Effects of isotropic alpha populations on tokamak ballooning stability

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6910606· OSTI ID:6910606

Spong, D. A.; Sigmar, D. J.; Tsang, K. T.; Ramos, J. J.; Hastings, D. E.; Cooper, W. A.

Fusion product alpha populations can significantly influence tokamak stability due to coupling between the trapped alpha precessional drift and the kinetic ballooning mode frequency. Careful, quantitative evaluations of these effects are necessary in burning plasma devices such as the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor and the Joint European Torus, and we have continued systematic development of such a kinetic stability model. In this model we have considered a range of different forms for the alpha distribution function and the tokamak equilibrium. Both Maxwellian and slowing-down models have been used for the alpha energy dependence while deeply trapped and, more recently, isotropic pitch angle dependences have been examined.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6910606
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-10200; ON: DE87005273
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
ALPHA PARTICLES
BALLOONING INSTABILITY
CHARGED PARTICLES
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
COUPLING
INSTABILITY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA PRESSURE
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TOKAMAK DEVICES