Collisionless {ital m}=1 reconnection in tokamaks

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.871925· OSTI ID:286069

Rogers, B ^[1]; Zakharov, L ^[2]

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1. Institute for Plasma Research, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742-3511 (United States)
2. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

In high temperature tokamak regimes, the {ital m}=1 reconnecting mode is governed by two fluid effects associated with the electron skin-depth {ital d}{sub {ital e}}={ital c}/{omega}{sub {ital pe}} and the ion sound radius {rho}{sub {ital s}}={ital c}{sub {ital s}}/{Omega}{sub {ital ci}}. To clarify the early nonlinear dynamics of this mode, numerical simulations of a two fluid model are presented. To simulate physically reasonable parameters in a tokamak geometry, an efficient approach is used in which only a narrow layer surrounding the {ital q}=1 surface and {ital m}=1 magnetic island must be simulated. In the usual tokamak case {rho}{sub {ital s}}{approx_gt}{ital d}{sub {ital e}}, as well as the limit {rho}{sub {ital s}}=0, the early nonlinear growth of the mode is faster than exponential due a broadening of the flow layer. This broadening appears to result from tension in the magnetic field lines, which acts to pull the layer open as the island grows. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 286069
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 3; ISSN 1070-664X; ISSN PHPAEN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BOUNDARY LAYERS
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
MAGNETIC ISLANDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA SIMULATION
TOKAMAK DEVICES