skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Eigenmode excitation of Alfv{acute e}n ion cyclotron instability

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.872067· OSTI ID:397510
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Plasma Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305 (Japan)

In the GAMMA 10 tandem mirror [M. Inutake {ital et} {ital al}., Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 55}, 939 (1985)], plasmas with a high beta value (ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure) are produced by using an ICRF (ion cyclotron range of frequency) heating. Magnetic field fluctuations identified as an Alfv{acute e}n ion cyclotron (AIC) mode are excited with strong dependence on a perpendicular beta value and a temperature anisotropy {ital T}{sub {perpendicular}}/{ital T}{sub {parallel}} (a ratio between the temperatures perpendicular and parallel to the magnetic field line). Spatial structures and excitation conditions of the AIC mode are experimentally studied. AIC modes are spontaneously excited as axial eigenmodes, of which boundary is determined by the reflection point in anisotropic plasmas. The AIC mode in the GAMMA 10 is observed well below the theoretically predicted threshold. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

OSTI ID:
397510
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 3, Issue 12; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English