Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Nonlinear evolution of the internal kink mode in toroidal geometry for shaped tokamak plasmas

Journal Article · · Phys. Fluids; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.866749· OSTI ID:5370403

The nonlinear evolution of the internal kink mode is studied in toroidal geometry for noncircular cross-section tokamak plasmas. The study is focused on very low-shear and hollow q profiles, with q(rho)greater than or equal to1 for which the internal kink is unstable in the latter case, even at ..beta.. = 0. The nonlinear evolution is dominated by ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), and the instability saturates, giving a quasihelical shift to the magnetic axis. The nonlinear saturation is caused by increased field line bending. Time scales of 10/sup 3/ tau/sub H//sub p/ and axis shifts of 20% are reached when changes in q on the order of 3 x 10/sup -3/ from the marginal profile are produced.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5370403
Journal Information:
Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 31:5; ISSN PFLDA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English