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Title: Onset and Saturation of the Kink Instability in a Current-Carrying Line-Tied Plasma

Abstract

An internal kink instability is observed to grow and saturate in a line-tied screw pinch plasma. Detailed measurements show that an ideal, line-tied kink mode begins growing when the safety factor q=(4{pi}{sup 2}r{sup 2}B{sub z}/{mu}{sub 0}I{sub p}(r)L) drops below 1 inside the plasma; the saturated state corresponds to a rotating helical equilibrium. In addition to the ideal mode, reconnection events are observed to periodically flatten the current profile and change the magnetic topology.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, 1150 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20775019
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 96; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.015004; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; EQUILIBRIUM; KINK INSTABILITY; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; PERIODICITY; PLASMA; SATURATION; SCREW PINCH; TOPOLOGY

Citation Formats

Bergerson, W F, Forest, C B, Fiksel, G, Hannum, D A, Kendrick, R, Sarff, J S, and Stambler, S. Onset and Saturation of the Kink Instability in a Current-Carrying Line-Tied Plasma. United States: N. p., 2006. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.015004.
Bergerson, W F, Forest, C B, Fiksel, G, Hannum, D A, Kendrick, R, Sarff, J S, & Stambler, S. Onset and Saturation of the Kink Instability in a Current-Carrying Line-Tied Plasma. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.015004
Bergerson, W F, Forest, C B, Fiksel, G, Hannum, D A, Kendrick, R, Sarff, J S, and Stambler, S. 2006. "Onset and Saturation of the Kink Instability in a Current-Carrying Line-Tied Plasma". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.015004.
@article{osti_20775019,
title = {Onset and Saturation of the Kink Instability in a Current-Carrying Line-Tied Plasma},
author = {Bergerson, W F and Forest, C B and Fiksel, G and Hannum, D A and Kendrick, R and Sarff, J S and Stambler, S},
abstractNote = {An internal kink instability is observed to grow and saturate in a line-tied screw pinch plasma. Detailed measurements show that an ideal, line-tied kink mode begins growing when the safety factor q=(4{pi}{sup 2}r{sup 2}B{sub z}/{mu}{sub 0}I{sub p}(r)L) drops below 1 inside the plasma; the saturated state corresponds to a rotating helical equilibrium. In addition to the ideal mode, reconnection events are observed to periodically flatten the current profile and change the magnetic topology.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.015004},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20775019}, journal = {Physical Review Letters},
issn = {0031-9007},
number = 1,
volume = 96,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 13 00:00:00 EST 2006},
month = {Fri Jan 13 00:00:00 EST 2006}
}