Direct prediction of saturated neoclassical tearing modes in slab using an equilibrium approach

Balkovic, E.; Loizu, J.; Graves, J. P.; Huang, Y-M; Smiet, C.

doi:10.1088/1361-6587/ad97dd

Direct prediction of saturated neoclassical tearing modes in slab using an equilibrium approach

Journal Article · Fri Dec 06 00:00:00 EST 2024 · Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/ad97dd· OSTI ID:2482510

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Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (EPFL) (Switzerland)
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

We demonstrate for the first time that the nonlinear saturation of neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) can be found directly using a variational principle based on Taylor relaxation, without needing to simulate the intermediate, resistivity-dependent dynamics. As in previous investigations of classical tearing mode saturation (Loizu et al 2020 Phys. Plasmas 27 070701; Loizu and Bonfiglio 2023 J. Plasma Phys. 89 905890507), we make use of Stepped Pressure Equilibrium Code (SPEC) (Hudson et al 2012 Phys. Plasmas 19 112502), an equilibrium solver based on the variational principle of the multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamics (MHDs), featuring stepped pressure profiles and arbitrary magnetic topology. We work in slab geometry and employ a simple bootstrap current model J_bs = C$$\boldsymbol{\nabla}$$p to study the bootstrap-driven tearing modes, scanning over the asymptotic matching parameter Δ' and bootstrap current strength. Saturated island widths produced by SPEC agree well with the predictions of an initial value resistive MHDs code (Huang and Bhattacharjee 2016 Astrophys. J. 818 20) while being orders of magnitude faster to calculate. Additionally, we observe good agreement with a simple analytical modified Rutherford equation, without requiring any fitting coefficients. The match is obtained for both linearly unstable classical tearing modes in the presence of bootstrap current, and NTMs, which are linearly stable but nonlinear-unstable due to the effects of the bootstrap current.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-09CH11466

OSTI ID:: 2482510

Journal Information:: Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Journal Name: Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 67; ISSN 0741-3335

Publisher:: IOP ScienceCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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