Investigation of tearing mode stability near ideal stability boundaries via asymptotic matching techniques

Fitzpatrick, Richard

doi:10.1063/5.0273568

Investigation of tearing mode stability near ideal stability boundaries via asymptotic matching techniques

Journal Article · Fri Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0273568· OSTI ID:2997729

^[1]

University of Texas at Austin, TX (United States)

A number of improvements to the TJ toroidal tearing mode code [Fitzpatrick, Phys. Plasmas 31, 102507 (2024)] are documented. The TJ code is also successfully benchmarked against the STRIDE toroidal tearing mode code [Glasser and Koleman, Phys. Plasmas 25, 082502 (2018)]. Finally, the new capabilities of the TJ code are used to investigate the stability of tearing modes in tokamak plasmas as an ideal stability boundary, associated with either an external-kink or an internal-kink mode, is approached. All elements of the tearing stability matrix are found to tend to infinity as an ideal stability boundary is approached. Furthermore, as the stability boundary is approached, the eigenfunctions of the various tearing modes in the plasma, which are decoupled by sheared plasma rotation, are all found to morph into that of the marginally stable ideal mode. However, the growth-rates and real frequencies of the various “ideal-tearing-modes” are different from one another. Moreover, the growth-rate of the ideal-tearing-mode that reconnects magnetic flux at the rational surface that lies closest to the edge of the plasma is the one that tends to a very large value as the stability boundary is approached. A relatively simple test for ideal stability that is capable of detecting stability boundaries for external-kink and internal-kink modes, even in the presence of a very close-fitting ideal wall, is described and verified.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of Texas at Austin, TX (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: FG02-04ER54742; SC0021156

OSTI ID:: 2997729

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 32; ISSN 1070-664X; ISSN 1089-7674

Publisher:: AIP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Investigation of tearing mode stability near ideal stability boundaries via asymptotic matching techniques

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