Axial dynamics in field-reversed theta pinches. I: Formation

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859918· OSTI ID:5216680

Tuszewski, M; Armstrong, W T; Chrien, R E; Hugrass, W N; McKenna, K F; Rej, D J; Siemon, R E; Taggart, D P; Wright, B L ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (USA)

Bias field scans are performed at various fill pressures in the FRX-C (Fusion Technol. {bold 9}, 13 (1986)) and FRX-C/LSM (Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research (IAEA, Vienna, 1989), Vol. II, p. 517) field-reversed theta pinches. These data show a systematic degradation of the confinement properties of field-reversed configurations whenever strong axial implosions occur during plasma formation. This limitation prevents access to the desired regime of large-size and long-lived field-reversed configurations. The cause of the confinement degradation must be due to some formation or gross stability problem. Here many studies are reported that attempt to correlate confinement degradation with some formation characteristic. These investigations remain inconclusive and suggest further stability studies presented in a companion paper.

• OSTI ID: 5216680
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 3:10; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
CONFINEMENT
INHIBITION
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELD REVERSAL
PINCH EFFECT
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
STABILITY
THETA PINCH