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Radial confinement of central cell plasma in tandem mirrors

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5255175

The single particle guiding center orbit analysis is carried out both numerically and analytically. The guiding center orbit can be characterized by the amount of the azimuthal drift, ..delta..theta, of a particle in one bounce through the central cell. It is demonstrated numerically using the magnetic field geometry and plasma parameters of the Wisconsin tandem device PHAEDRUS,, that if ..delta..theta << 1, the particle drift surfaces are circular when the flux tubes in the plugs are joined orthogonally to each other. The radial losses of particle and energy are studied in the fluid approximation. A set of transport equations are obtained by assuming the magnetic field in the three mirror cells to be square wells. The radial and axial losses of particle and energy and the interaction of the electron fluid with various ionic species are properly taken into account.

Research Organization:
Wisconsin Univ., Madison (USA)
OSTI ID:
5255175
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English