The spatial distribution of recombination has been studied in the detaching phases of L and H-mode discharges. Recombination is detected by the sudden increase in intensity of the high quantum number states of the Balmer series of hydrogen. In L-mode, detachment occurs completely and the radiation moves to a region near the x-point. In h-H-mode, detachment only occurs between ELMs. There is a marked decrease in the pedestal T_e inside the separatrix and loss of confinement before detachment takes place.
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