Theory of the m =1 kink mode in toroidal plasma

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Physics of Fluids B; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859805· OSTI ID:5618442

de Blank, H J; Schep, T J ^[1]

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1. Association Euratom-FOM, FOM-Instituut voor Plasmafysica, Rijnhuizen,'' Nieuwegein, The Netherlands (NL)

The energy principle of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) is used to study the ideal MHD stability of the {ital m}=1 internal kink mode in a toroidal plasma. The equilibrium configurations that are considered allow for a broad region where the safety factor {ital q} is close to unity. This region may extend to the magnetic axis, or may be a singular layer. The minimization of the energy functional yields an implicit equation for the growth rate that can be solved by simple numerical means. The examples that are treated numerically retain the essential features of experimentally expected {ital q} profiles. The growth rate depends very sensitively on the {ital q} profile close to unity and increases with the width of the {ital q}{approx}1 layer. The highest values are of the order of the inverse aspect ratio {epsilon} divided by the poloidal Alfven time. Nonmonotonic profiles with {ital q}{gt}1 on axis are more unstable than monotonic {ital q} profiles with {ital q}{lt}1. In the latter case, the mode tends to be localized in the {ital q}{approx}1 region instead of in the center.

• OSTI ID: 5618442
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (USA), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (USA) Vol. 3:5; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
ANNULAR SPACE
ASPECT RATIO
BOUNDARY LAYERS
CLOSED CONFIGURATIONS
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFIGURATION
DATA
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ENERGY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUILIBRIUM
FLUID MECHANICS
FUNCTIONALS
FUNCTIONS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INFORMATION
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
KINK INSTABILITY
LAYERS
LOW-BETA PLASMA
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
NUMERICAL DATA
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PLASMA
PLASMA DISRUPTION
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SPACE
THEORETICAL DATA
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TOKAMAK DEVICES
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION
TOTAL ENERGY SYSTEMS