Kinetic theory of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860459· OSTI ID:7008868

Mett, R R; Mahajan, S M ^[1]

---

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

An analytic kinetic description of the toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmode (TAE) is presented. The theory includes electron parallel dynamics nonperturbatively, an effect that is found to strongly influence the character, and damping of the TAE{minus}contrary to previous theoretical predictions. A parallel conductivity model that includes collisionless (Landau) damping on the passing electrons and collisional damping on both trapped and passing electrons is used. Together, these mechanisms damp the TAE more strongly than previously expected. This is because the TAE couples (or merges) with the kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) within the gap region under conditions that depend on the gap size, the shear, the magnitude of the conductivity, and the mode numbers. The high damping could be relevant to recent experimental measurements of the TAE damping coefficient. In addition, the theory predicts a kinetic'' TAE, whose eigenfreqeuency lies just above the gap, whose existence depends on finite conductivity, and that is formed by the coupling of two KAW's

• DOE Contract Number: FG05-80ET53088
• OSTI ID: 7008868
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 4:9; ISSN PFBPE; ISSN 0899-8221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700330 -- Plasma Kinetics
Transport
& Impurities-- (1992-)
700340* -- Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities-- (1992-)
ALFVEN WAVES
ANNULAR SPACE
CLOSED CONFIGURATIONS
CONFIGURATION
DAMPING
DISPERSION RELATIONS
EQUATIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
KINETIC EQUATIONS
LANDAU DAMPING
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
SPACE
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION
VARIATIONAL METHODS