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Title: First experimental measurements of a new fast ion driven micro-burst instability in a field-reversed configuration plasma

Journal Article · · Nuclear Fusion
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  1. TAE Technologies, Inc., Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (United States)
  2. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
  3. Univ. of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

In modern field-reversed configuration (FRC) experiments at TAE Technologies, classical FRC instabilities are suppressed by advanced neutral beam injection and edge biasing methods, leading to high plasma confinement and fast ion pressure built-up which is comparable to the bulk plasma pressure. In some of these high performance FRC plasmas, a new macroscopically non-destructive fast ion driven micro-burst instability is observed as periodic small amplitude bursts with frequency down chirping in the diamagnetic drift frequency range, repeating about every 0.1 to 0.5 ms. The occurrence of these micro-bursts and burst-free operation can be controlled by changing the injected neutral beam energy. Furthermore, major observed characteristics of this new instability are presented. Possible explanation of the phenomenon is suggested.

Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Contributing Organization:
The TAE Team
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-09CH11466
OSTI ID:
1484350
Journal Information:
Nuclear Fusion, Journal Name: Nuclear Fusion Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 58; ISSN 0029-5515
Publisher:
IOP ScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (14)

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Recent breakthroughs on C-2U: Norman’s legacy conference January 2016
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Equilibrium properties of hybrid field reversed configurations journal January 2017
Development of a three-wave far-infrared laser interferometry and polarimetry diagnostic system for the C-2W field-reversed configuration plasmas journal October 2018
Betatron resonance instabilities in axisymmetric field-reversed systems journal January 1979
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Field reversed configurations journal November 1988
Achievement of field-reversed configuration plasma sustainment via 10 MW neutral-beam injection on the C-2U device journal August 2017
Field Reversed Configuration Confinement Enhancement through Edge Biasing and Neutral Beam Injection journal June 2012
Excitation of Internal Kink Modes by Trapped Energetic Beam Ions journal March 1984
Theoretical Model of Fishbone Oscillations in Magnetically Confined Plasmas journal November 1986

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Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
fast ion
field-reversed configuration
micro-burst instability