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Title: The unified ballooning theory with weak up-down asymmetric mode structure and the numerical studies

Abstract

A unified ballooning theory, constructed on the basis of two special theories [Zhang et al., Phys. Fluids B 4, 2729 (1992); Y. Z. Zhang and T. Xie, Nucl. Fusion Plasma Phys. 33, 193 (2013)], shows that a weak up-down asymmetric mode structure is normally formed in an up-down symmetric equilibrium; the weak up-down asymmetry in mode structure is the manifestation of non-trivial higher order effects beyond the standard ballooning equation. It is shown that the asymmetric mode may have even higher growth rate than symmetric modes. The salient features of the theory are illustrated by investigating a fluid model for the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode. The two dimensional (2D) analytical form of the ITG mode, solved in ballooning representation, is then converted into the radial-poloidal space to provide the natural boundary condition for solving the 2D mathematical local eigenmode problem. We find that the analytical expression of the mode structure is in a good agreement with finite difference solution. This sets a reliable framework for quasi-linear computation.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)
  2. Center for Magnetic Fusion Theory, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)
  3. Institute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22599134
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 23; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ASYMMETRY; BALLOONING INSTABILITY; BOUNDARY CONDITIONS; CALCULATION METHODS; EQUATIONS; EQUILIBRIUM; FLUIDS; ION TEMPERATURE; NUMERICAL ANALYSIS; PLASMA; SYMMETRY; TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS; TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS

Citation Formats

Xie, T., E-mail: xietao@ustc.edu.cn, Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230026, Qin, H., Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, Zhang, Y. Z., and Mahajan, S. M. The unified ballooning theory with weak up-down asymmetric mode structure and the numerical studies. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4947556.
Xie, T., E-mail: xietao@ustc.edu.cn, Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230026, Qin, H., Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, Zhang, Y. Z., & Mahajan, S. M. The unified ballooning theory with weak up-down asymmetric mode structure and the numerical studies. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4947556
Xie, T., E-mail: xietao@ustc.edu.cn, Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230026, Qin, H., Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, Zhang, Y. Z., and Mahajan, S. M. 2016. "The unified ballooning theory with weak up-down asymmetric mode structure and the numerical studies". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4947556.
@article{osti_22599134,
title = {The unified ballooning theory with weak up-down asymmetric mode structure and the numerical studies},
author = {Xie, T., E-mail: xietao@ustc.edu.cn and Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230026 and Qin, H. and Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 and Zhang, Y. Z. and Mahajan, S. M.},
abstractNote = {A unified ballooning theory, constructed on the basis of two special theories [Zhang et al., Phys. Fluids B 4, 2729 (1992); Y. Z. Zhang and T. Xie, Nucl. Fusion Plasma Phys. 33, 193 (2013)], shows that a weak up-down asymmetric mode structure is normally formed in an up-down symmetric equilibrium; the weak up-down asymmetry in mode structure is the manifestation of non-trivial higher order effects beyond the standard ballooning equation. It is shown that the asymmetric mode may have even higher growth rate than symmetric modes. The salient features of the theory are illustrated by investigating a fluid model for the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode. The two dimensional (2D) analytical form of the ITG mode, solved in ballooning representation, is then converted into the radial-poloidal space to provide the natural boundary condition for solving the 2D mathematical local eigenmode problem. We find that the analytical expression of the mode structure is in a good agreement with finite difference solution. This sets a reliable framework for quasi-linear computation.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4947556},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22599134}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 4,
volume = 23,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}