Experimental Observation of the Blob-Generation Mechanism from Interchange Waves in a Plasma

Journal Article · Fri Feb 08 00:00:00 EST 2008 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.100.055004· OSTI ID:21024721

Furno, I; Labit, B; Podesta, M; Fasoli, A; Poli, F M; Ricci, P; Theiler, C; Brunner, S; Diallo, A; Graves, J ^[1]; Mueller, S H ^[1]

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1. Centre de Recherches en Physique des Plasmas-Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Association EURATOM-Confederation Suisse, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

The mechanism for blob generation in a toroidal magnetized plasma is investigated using time-resolved measurements of two-dimensional structures of electron density, temperature, and plasma potential. The blobs are observed to form from a radially elongated structure that is sheared off by the ExB flow. The structure is generated by an interchange wave that increases in amplitude and extends radially in response to a decrease of the radial pressure scale length. The dependence of the blob amplitude upon the pressure radial scale length is discussed.

• OSTI ID: 21024721
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 100, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.055004; (c) 2008 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
PLASMA
PLASMA POTENTIAL
TIME RESOLUTION
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS