Transport of Parallel Momentum Induced by Current-Symmetry Breaking in Toroidal Plasmas
- Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)
- Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM-IPP Association, 85748 Garching (Germany)
- National Technical University of Athens, EURATOM Association, GR-15773 Athens (Greece)
The symmetry of a physical system strongly impacts on its properties. In toroidal plasmas, the symmetry along a magnetic field line usually constrains the radial flux of parallel momentum to zero in the absence of background flows. By breaking the up-down symmetry of the toroidal currents, this constraint can be relaxed. The parallel asymmetry in the magnetic configuration then leads to an incomplete cancellation of the turbulent momentum flux across a flux surface. The magnitude of the subsequent toroidal rotation increases with the up-down asymmetry and its sign depends on the direction of the toroidal magnetic field and plasma current. Such a mechanism offers new insights in the interpretation and control of the intrinsic toroidal rotation in present day experiments.
- OSTI ID:
- 21180321
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 102; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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