Electron cyclotron resonance heating in tandem-mirror end cells

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Physics of Fluids B; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859323· OSTI ID:6939040

Rognlien, T D; Matsuda, Y; Stallard, B W; Stewart, J J ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, California 94550 (USA)

A relativistic Fokker--Planck code is used to study the formation of non-Maxwellian electron velocity distributions in the end cell of a tandem mirror from the combined effects of Coulomb collisions and electron cyclotron radio-frequency (rf) heating. Axial electrostatic potential profiles consistent with thermal-barrier operation are assumed which lead to reasonable electron density profiles. The presence of the potentials results in four populations of electrons occupying different regions of phase space, three of which are solved for self-consistently; the fourth is the passing electron distribution from the center cell that is fixed as a Maxwellian. It is found that the second-harmonic barrier rf near the bottom of the magnetic well, together with rf cavity fields, give a good correspondence to the behavior of the hot electrons in the TMX-U experiment (IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. {bold PS}-{bold 16}, 1 (1988)). The behavior of the fundamental rf in the plug region part way up the magnetic well shows poor correlation with experimental results.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6939040
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (USA), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (USA) Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 2:2; ISSN 0899-8221; 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
CORRELATIONS
COULOMB FIELD
DISTRIBUTION
ECR HEATING
ELECTRIC FIELDS
HARMONICS
HEATING
HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
OSCILLATIONS
PLASMA
PLASMA HEATING
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
SIMULATION
TANDEM MIRRORS
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TMX DEVICES
VELOCITY