Alpha channeling with high-field launch of lower hybrid waves

Journal Article · Sun Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2015 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4935123· OSTI ID:22489820

Ochs, I. E. ^[1]; Bertelli, N. ^[2]; Fisch, N. J. ^[1]

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1. Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (United States)
2. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

Although lower hybrid waves are effective at driving currents in present-day tokamaks, they are expected to interact strongly with high-energy particles in extrapolating to reactors. In the presence of a radial alpha particle birth gradient, this interaction can take the form of wave amplification rather than damping. While it is known that this amplification more easily occurs when launching from the tokamak high-field side, the extent of this amplification has not been made quantitative. Here, by tracing rays launched from the high-field-side of a tokamak, the required radial gradients to achieve amplification are calculated for a temperature and density regime consistent with a hot-ion-mode fusion reactor. These simulations, while valid only in the linear regime of wave amplification, nonetheless illustrate the possibilities for wave amplification using high-field launch of the lower hybrid wave.

• OSTI ID: 22489820
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 22; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALPHA PARTICLES
AMPLIFICATION
CHANNELING
DAMPING
LOWER HYBRID CURRENT DRIVE
PLASMA SIMULATION
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TOKAMAK DEVICES