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Plasma Equilibrium in a Magnetic Field with Stochastic Regions

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/953207· OSTI ID:953207
The nature of plasma equilibrium in a magnetic field with stochastic regions is examined. It is shown that the magnetic differential equation that determines the equilibrium Pfirsch-Schluter currents can be cast in a form similar to various nonlinear equations for a turbulent plasma, allowing application of the mathematical methods of statistical turbulence theory. An analytically tractable model, previously studied in the context of resonance-broadening theory, is applied with particular attention paid to the periodicity constraints required in toroidal configurations. It is shown that even a very weak radial diffusion of the magnetic field lines can have a significant effect on the equilibrium in the neighborhood of the rational surfaces, strongly modifying the near-resonant Pfirsch-Schluter currents. Implications for the numerical calculation of 3D equilibria are discussed
Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-09CH11466
OSTI ID:
953207
Report Number(s):
PPPL-4401
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English