Multiple-gap theory of toroidal Alfven waves with kinetic effects

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860915· OSTI ID:6695018

Zhang, X D; Zhang, Y Z; Mahajan, S M ^[1]

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1. Institute for Fusion Studies, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

The stability of kinetic toroidal Alfven waves with multigap coupling is analyzed by using the two-dimensional ballooning transform. An alternate convergence scheme, based on the smallness of the inverse aspect ratio, is devised. The resulting wave functions are oscillatory and do not balloon in contrast to the wave functions of conventional ballooning theory. It is shown that the single-gap theory is a special, weak shear ([ital s][r arrow]0) limit of the formalism. Analytical and numerical results for the two fundamental branches, the ideal toroidal Alfven eigenmode (TAE), and the kinetic toroidal Alfven eigenmode (KTAE), are presented and discussed.

• DOE Contract Number: FG05-80ET53088
• OSTI ID: 6695018
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 5:4; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPEI
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700340* -- Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities-- (1992-)
ALFVEN WAVES
ANNULAR SPACE
ASPECT RATIO
BALLOONING INSTABILITY
CLOSED CONFIGURATIONS
CONFIGURATION
EIGENVALUES
FLUID MECHANICS
FUNCTIONS
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SPACE
STABILITY
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION
WAVE FUNCTIONS