Effect of the radial electric field on turbulence
For many years, the neoclassical transport theory for three- dimensional magnetic configurations, such as magnetic mirrors, ELMO Bumpy Tori (EBTs), and stellarators, has recognized the critical role of the radial electric field in the confinement. It was in these confinement devices that the first experimental measurements of the radial electric field were made and correlated with confinement losses. In tokamaks, the axisymmetry implies that the neoclassical fluxes are ambipolar and, as a consequence, independent of the radial electric field. However, axisymmetry is not strict in a tokamak with turbulent fluctuations, and near the limiter ambipolarity clearly breaks down. Therefore, the question of the effect of the radial electric field on tokamak confinement has been raised in recent years. In particular, the radial electric field has been proposed to explain the transition from L-mode to H-mode confinement. There is some initial experimental evidence supporting this type of explanation, although there is not yet a self-consistent theory explaining the generation of the electric field and its effect on the transport. Here, a brief review of recent results is presented. 27 refs., 4 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/ER
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6936872
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9007113-1; ON: DE90012936; TRN: 90-020198
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Workshop on transport and confinement in toroidal devices, Santander (Spain), 2 Jul 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
TOKAMAK DEVICES
TURBULENCE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
H-MODE PLASMA CONFINEMENT
HELMHOLTZ INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT
NEOCLASSICAL TRANSPORT THEORY
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
SHEAR
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFINEMENT
INSTABILITY
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TRANSPORT THEORY
700107* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Instabilities