Heating and stabilization by slow waves in the Tara tandem mirror

Conference · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6317169

Golovato, S N; Brau, K; Casey, J; Coleman, J; Gerver, M; Guss, W; Hallock, G; Horne, S; Irby, J; Kesner, J

The Tara tandem mirror is typically run in an effectively axisymmetric configuration by not producing ..beta.. in the quadrupole anchor cells. Slow ion cyclotron wave excitation by a slot antenna located on a midplane bump in the magnetic field of the central cell provides plasma production and heating. Ion cyclotron resonances are at the minimum central cell fields on either side of the bump. Magnetic probe measurements have identified the slow wave excited by the antenna. Effective ion and electron heating is observed with a peak ..beta.. of over 2%. The ICRF also provides stabilization of an m = 1 flute mode which is otherwise unstable in axisymmetric mirror geometry. In conjunction with a magnetic divertor at the central cell midplane, the slow wave can stabilize not only the central cell plasma but additional plasma in the axisymmetric plug cells. Destabilizing ..beta.. can be produced in the plug cells by neutral beam injection, ICRF, or ECRH. By maintaining the stability of the plugs and central cell, end plugging using either ICRF or ECRH in the plug cells is obtained.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA). Plasma Fusion Center; Nagoya Univ. (Japan). Inst. of Plasma Physics; Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Electronics
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-78ET51013
• OSTI ID: 6317169
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/51013-216; PFC/CP-87-4; CONF-870570-14; ON: DE87011031
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700108 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Wave Phenomena
BETA RATIO
ECR HEATING
ELECTRIC FIELDS
HEATING
HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING
ICR HEATING
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA INSTABILITY
TANDEM MIRRORS
TARA DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
WAVE PROPAGATION