A KINETIC ALFVEN WAVE AND THE PROTON DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION IN THE FAST SOLAR WIND

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xing; Lu Quanming; Chen Yao; Li Bo; Xia Lidong

2010-01-01

Using one-dimensional test particle simulations, the effect of a kinetic Alfven wave on the velocity distribution function (VDF) of protons in the collisionless solar wind is investigated. We first use linear Vlasov theory to numerically obtain the property of a kinetic Alfven wave (the wave propagates in the direction almost perpendicular to the background magnetic field). We then numerically simulate how the wave will shape the proton VDF. It is found that Landau resonance may be able to generate two components in the initially Maxwellian proton VDF: a tenuous beam component along the direction of the background magnetic field and a core component. The streaming speed of the beam relative to the core proton component is about 1.2-1.3 Alfven speed.

Basic principles approach for studying nonlinear Alfven wave-alpha particle dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Breizman, B.N.; Pekker, M.

1994-01-01

An analytical model and a numerical procedure are presented which give a kinetic nonlinear description of the Alfven-wave instabilities driven by the source of energetic particles in a plasma. The steady-state and bursting nonlinear scenarios predicted by the analytical theory are verified in the test numerical simulation of the bump-on-tail instability. A mathematical similarity between the bump-on-tail problem for plasma waves and the Alfven wave problem gives a guideline for the interpretation of the bursts in the wave energy and fast particle losses observed in the tokamak experiments with neutral beam injection

Parametric instabilities of parallel propagating incoherent Alfven waves in a finite ion beta plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nariyuki, Y.; Hada, T.; Tsubouchi, K.

2007-01-01

Large amplitude, low-frequency Alfven waves constitute one of the most essential elements of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in the fast solar wind. Due to small collisionless dissipation rates, the waves can propagate long distances and efficiently convey such macroscopic quantities as momentum, energy, and helicity. Since loading of such quantities is completed when the waves damp away, it is important to examine how the waves can dissipate in the solar wind. Among various possible dissipation processes of the Alfven waves, parametric instabilities have been believed to be important. In this paper, we numerically discuss the parametric instabilities of coherent/incoherent Alfven waves in a finite ion beta plasma using a one-dimensional hybrid (superparticle ions plus an electron massless fluid) simulation, in order to explain local production of sunward propagating Alfven waves, as suggested by Helios/Ulysses observation results. Parameter studies clarify the dependence of parametric instabilities of coherent/incoherent Alfven waves on the ion and electron beta ratio. Parametric instabilities of coherent Alfven waves in a finite ion beta plasma are vastly different from those in the cold ions (i.e., MHD and/or Hall-MHD systems), even if the collisionless damping of the Alfven waves are neglected. Further, ''nonlinearly driven'' modulational instability is important for the dissipation of incoherent Alfven waves in a finite ion beta plasma regardless of their polarization, since the ion kinetic effects let both the right-hand and left-hand polarized waves become unstable to the modulational instability. The present results suggest that, although the antisunward propagating dispersive Alfven waves are efficiently dissipated through the parametric instabilities in a finite ion beta plasma, these instabilities hardly produce the sunward propagating waves

Resistive effects on helicity-wave current drive generated by Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1997-01-01

This work is concerned with the investigation of non-ideal (resistive) MHD effects on the excitation of Alfven waves by externally launched fast-mode waves, in simulated tokamak plasmas; both continuum range, CR ({ω Alf (r)} min Alf (r)} max ) and discrete range, DR, where global Alfven eigenmodes, GAEs (ω Alf (r)} min ) exist, are considered. (Here, ω Alf (r) ≡ ω Alf [n(r), B 0 (r)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave). For this, a cylindrical current carrying plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is used. Toroidicity effects are simulated by adopting for the axial equilibrium magnetic field component a suitable radial profile; shear and finite relative poloidal magnetic field are properly accounted for. A dielectric tensor appropriate to the physical conditions considered in this paper is derived and presented. (author)

Resonant Alfven waves on auroral field lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, Y.T.

1987-01-01

It is shown that resonant Alfven waves on dipole magnetic field geometry and plasma distributions suitable for auroral field lines can be conveniently treated in the theory of Mathieu functions. Resurgent interest in invoking large-scale Alfven waves to structure some elements of auroral electrodynamics calls for interpretation of measured perpendicular electric and magnetic disturbance fields in terms of Alfven waves. The ability to express the resonant eigenmodes in closed form in terms of Mathieu functions allows for convenient tests of the Alfven wave structuring hypothesis. Implications for current vector electric and magnetic disturbance measurements are discussed

Monte-Carlo Orbit/Full Wave Simulation of Fast Alfven Wave (FW) Damping on Resonant Ions in Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, M.; Chan, V.S.; Pinsker, R.I.; Tang, V.; Bonoli, P.; Wright, J.

2005-01-01

To simulate the resonant interaction of fast Alfven wave (FW) heating and Coulomb collisions on energetic ions, including finite orbit effects, a Monte-Carlo code ORBIT-RF has been coupled with a 2D full wave code TORIC4. ORBIT-RF solves Hamiltonian guiding center drift equations to follow trajectories of test ions in 2D axisymmetric numerical magnetic equilibrium under Coulomb collisions and ion cyclotron radio frequency quasi-linear heating. Monte-Carlo operators for pitch-angle scattering and drag calculate the changes of test ions in velocity and pitch angle due to Coulomb collisions. A rf-induced random walk model describing fast ion stochastic interaction with FW reproduces quasi-linear diffusion in velocity space. FW fields and its wave numbers from TORIC are passed on to ORBIT-RF to calculate perpendicular rf kicks of resonant ions valid for arbitrary cyclotron harmonics. ORBIT-RF coupled with TORIC using a single dominant toroidal and poloidal wave number has demonstrated consistency of simulations with recent DIII-D FW experimental results for interaction between injected neutral-beam ions and FW, including measured neutron enhancement and enhanced high energy tail. Comparison with C-Mod fundamental heating discharges also yielded reasonable agreement

Fast wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goree, J.; Ono, M.; Colestock, P.; Horton, R.; McNeill, D.; Park, H.

1985-07-01

Fast wave current drive is demonstrated in the Princeton ACT-I toroidal device. The fast Alfven wave, in the range of high ion-cyclotron harmonics, produced 40 A of current from 1 kW of rf power coupled into the plasma by fast wave loop antenna. This wave excites a steady current by damping on the energetic tail of the electron distribution function in the same way as lower-hybrid current drive, except that fast wave current drive is appropriate for higher plasma densities

Nonlinear two-fluid hydromagnetic waves in the solar wind: Rotational discontinuity, soliton, and finite-extent Alfven wave train solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyu, L.H.; Kan, J.R.

1989-01-01

Nonlinear one-dimensional constant-profile hydromagnetic wave solutions are obtained in finite-temperature two-fluid collisionless plasmas under adiabatic equation of state. The nonlinear wave solutions can be classified according to the wavelength. The long-wavelength solutions are circularly polarized incompressible oblique Alfven wave trains with wavelength greater than hudreds of ion inertial length. The oblique wave train solutions can explain the high degree of alignment between the local average magnetic field and the wave normal direction observed in the solar wind. The short-wavelength solutions include rarefaction fast solitons, compression slow solitons, Alfven solitons and rotational discontinuities, with wavelength of several tens of ion inertial length, provided that the upstream flow speed is less than the fast-mode speed

Shear Alfven waves in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kieras, C.E.

1982-12-01

Shear Alfven waves in an axisymmetric tokamak are examined within the framework of the linearized ideal MHD equations. Properties of the shear Alfven continuous spectrum are studied both analytically and numerically. Implications of these results in regards to low frequency rf heating of toroidally confined plasmas are discussed. The structure of the spatial singularities associated with these waves is determined. A reduced set of ideal MHD equations is derived to describe these waves in a very low beta plasma

Experiments and Observations on Intense Alfven Waves in the Laboratory and in Space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gekelman, W.; VanZeeland, M.; Vincena, S.; Pribyl, P.

2003-01-01

There are many situations, which occur in space (coronal mass ejections, supernovas), or are man-made (upper atmospheric detonations) in which a dense plasma expands into a background magnetized plasma that can support Alfven waves. The LArge Plasma Device (LAPD) is a machine, at UCLA, in which Alfven wave propagation in homogeneous and inhomogeneous plasmas has been studied. These will be briefly reviewed. A new class of experiments which involve the expansion of a dense (initially, δn/no>>1) laser-produced plasma into an ambient highly magnetized background plasma capable of supporting Alfven waves will be presented. Measurements are used to estimate the coupling efficiency of the laser energy and kinetic energy of the dense plasma into wave energy. The wave generation mechanism is due to field aligned return currents, coupled to the initial electron current, which replace fast electrons escaping the initial blast

Nonlinear evolution of astrophysical Alfven waves

Science.gov (United States)

Spangler, S. R.

