Formation of Field-reversed-Configuration Plasma with Punctuated-betatron-orbit Electrons

Technical Report · Mon Jun 28 00:00:00 EDT 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/984348· OSTI ID:984348

Welch, D. R.; Cohen, S. A.; Genoni, T. C.; Glasser, A. H.

We describe ab initio, self-consistent, 3D, fully electromagnetic numerical simulations of current drive and field-reversed-configuration plasma formation by odd-parity rotating magnetic fields (RMFo). Magnetic-separatrix formation and field reversal are attained from an initial mirror configuration. A population of punctuated-betatron-orbit electrons, generated by the RMFo, carries the majority of the field-normal azimuthal electrical current responsible for field reversal. Appreciable current and plasma pressure exist outside the magnetic separatrix whose shape is modulated by the RMFo phase. The predicted plasma density and electron energy distribution compare favorably with RMFo experiments. __________________________________________________

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-ACO2-09CH11466
• OSTI ID: 984348
• Report Number(s): PPPL-4531; TRN: US1006430
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CONFIGURATION
ELECTRONS
ENERGY SPECTRA
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MIRRORS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA PRESSURE
SHAPE
Current Drive
Field Reversed Configurtions
Rotamak Devices
Rotating Manetic Field
PIC modeling