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Slow formation of field-reversed configuration by use of two merging spheromaks

Journal Article · · Fusion Technology
OSTI ID:219797
A novel slow formation method of field-reversed configuration (FRC) has been developed by magnetic reconnection of two force-free spheromaks with opposite toroidal magnetic field. The merging process cancels their opposite magnetic helicities, realizing a non-Taylor relaxation from the force-free state to the high-{beta} FRC state with zero helicity. A significant increase in the ion temperature has been documented up to 180 eV during this fully anti-parallel reconnection. The dissipated toroidal magnetic energy of the merging toroids is transformed mostly to the ion thermal energy, revealing a unique relaxation mechanism to the high-beta equilibrium. The merging toroids are found to relax either to an FRC or to a new spheromak, depending on whether their total helicity is larger or smaller than a critical value. 10 refs., 5 figs.
OSTI ID:
219797
Report Number(s):
CONF-941182--
Journal Information:
Fusion Technology, Journal Name: Fusion Technology Vol. 27; ISSN 0748-1896; ISSN FUSTE8
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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