1984-01-01

Nonlinear Alfven waves were studied using the derivative nonlinear Schrodinger equation as a model. The evolution of initial conditions, such as envelope solitons, amplitude-modulated waves, and band-limited noise was investigated. The last two furnish models for naturally occurring Alfven waves in an astrophysical plasma. A collapse instability in which a wave packet becomes more intense and of smaller spatial extent was analyzed. It is argued that this instability leads to enhanced plasma heating. In studies in which the waves are amplified by an electron beam, the instability tends to modestly inhibit wave growth.

Resistive effects on helicity-wave current drive generated by Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Faculty of Exact Sciences

1997-05-01

This work is concerned with the investigation of non-ideal (resistive) MHD effects on the excitation of Alfven waves by externally launched fast-mode waves, in simulated tokamak plasmas; both continuum range, CR ({l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub min} < {omega} < {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub max}) and discrete range, DR, where global Alfven eigenmodes, GAEs ({omega} < {l_brace}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub min}) exist, are considered. (Here, {omega}{sub Alf}(r) {identical_to} {omega}{sub Alf}[n(r), B{sub 0}(r)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave). For this, a cylindrical current carrying plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is used. Toroidicity effects are simulated by adopting for the axial equilibrium magnetic field component a suitable radial profile; shear and finite relative poloidal magnetic field are properly accounted for. A dielectric tensor appropriate to the physical conditions considered in this paper is derived and presented. (author).

Plasma heating by kinetic Alfven wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assis, A.S. de.

1982-01-01

The heating of a nonuniform plasma (electron-ion) due to the resonant excitation of the shear Alfven wave in the low β regime is studied using initially the ideal MHD model and posteriorly using the kinetic model. The Vlasov equation for ions and the drift kinetic equation for electrons have been used. Through the ideal MHD model, it is concluded that the energy absorption is due to the continuous spectrum (phase mixing) which the shear Alfven wave has in a nonuniform plasma. An explicit expression for the energy absorption is derived. Through the kinetic model it is concluded that the energy absorption is due to a resonant mode convertion of the incident wave into the kinetic Alfven wave which propagates away from the resonant region. Its electron Landau damping has been observed. There has been a concordance with the MHD calculations. (Author) [pt

TURBULENCE IN THE SUB-ALFVENIC SOLAR WIND DRIVEN BY REFLECTION OF LOW-FREQUENCY ALFVEN WAVES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verdini, A.; Velli, M.; Buchlin, E.

2009-01-01

We study the formation and evolution of a turbulent spectrum of Alfven waves driven by reflection off the solar wind density gradients, starting from the coronal base up to 17 solar radii, well beyond the Alfvenic critical point. The background solar wind is assigned and two-dimensional shell models are used to describe nonlinear interactions. We find that the turbulent spectra are influenced by the nature of the reflected waves. Close to the base, these give rise to a flatter and steeper spectrum for the outgoing and reflected waves, respectively. At higher heliocentric distance both spectra evolve toward an asymptotic Kolmogorov spectrum. The turbulent dissipation is found to account for at least half of the heating required to sustain the background imposed solar wind and its shape is found to be determined by the reflection-determined turbulent heating below 1.5 solar radii. Therefore, reflection and reflection-driven turbulence are shown to play a key role in the acceleration of the fast solar wind and origin of the turbulent spectrum found at 0.3 AU in the heliosphere.

Alfven wave. DOE Critical Review Series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, A.; Uberoi, C.

1982-01-01

This monograph deals with the properties of Alfven waves and with their application to fusion. The book is divided into 7 chapters dealing with linear properties in homogeneous and inhomogeneous plasmas. Absorption is treated by means of kinetic theory. Instabilities and nonlinear processes are treated in Chapters 1 to 6, and the closing chapter is devoted to theory and experiments in plasma heating by Alfven waves

Experimental observation of Alfven wave cones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gekelman, W.; Leneman, D.; Maggs, J.; Vincena, S.

1994-01-01

The spatial evolution of the radial profile of the magnetic field of a shear Alfven wave launched by a disk exciter with radius on the order of the electron skin depth has been measured. The waves are launched using wire mesh disk exciters of 4 mm and 8 mm radius into a helium plasma of density about 1.0x10 12 cm -3 and magnetic field 1.1 kG. The electron skin depth δ=c/ω pe is about 5 mm. The current channel associated with the shear Alfven wave is observed to spread with distance away from the exciter. The spreading follows a cone-like pattern whose angle is given by tan θ=k A δ, where k A is the Alfven wave number. The dependence of the magnetic profiles on wave frequency and disk size are presented. The effects of dissipation by electron--neutral collisions and Landau damping are observed. The observations are in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions [Morales et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 3765 (1994)

