  Edge localised modes (ELMs) allow maintaining sufficient purity of tokamak
H-mode plasmas and thus enable stationary H-mode. On the other hand in a future
device ELMs may cause divertor power flux densities far in excess of tolerable
material limits. The size of the energy loss per ELM is determined by
saturation effects in the non-linear phase of the ELM, which at present is
hardly understood. Solitary magnetic perturbations (SMPs) are identified as
dominant features in the radial magnetic fluctuations below 100kHz. They are
typically observed close (+-0.1ms) to the onset of pedestal erosion. SMPs are
field aligned structures rotating in the electron diamagnetic drift direction
with perpendicular velocities of about 10km/s. A comparison of perpendicular
velocities suggests that the perturbation evoking SMPs is located at or inside
the separatrix. Analysis of very pronounced examples showed that the number of
peaks per toroidal turn is 1 or 2, which is clearly lower than corresponding
numbers in linear stability calculations. In combination with strong peaking of
the magnetic signals this results in a solitary appearance resembling modes
like palm tree modes, edge snakes or outer modes. This behavior has been
quantified as solitariness and correlated to main plasma parameters. SMPs may
be considered as a signature of the non-linear ELM-phase originating at the
separatrix or further inside. Thus they provide a handle to investigate the
transition from linear to non-linear ELM phase. By comparison with data from
gas puff imaging processes in the non-linear phase at or inside the separatrix
and in the scrape-off-layer (SOL) can be correlated. A connection between the
passing of an SMP and the onset of radial filament propagation has been found.
Eventually the findings related to SMPs may contribute to a future quantitative
understanding of the non-linear ELM evolution.
