MHD and kinetic models for the interchange mode in a confined plasma

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5918253

Vandegrift, G G

The curvature driven interchange mode is studied. If the mode is in the pure flute regime (k/sub z/ = 0), then the ideal MHD equations are equivalent to an L-R-C circuit with the resistor representing linetying. The capacitance (ion polarization drift) and the inductance (curvature drift) are obtained from the plasma density, pressure, and magnetic field profiles. At large ..beta.., a conducting wall close to the plasma enhances the stability of the lowest order (displacement) mode by constraining the perturbed magnetic field. The wall also produces a stabilizing finite ion Larmor radius effect on the displacement mode by imposing a structure on the perturbed electric field. Ion-ion collisions or turbulence can strongly affect the mode even when the inverse radial confinement time is much less than the mode frequency. The unperturbed radial electric field changes the dispersion relation of the interchange mode. The combination of a radial electric field and linetrying gives a real (oscillatory) part of the frequency. A z-dependent radial electric field produces an electrostatic finite-k/sub z/ effect. Resonant effects between the wave and the azimuthal curvature drift are not normally important but may be important for a tandem mirror reactor if the central cell is very long and the endplug is very short. A calculation of parallel kinetic effects indicates that the ideal MHD ballooning mode equation is not valid for a collisionless plasma. Experiments were performed to verify several aspects of the theory.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5918253
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
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HIGH-BETA PLASMA
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