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Title: Ponderomotive force effects on temperature-gradient-driven instabilities

Journal Article · · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860340· OSTI ID:7192810
;  [1]
  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin, 1500 Johnson Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

The modification of temperature-gradient-driven instabilities due to the presence of nonuniform radio-frequency fields near the ion cyclotron frequency is investigated in the linear regime. Employing the fluid theory, it is shown that the induced field line compression caused by ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) fields makes the net parallel compressibility positive, and thus provides a stabilizing influence on the ion-temperature-gradient-driven mode for an appropriately tailored profile of radio-frequency (rf) pressure. Concomitantly, the radial ponderomotive force generates an additional contribution via coupling between the perturbed fluid motion and the equilibrium ponderomotive force and this effect plays the role of dissipation to enhance or decrease the growth of temperature-gradient-driven modes depending upon the sign of rf pressure gradients. For decreased growth of temperature-gradient-driven instabilities, the plasma density gradients and rf pressure gradients must have opposite signs while enhancement in growth arises when both gradients have the same sign. Finally, the kinetic effects associated with these modes are briefly discussed.

DOE Contract Number:
FG02-88ER53264
OSTI ID:
7192810
Journal Information:
Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Vol. 4:12; ISSN 0899-8221
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English