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Three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated reconnection and the effect of toroidal guide field in simulations of coaxial helicity injection
Abstract
Physics of three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated magnetic reconnection during transient Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) plasma start-up is explored using nonlinear MHD simulations in a spherical tokamak. We numerically examine (i) the role of three-dimensional magnetic fluctuations arising from current-sheet instabilities on the formation of plasmoid-mediated closed flux surfaces, and (ii) the effect of toroidal guide field on the MHD stability during transient CHI. We find that even in the presence of nonaxisymmetric edge magnetic fluctuations, current-carrying axisymmetric (n¼0) plasmoids are rapidly formed while twisted open field lines are being injected and are merged to form a large current-carrying magnetic bubble for plasma startup in a tokamak. Additionally, it is discovered that the 3-D physics response is drastically different for simulations at a higher toroidal field, and complete stabilization of nonaxisymmetric fluctuations was achieved at a higher toroidal flux.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC); Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1577594
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1560254
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-09CH11466; SC0010565
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physics of Plasmas
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 26; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Citation Formats
None, None. Three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated reconnection and the effect of toroidal guide field in simulations of coaxial helicity injection. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1063/1.5098482.
None, None. Three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated reconnection and the effect of toroidal guide field in simulations of coaxial helicity injection. United States. doi:10.1063/1.5098482.
None, None. Tue .
"Three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated reconnection and the effect of toroidal guide field in simulations of coaxial helicity injection". United States. doi:10.1063/1.5098482.
@article{osti_1577594,
title = {Three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated reconnection and the effect of toroidal guide field in simulations of coaxial helicity injection},
author = {None, None},
abstractNote = {Physics of three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated magnetic reconnection during transient Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) plasma start-up is explored using nonlinear MHD simulations in a spherical tokamak. We numerically examine (i) the role of three-dimensional magnetic fluctuations arising from current-sheet instabilities on the formation of plasmoid-mediated closed flux surfaces, and (ii) the effect of toroidal guide field on the MHD stability during transient CHI. We find that even in the presence of nonaxisymmetric edge magnetic fluctuations, current-carrying axisymmetric (n¼0) plasmoids are rapidly formed while twisted open field lines are being injected and are merged to form a large current-carrying magnetic bubble for plasma startup in a tokamak. Additionally, it is discovered that the 3-D physics response is drastically different for simulations at a higher toroidal field, and complete stabilization of nonaxisymmetric fluctuations was achieved at a higher toroidal flux.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5098482},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 9,
volume = 26,
place = {United States},
year = {2019},
month = {9}
}
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DOI: 10.1063/1.5098482
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