Theory of kinetic Alfven wave helicity injection and current drive

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860171· OSTI ID:7026434

Craddock, G G ^[1]; Diamond, P H ^[2]

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1. Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, California 92121 (United States)
2. Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego and General Atomics, San Diego, California 92121 (United States)

Kinetic shear Alfven wave (KSAW) helicity injection motivated by the goal of simultaneous implementation of radio frequency current and flow (Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 67}, 1535 (1991)) drive is analyzed. The quasilinear helicity flux results in a net helicity increase only via transport through the boundaries. This, in turn, requires a compressional component at the plasma edge boundary and electron dissipation at the Alfven resonance, as well as throughout the region, where helicity transport occurs. A comparison is made to direct KSAW current drive, which can add constructively with helicity injection by tailoring of the sign of poloidal and parallel wave numbers. The KSAW helicity flux is related to the {alpha} effect due to MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) resistive kink and shear-Alfven-driven helicity fluxes. The helicity flux need not have a zero flux surface average. Finally, the efficiency ({ital I}{sub {ital p}}R/{ital P}{sub abs}) of helicity injection by the KSAW is found to be significantly smaller than that by viscoresistive shear Alfven waves, and scales as ({ital I}{sub {ital p}}R/{ital P}{sub abs}){similar to}{ital n}{sub 0}{sup {minus}3/2}{ital B}{sub 0}{sup 3}, where {ital n}{sub 0} is the density and {ital B}{sub 0} is the toroidal magnetic field. Application to edge current drive for ELM control is discussed.

• DOE Contract Number: FG03-91ER54124; W-7405-ENG-48; FG03-88ER53275
• OSTI ID: 7026434
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Vol. 4:8; ISSN 0899-8221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELECTRON DRIFT
HELICITY
KINETIC EQUATIONS
ALFVEN WAVES
CURRENT-DRIVE HEATING
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
TOKAMAK DEVICES
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION
ANNULAR SPACE
CLOSED CONFIGURATIONS
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFIGURATION
CONFINEMENT
ELECTRIC HEATING
EQUATIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HEATING
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
JOULE HEATING
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MECHANICS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
PLASMA HEATING
RESISTANCE HEATING
SPACE
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
700340* - Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities- (1992-)
700330 - Plasma Kinetics
Transport
& Impurities- (1992-)