Wave-number spectral scaling law of drift wave-zonal flow turbulence in gyrofluid simulations

Journal Article · Thu Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3456521· OSTI ID:21389103

Jiquan, Li; Kishimoto, Y ^[1]

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1. Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, 611-0011 Gokasho, Uji (Japan)

Wave-number spectral characteristics of ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence are investigated based on three-dimensional gyrofluid simulation. The focus is on the back reaction of the self-generated zonal flows (ZFs) on the ambient turbulence through nonlinear mode coupling. Detailed spectral analyses evidently show that the radial wave-number spectra of the ITG-ZF turbulence is characterized by an exponential-law scaling, which is deformed from the usual Kolmogorov-like power law by the back reaction of the ZFs. These results are qualitatively in agreement with a theoretical prediction [Guercan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 255002 (2009)] and fairly match with the experimental observation of the density fluctuation spectrum [Hennequin et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 46, B121 (2004)]. The generality of such spectral characteristics in drift wave turbulence with large-scale coherent structures is discussed.

• OSTI ID: 21389103
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 17; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
DENSITY
FLUCTUATIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
ION TEMPERATURE
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA SIMULATION
SCALING LAWS
SIMULATION
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TURBULENCE
VARIATIONS
WAVE PROPAGATION