Theory of the Drift-Wave Instability at Arbitrary Collisionality
We introduce a framework, based on the expansion of the distribution function on a Hermite- Laguerre polynomial basis, to study the effects of collisions on magnetized plasma instabilities at arbitrary mean-free path. Focusing on the drift-wave instability, we show that our framework allows retrieving established collisional and collisionless limits. At the intermediate collisionalities relevant for present and future magnetic nuclear fusion devices, deviations with respect to collision operators used in state-of-the-art turbulence simulation codes show the need for retaining the full Coulomb operator in order to obtain both the correct instability growth rate and eigenmode spectrum, with potentially important implications to the understanding of plasma turbulence. The exponential convergence of the spectral representation that we propose makes the representation of the velocity space dependence, including the full collision operator, optimally efficient.
- Research Organization:
- Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Plasma Science and Fusion Center
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-91ER54109
- OSTI ID:
- 1880563
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Theory of the Drift-Wave Instability at Arbitrary Collisionality
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journal | October 2018 |
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