Stability of elongated cross-section tokamaks to axisymmetric even poloidal mode number deformations

Journal Article · Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Physics of Fluids B: Plasma Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859054· OSTI ID:5146658

Weiner, R ^[1]; Jardin, S C; Pomphrey, N ^[2]

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1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, Garching, (Federal Republic of Germany)
2. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (USA)

In a recent paper, Nakayama, Sato, and Matsuoka (Phys. Fluids {bold 31}, 630 (1988)) suggested that elliptical cross-section tokamaks with aspect ratio {ital R}/{ital a}=3.2 and with elongation {kappa}=2.6 are unstable to a splitting ({ital m}=2, {ital n}=0) instability for plasma {beta}{gt}5%, and that {kappa}{ge}4.0 plasmas are unstable to a splitting for {beta}{ge}1%. The magnetohydrodynamic evolution code tsc (J. Comput. Phys. {bold 66}, 481 (1986)) indicates, however, that such plasmas are robustly stable with respect to this splitting. In fact, a {kappa}=3.7 plasma with {beta}=23.0% shows no tendency to split. However, the addition of pinching coils at the waist will cause the plasma to split if the current in these coils exceeds a critical value {ital I}{sub {ital c}}, which decreases with increasing beta.

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 5146658
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B: Plasma Physics; (USA), Vol. 1:12; ISSN 0899-8221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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