, and energy balance. Variation of diffusive and non-diffusive (pinch) particle, momentum, and energy transport over the inter-ELM period are examined for discharges with plasma currents from 0.5 to 1.5 MA and inter-ELM periods from 50 to 220 ms. Diffusive transport is dominant for ρ< 0.925, while non-diffusive and diffusive transport are very large and nearly balancing in the sharp gradient region 0.925 <ρ <1.0. Transport effects of ion orbit loss are significant for ρ > 0.95, and are taken into account. During the inter-ELM period, diffusive transport increases slightly more than non-diffusive transport, increasing total outward transport. Both diffusive and non-diffusive transport have a strong inverse correlation with plasma current. Weakening the electromagnetic pinch may increase outward particle transport, and enable control over the rebuilding of the edge pedestal between ELMs.