Enhanced slow-wave beach heating of mirror plasmas with two-ion species

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860058· OSTI ID:7043094

Roberts, D R; Hershkowitz, N ^[1]

---

1. Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

Plasma heating in the ion-cyclotron range of frequencies has been examined in a beach-heating configuration of the central cell of the Phaedrus-B tandem mirror (Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 51}, 1955 (1983)) during scans of the ion species ratio of hydrogen--helium (H--He) and hydrogen--deuterium (H--D) plasmas. Observed changes in the radial profiles of wave magnetic field and plasma parameters during the scans provide evidence of varied fast- and slow-wave eigenmode excitation and absorption. These changes are shown to be in agreement with those expected from wave accessibility considerations. Optimal peak parameters in the plasma core, {ital n}{sub {ital e}}=1.0{times}10{sup 13} cm{sup {minus}3}, {ital T}{sub {ital e}{parallel}}=20 eV, {ital T}{sub {ital i}{parallel}}=140 eV, {ital T}{sub {ital i}{perpendicular}}=450 eV, and {beta}=0.26 at midplane, were obtained for moderate helium or deuterium ion fractions (puffed {ital n}{sub He}/{ital n}{sub {ital e}}={ital n}{sub D}/{ital n}{sub {ital e}} {similar to}0.25). These parameters represent a significant increase in plasma energy density over that obtained under the same conditions with pure'' hydrogen plasmas: {ital n}{sub {ital e}}=7.0{times}10{sup 12} cm{sup {minus}3}, {ital T}{sub {ital e}{parallel}}=25 eV, {ital T}{sub {ital i}{parallel}}=80 eV, {ital T}{sub {ital i}{perpendicular}}=300 eV, and {beta}=0.12.

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-88ER53264
• OSTI ID: 7043094
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Vol. 4:6; ISSN 0899-8221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
PLASMA HEATING
ION CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
DEUTERIUM IONS
HELIUM IONS
HYDROGEN IONS
PLASMA CORE ASSEMBLY
TANDEM MIRRORS
WAVE PROPAGATION
CHARGED PARTICLES
CYCLOTRON RESONANCE
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FLUID FUELED REACTORS
GAS FUELED REACTORS
HEATING
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
IONS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESONANCE
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
ZERO POWER REACTORS
700350* - Plasma Production
Heating
Current Drive
& Interactions- (1992-)
700340 - Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities- (1992-)