Is Onsager symmetry relevant in the transport equations for magnetically confined plasmas
- Physique Statistique et Plasmas, Association Euratom-Etat Belge pour la Fusion, CP 231, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Plaine, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium (BE)
A global, algebraic view of the transport processes in a magnetically confined plasma is developed. Both the neoclassical (banana) and the anomalous transport matrices are represented in a factorized form, thus separating the roles of the dynamics and of the geometric constraints. The self-adjointness of the collision operator (the sole condition for classical Onsager symmetry) is shown to be a necessary, but not sufficient condition for this symmetry in confined plasmas. The latter results for the banana transport matrix from a delicate relationship between dynamic and geometric components. This structure is not present in the anomalous transport matrix, and the Onsager symmetry is broken in this case. It is stressed that the symmetry breaking does not violate any general principles.
- OSTI ID:
- 5838375
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Fluids B; (USA), Vol. 3:3; ISSN 0899-8221
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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