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Title: First experimental measurements of a new fast ion driven micro-burst instability in a field-reversed configuration plasma

Journal Article · · Nuclear Fusion
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  1. TAE Technologies, Inc., Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (United States)
  2. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
  3. Univ. of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

In modern field-reversed configuration (FRC) experiments at TAE Technologies, classical FRC instabilities are suppressed by advanced neutral beam injection and edge biasing methods, leading to high plasma confinement and fast ion pressure built-up which is comparable to the bulk plasma pressure. In some of these high performance FRC plasmas, a new macroscopically non-destructive fast ion driven micro-burst instability is observed as periodic small amplitude bursts with frequency down chirping in the diamagnetic drift frequency range, repeating about every 0.1 to 0.5 ms. The occurrence of these micro-bursts and burst-free operation can be controlled by changing the injected neutral beam energy. Furthermore, major observed characteristics of this new instability are presented. Possible explanation of the phenomenon is suggested.

Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Contributing Organization:
The TAE Team
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-09CH11466
OSTI ID:
1484350
Journal Information:
Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 58, Issue 12; ISSN 0029-5515
Publisher:
IOP ScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 5 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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High sensitivity far infrared laser diagnostics for the C-2U advanced beam-driven field-reversed configuration plasmas journal August 2016
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Formation of a long-lived hot field reversed configuration by dynamically merging two colliding high-β compact toroids journal May 2011
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Betatron resonance instabilities in axisymmetric field-reversed systems journal January 1979
Field-reversed configurations with a component of energetic particles journal November 1982
Development of a three-wave far-infrared laser interferometry and polarimetry diagnostic system for the C-2W field-reversed configuration plasmas journal October 2018

Figures / Tables (16)

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70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
field-reversed configuration
micro-burst instability
fast ion