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Title: Observation of a nonaxisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic self-organized state

Abstract

A nonaxisymmetric stable magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium within a prolate cylindrical conducting boundary has been produced experimentally at Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment (SSX) [M. R. Brown et al., Phys. Plasmas 6, 1717 (1999)]. It has m=1 toroidal symmetry, helical distortion, and flat lambda profile. Each of these observed characteristics are in agreement with the magnetically relaxed minimum magnetic energy Taylor state. The Taylor state is computed using the methods described by A. Bondeson et al. [Phys. Fluids 24, 1682 (1981)] and by J. M. Finn et al. [Phys. Fluids 24, 1336 (1981)] and is compared in detail to the measured internal magnetic structure. The lifetime of this nonaxisymmetric compact torus (CT) is comparable to or greater than that of the axisymmetric CTs produced at SSX; thus suggesting confinement is not degraded by its nonaxisymmetry. For both one- and two-spheromak initial state plasmas, this same equilibrium consistently emerges as the final state.

Authors:
; ;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081 (United States)
  2. General Atomics, San Diego, California 92186 (United States)
  3. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 (United States)
  4. Space Sciences Division, U. S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21371180
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 17; Journal Issue: 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3327214; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; AXIAL SYMMETRY; MHD EQUILIBRIUM; PLASMA; PLASMA CONFINEMENT; SPHEROMAK DEVICES; CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES; CONFINEMENT; EQUILIBRIUM; SYMMETRY; THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES; TOKAMAK DEVICES

Citation Formats

Cothran, C D, Brown, M R, Gray, T, Schaffer, M J, Marklin, G, and Lukin, V S. Observation of a nonaxisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic self-organized state. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1063/1.3327214.
Cothran, C D, Brown, M R, Gray, T, Schaffer, M J, Marklin, G, & Lukin, V S. Observation of a nonaxisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic self-organized state. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3327214
Cothran, C D, Brown, M R, Gray, T, Schaffer, M J, Marklin, G, and Lukin, V S. 2010. "Observation of a nonaxisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic self-organized state". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3327214.
@article{osti_21371180,
title = {Observation of a nonaxisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic self-organized state},
author = {Cothran, C D and Brown, M R and Gray, T and Schaffer, M J and Marklin, G and Lukin, V S},
abstractNote = {A nonaxisymmetric stable magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium within a prolate cylindrical conducting boundary has been produced experimentally at Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment (SSX) [M. R. Brown et al., Phys. Plasmas 6, 1717 (1999)]. It has m=1 toroidal symmetry, helical distortion, and flat lambda profile. Each of these observed characteristics are in agreement with the magnetically relaxed minimum magnetic energy Taylor state. The Taylor state is computed using the methods described by A. Bondeson et al. [Phys. Fluids 24, 1682 (1981)] and by J. M. Finn et al. [Phys. Fluids 24, 1336 (1981)] and is compared in detail to the measured internal magnetic structure. The lifetime of this nonaxisymmetric compact torus (CT) is comparable to or greater than that of the axisymmetric CTs produced at SSX; thus suggesting confinement is not degraded by its nonaxisymmetry. For both one- and two-spheromak initial state plasmas, this same equilibrium consistently emerges as the final state.},
doi = {10.1063/1.3327214},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21371180}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 5,
volume = 17,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Sat May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}