Magnetohydrodynamic stability in a levitated dipole

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.873601· OSTI ID:362680

Garnier, D T; Kesner, J; Mauel, M E ^[1]

---

1. Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

Plasma confined by a magnetic dipole is stabilized, at low beta, by magnetic compressibility. The ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) requirements for stability against interchange and high-n ballooning modes are derived at arbitrary beta for a fusion grade laboratory plasma confined by a levitated dipole. A high beta MHD equilibrium is found numerically with a pressure profile near marginal stability for interchange modes, a peak local beta of {beta}{approximately}10, and volume averaged beta of {bar {beta}}{approximately}0.5. This equilibrium is demonstrated to be ballooning stable on all field lines. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 362680
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 6, Issue 9; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1999
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
LEVITATION
MAGNETIC DIPOLES
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MHD EQUILIBRIUM
BALLOONING INSTABILITY
ASTROPHYSICS