Up-gradient particle flux in a drift wave-zonal flow system

Journal Article · Fri May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921671· OSTI ID:22410280

Cui, L.; Tynan, G. R.; Thakur, S. C. ^[1]; Diamond, P. H. ^[1]; Brandt, C. ^[2]

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1. Center for Momentum Transport and Flow Organization, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States)
2. Center for Energy Research, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States)

We report a net inward, up-gradient turbulent particle flux in a cylindrical plasma when collisional drift waves generate a sufficiently strong sheared azimuthal flow that drives positive (negative) density fluctuations up (down) the background density gradient, resulting in a steepening of the mean density gradient. The results show the existence of a saturation mechanism for drift-turbulence driven sheared flows that can cause up-gradient particle transport and density profile steepening.

• OSTI ID: 22410280
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 22, Issue 5; Other Information: (c) 2015 Author(s); 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
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
FLOW MODELS
FLUCTUATIONS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
SHEAR
TURBULENCE
WAVE PROPAGATION