Plasma heating in stellarators at the fundamental ion cyclotron frequency

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 2000 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.873847· OSTI ID:20215191

Svidzinski, V A ^[1]; Swanson, D G ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 (United States)

The propagation and absorption of Alfven waves at {omega}{approx_equal}{omega}{sub ci} is studied in a straight nonuniform helical plasma with elliptical cross section, placed in an inhomogeneous l=2 magnetic field created by helical windings. The model antenna with a spectrum of k{sub z} induces the m=+1 poloidal harmonic. In a uniform plasma in a uniform magnetic field the antenna excites the m=+1 fast wave fields. These fields are right-handed almost everywhere in the plasma and they are not absorbed by plasma ions. In the nonuniform helical l=2 magnetic field under certain conditions the antenna excites mostly the m=+1 fast wave and left-handed m=-1 slow wave fields. The coupling between these waves in the nonuniform magnetic field leads to the excitation of the left-handed wave field component near the plasma center and to the heating of plasma ions by this wave component. Collisionless absorption by plasma ions is assumed. The power deposition distribution in the plasma is examined for different plasma parameters. Results demonstrate that effective heating of the central part of the plasma at {omega}={omega}{sub ci} is possible for the low density plasmas in small scale devices. Because of the restrictions in the model, no firm conclusions can be made about the effectiveness of this method for high density plasmas in large scale devices. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.

• OSTI ID: 20215191
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 7; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALFVEN WAVES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
ION CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA WAVES
STELLARATORS
THEORETICAL DATA
WAVE PROPAGATION