Mercier criterion modified by kinetic effects

Conference · Mon Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:489473

Rosenbluth, M N ^[1]; Porcelli, F ^[2]

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1. ITER-JCT San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)
2. Dipartimento de Energetica, Politecnico di Torino (Italy)

The ideal MHD Mercier criterion for the stability of localized interchange modes is easily violated by modest pressure gradients in the central region of a Tokamak plasma where the magnetic winding index q drops below unity. However, kinetic effects can substantially modify this criterion, allowing for stable peaked pressure profiles. In this paper, we discuss the modifications to the Mercier criterion brought about by the fusion alpha particles and by the thermal trapped ions in the collisionless Kruskal-Oberman limit.

• OSTI ID: 489473
• Report Number(s): CONF-960354--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALPHA PARTICLES
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
KINETICS
MERCIER CRITERION
MHD EQUILIBRIUM
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
TOKAMAK DEVICES