Two experimental regimes of asymmetry-induced transport

Journal Article · Fri Dec 10 04:00:00 EST 1999 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1302126· OSTI ID:21210360

Kriesel, Jason M; Driscoll, C Fred ^[1]

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1. Physics Department, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0319 (United States)

In a cylindrical trap, azimuthally asymmetric electric or magnetic fields (such as inherent trap asymmetries) cause the cross-magnetic-field transport of particles, leading to bulk radial expansion and eventually to particle loss at the trap walls. Experiments with applied electrostatic asymmetries identify two different transport regimes, 'slightly-rigid' and 'highly-rigid'. Here the plasma rigidity, R{identical_to}f-bar{sub b}/f{sub E}, is the ratio of the axial bounce frequency to the azimuthal ExB rotation frequency. In the slightly-rigid regime (1<R<10), the transport scales as V{sub a}R{sup -2}, where V{sub a} is the applied asymmetry strength. This R{sup -2}{proportional_to}L{sup 2}/B{sup 2} scaling has previously been observed for transport due to inherent trap asymmetries. The ''V{sub a}R{sup -2}'' mechanism appears to 'turn-off' as the rigidity is increased into the range R > or approx. 10. In the highly-rigid regime (R>20), the transport scales as V{sub a}{sup 2}R{sup 0}.

• OSTI ID: 21210360
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 498; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
ASYMMETRY
AXIAL SYMMETRY
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
ELECTRONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PARTICLE LOSSES
PLASMA
PLASMA EXPANSION
ROTATION
TRAPS