Runaway of energetic test ions in a toroidal plasma

Journal Article · Sun Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4907662· OSTI ID:22408041

Anderson, J. K.; Sarff, J. S.; Forest, C. B.; Reusch, J. A.; Nornberg, M. D.; Kim, J. ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin–Madison and Center for Magnetic Self-Organization in Laboratory and Astrophysical Plasmas, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

Ion runaway in the presence of a large-scale, reconnection-driven electric field has been conclusively measured in the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed-field pinch (RFP). Measurements of the acceleration of a beam of fast ions agree well with test particle and Fokker-Planck modeling of the runaway process. However, the runaway mechanism does not explain all measured ion heating in the RFP, particularly previous measurements of strong perpendicular heating. It is likely that multiple energization mechanisms occur simultaneously and with differing significance for magnetically coupled thermal ions and magnetically decoupled tail and beam ions.

• OSTI ID: 22408041
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 22, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
ION BEAMS
IONS
MST DEVICE
PLASMA
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
SIMULATION
TEST PARTICLES
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION