Internal Kink Mode Dynamics in High-{beta} NSTX Plasmas

Technical Report · Wed Dec 22 00:00:00 EST 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/836571· OSTI ID:836571

Menard, J E; Bell, R E; Fredrickson, E D; Gates, D A; Kaye, S M; LeBlanc, B P; Medley, S S; Park, W; Sabbagh, S A; Sontag, A; Stutman, D; Tritz, K; Zhu, W

Saturated internal kink modes have been observed in many of the highest toroidal beta discharges of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). These modes often cause rotation flattening in the plasma core, can degrade energy confinement, and in some cases contribute to the complete loss of plasma angular momentum and stored energy. Characteristics of the modes are measured using soft X-ray, kinetic profile, and magnetic diagnostics. Toroidal flows approaching Alfvenic speeds, island pressure peaking, and enhanced viscous and diamagnetic effects associated with high-beta may contribute to mode nonlinear stabilization. These saturation mechanisms are investigated for NSTX parameters and compared to experimental data.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 836571
• Report Number(s): PPPL-4036; TRN: US0500636
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 22 Dec 2004
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
CONFINEMENT
ISLANDS
KINETICS
PLASMA
ROTATION
SATURATION
STABILIZATION
STORED ENERGY
HIGH-BETA PLASMAS
KINK INSTABILITY
NONLINEAR EFFECTS