Thermonuclear cyclotron instability in a tokamak reactor

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:7140845

Kaladze, T D; Mikhailovskii, A B

In an analysis of the stability of the plasma in a tokamak reactor containing a group of ..cap alpha.. particles, produced in thermonuclear reactions, the perturbations of this plasma at frequencies near the harmonics of the ..cap alpha.. gyrofrequency are considered. The ''corrugated'' nature of the tokamak magnetic field and the associated longitudinal inhomogeneity of the ..cap alpha.. gyrofrequency are taken into account. It is shown that the ''thermonuclear'' cyclotron instability, with a growth rate proportional to the square root of the ..cap alpha.. density, as predicted by the theory for waves in a homogeneous plasma, cannot arise under the conditions prevailing in a tokamak reactor. In a tokamak this instability is suppressed by the corrugated magnetic field. In an analysis of the cyclotron interaction of trapped ..cap alpha.. particles with fast magnetosonic waves it is shown that this interaction can lead to the growth of these waves, with a growth rate which is linear in the ..cap alpha.. density.

• Research Organization: Inst. of Atomic Energy, Moscow
• OSTI ID: 7140845
• Journal Information: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 1:2; ISSN SJPPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
ALPHA PARTICLES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CYCLOTRON INSTABILITY
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETOACOUSTIC WAVES
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TOKAMAK TYPE REACTORS