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Mercier criterion in tokamaks with anisotropic energetic particle component

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.870808· OSTI ID:6692023
 [1];  [2]
  1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, IPP-EURATOM Association, 85748 Garching bei Muenchen (Germany)
  2. Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 603, Beijing 100080 (China)

Analytical equilibria for axisymmetric plasmas with an anisotropic energetic-particle component are obtained by expansions in the inverse aspect ratio and core- and hot-plasma betas. Upon the analytical equilibria, the energetic-particle-modified Mercier criterion [L.-J. Zheng and S.-T. Tsai, Phys. Fluids B [bold 4], 1416 (1992)] is evaluated. A drift-nonreversed energetic-particle component is shown to make stabilizing terms to the criterion, which originate from the additional Shafranov shift of magnetic surfaces and the stabilizing kinetic energy contributed by the energetic particles. The results confirm that interchange modes in tokamaks can be stabilized by properly introducing drift-nonreversed energetic particles.

OSTI ID:
6692023
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas; (United States) Vol. 1:3; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English