Stability of plasmas sustained by ion cyclotron wave excitation in the central cell of the Tara tandem mirror

Journal Article · Fri Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Phys Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859010· OSTI ID:6201969

Golovato, S N; Brau, K; Casey, J; Gerver, M J; Horne, S; Irby, J; Kesner, J; Lane, B; Machuzak, J; Myer, R; others, and

The stability of plasmas produced by radio-frequency heating in the ion cyclotron frequency range (ICRF) has been studied in the central cell of the Tara tandem mirror (Nucl. Fusion 22, 549 (1982); Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research 1986, Proceedings of the 11th International Conference, Kyoto (IAEA, Vienna, 1987), Vol. II, p. 251). Ion cyclotron wave excitation by a slot antenna provided stability against macroscopic plasma motions in an axisymmetric configuration. The maintenance of macroscopic stability depended on the ICRF power, gas fueling rate, ion cyclotron resonance location, and ..omega../..omega../sub c//sub i/ at the antenna location. The ICRF ponderomotive force model is consistent with many of the observed stability features and predicts that the E/sub +/ component of the ion cyclotron wave was responsible for the stabilization. The Alfven ion cyclotron microinstability was observed when the plasma ..beta../sub perpendicular/ and anisotropy were sufficiently high. Magnetic probe measurements of the unstable mode identified it as an ion cyclotron wave and the instability threshold was within a factor of 2 of the theoretical value.

• Research Organization: Plasma Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
• OSTI ID: 6201969
• Journal Information: Phys Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Phys Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 1:4; ISSN PFBPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
CYCLOTRON RADIATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
HEATING
HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING
ICR HEATING
ION WAVES
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
PLASMA
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA WAVES
RADIATIONS
STABILITY
TANDEM MIRRORS
TARA DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES