Resistive stability of the cylindrical spheromak

Technical Report · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5525981· OSTI ID:5525981

DeLucia, J; Jardin, S C; Glasser, A H

The growth rates for resistive instabilities in a straight circular cylinder with spheromak profiles are computed by using two complementary methods. The first method employs boundary layer analysis and asymptotic matching, most valid for values of the magnetic Reynolds number S greater than or equal to 10/sup 5/. The second method solved the full linearized resistive MHD equations as an initial value problem, utilizing zone packing around the mode rational surface. Resolution requirements limit this to S less than or equal to 10/sup 7/. The results from these two methods agree to better than 1 in 10/sup 3/ in the overlap region 10/sup 7/ greater than or equal to S greater than or equal to 10/sup 5/. A scan of parameter space reveals that for parabolic q-profiles, the least unstable configurations have q/sub 0/ R/a approx. 0.67. The Hall term in Ohm's Law is easily incorporated into both methods. Recalculating the resistive MHD growth rates in the presence of this term shows that the resistive interchange mode is completely stabilized for a large enough value of the ion cyclotron time.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 5525981
• Report Number(s): PPPL-2054; ON: DE84003498
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
SPHEROMAK DEVICES
PLASMA INSTABILITY
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
FLUTE INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
OHM LAW
REYNOLDS NUMBER
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFIGURATION
INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TOKAMAK DEVICES
700107* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Instabilities