Azimuthal ambipolar potential variations and tandem mirror transport

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5517256

Lee, X S; Myra, J R; Catto, P J

Azimuthal ambipolar potential variations are induced by the magnetic drifts in a quadrupole tandem mirror. Consequently, radial E x B drifts occur and contribute along with the magnetic drifts to the total radial flux in a collisional plasma. This effect is studied self-consistently in the resonant-plateau regime assuming Maxwell-Boltzmann electrons along the field lines. A general form exhibiting the contribution of the E x B drifts to the flux is obtained and shown, in general, to be significant. In the square well limit a particularly transparent form results which illustrates the role of dielectric shielding. When the azimuthal E x B drift and the azimuthal electron diamagnetic drift are equal and in opposite directions, the shielding becomes small and a large induced ambipolar contribution to the flux can occur.

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., Boulder, CO (USA). Plasma Research Inst.
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76ET53057
• OSTI ID: 5517256
• Report Number(s): SAI-83-1122/PRI-69; ON: DE84002655
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
TMX DEVICES
TRANSPORT THEORY
AMBIPOLAR DIFFUSION
MAXWELL EQUATIONS
PLASMA DRIFT
PLATEAU REGIME
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DIFFUSION
EQUATIONS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
TANDEM MIRRORS
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
700105* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Plasma Kinetics-Theoretical- (-1987)