Unified theory of Mercier-ballooning and Alfven eigenmodes in positive-shear tokamaks with large-orbit energetic ions

Journal Article · Fri Apr 15 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1877519· OSTI ID:20736514

Mikhailovskii, A B; Kovalishen, E A; Tsypin, V S; Galvao, R M.O. ^[1]

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1. Institute of Nuclear Fusion, Russian Research Centre 'Kurchatov Institute', Kurchatov Sq. 1, Moscow 123182 (Russian Federation) and Nonlinear Physics Laboratory, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutskii per. 9, Dolgoprudnyi 141700 Moscow Region (Russian Federation)

A unified theory of the Mercier-ballooning and the compensating-electron Alfven eigenmodes (CEAEs) in positive-shear tokamaks with large-orbit energetic ions is developed. It is shown that the cross-field drift effect of electrons compensating the electric charge of energetic ions (the compensating-electron effect) leads to rotation of the Mercier-ballooning modes. If the Mercier stability criterion is satisfied, the ballooning modes rotate in the direction of compensating-electron frequency, while in violation of this stability criterion the unstable modes rotate against this frequency. The compensating-electron effect also results in decreasing the growth rate of ballooning modes, though their instability condition is unchanged. The Mercier and ballooning effects influence both rotation and decay rate of the CEAEs, the ballooning effect being smaller than the Mercier effect. As a result, rotation and damping of CEAEs increases/decreases in the case of magnetic well/hill.

• OSTI ID: 20736514
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 12; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALFVEN WAVES
BALLOONING INSTABILITY
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA WAVES
TAIL IONS
TOKAMAK DEVICES