Alfven wave propagation in a partially ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watts, Christopher; Hanna, Jeremy

2004-01-01

Results from a laboratory study of the dispersion relation of Alfven waves propagating through a partially ionized plasma are presented. The plasma is generated using a helicon source, creating a high density, current-free discharge, where the source can be adjusted to one of several modes with varying neutral fraction. Depending on the neutral fraction, the measured dispersion curve of shear Alfven waves can change significantly. Measurement results are compared with theoretical predictions of the effect of neutral particles on Alfven wave propagation. In fitting the theory, the neutral fraction is independently estimated using two simple particle transport models, one collisionless, the other collisional. The two models predict comparable neutral fractions, and agree well with the neutral fraction required for the Alfven dispersion theory

Coronal heating by Alfven waves dissipation in compressible nonuniform media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malara, Francesco; Primavera, Leonardo; Veltri, Pierluigi

1996-01-01

The possibility to produce small scales and then to efficiently dissipate energy has been studied by Malara et al. [1992b] in the case of MHD disturbances propagating in an weakly dissipative incompressible and inhomogeneous medium, for a strictly 2D geometry. We extend this work to include both compressibility and the third component for vector quantities. Numerical simulations show that, when an Alfven wave propagates in a compressible nonuniform medium, the two dynamical effects responsible for the small scales formation in the incompressible case are still at work: energy pinching and phase-mixing. These effects give rise to the formation of compressible perturbations (fast and slow waves or a static entropy wave). Some of these compressive fluctuations are subject to the steepening of the wave front and become shock waves, which are extremely efficient in dissipating their energy, their dissipation being independent of the Reynolds number. Rough estimates of the typical times the various dynamical processes take to produce small scales show that these times are consistent with those required to dissipate inside the solar corona the energy of Alfven waves of photospheric origin

Nonlinear propagation of short wavelength drift-Alfven waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shukla, P. K.; Pecseli, H. L.; Juul Rasmussen, Jens

1986-01-01

Making use of a kinetic ion and a hydrodynamic electron description together with the Maxwell equation, the authors derive a set of nonlinear equations which governs the dynamics of short wavelength ion drift-Alfven waves. It is shown that the nonlinear drift-Alfven waves can propagate as two-dim...

The phase mixing of shear Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uberoi, C.

1993-04-01

The phase mixing of shear Alfven waves is discussed as a current sheets crossover phenomena by using the well-behaved time dependent solution of the Alfven wave equation. This method is a more direct approach than the initial value problem technique to find the collisionless damping time of the surface waves, which as it represents the coherency loss is argued to be the phase mixing time. The phase mixing time obtained by both the methods compares well. The direct method however, has an advantage that no particular profile for the magnetic field variation need to be chosen and secondly the phase mixing time and the time scale for which the resistivity effects become important can be expressed conveniently in terms of Alfven transit times before crossover. (author). 11 refs

Three-dimensional stability of solitary kinetic Alfven waves and ion-acoustic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, G.; Das, K.P.

1994-01-01

Starting from a set of equations that lead to a linear dispersion relation coupling kinetic Alfven waves and ion-acoustic waves, three-dimensional KdV equations are derived for these waves. These equations are then used to investigate the three-dimensional stability of solitary kinetic Alfven waves and ion-acoustic waves by the small-k perturbation expansion method of Rowlands and Infeld. For kinetic Alfven waves it is found that there is instability if the direction of the plane-wave perturbation lies inside a cone, and the growth rate of the instability attains a maximum when the direction of the perturbation lies in the plane containing the external magnetic field and the direction of propagation of the solitary wave. For ion-acoustic waves the growth rate of instability attains a maximum when the direction of the perturbation lies in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the solitary wave. (Author)

Stable Alfven-wave dynamo action in the reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werley, K.A.

1984-01-01

Previous theoretical work has suggested that Alfven waves may be related to the anomalous toroidal magnetic flux generation and extended (over classical expectations) discharge times observed in the reversed-field pinch. This thesis examines the dynamo action of stable Alfven waves as a means of generating toroidal flux. Recent advances in linear resistive MHD stability analysis are used to calculate the quasi-linear dynamo mean electromotive force of Alfven waves. This emf is incorporated into a one-dimensional transport and mean-field evolution code. The changing equilibrium is then fed back to the stability code to complete a computational framework that self-consistently evaluates a dynamic plasma dynamo. This technique is readily extendable to other plasmas in which dynamic stable model action is of interest. Such plasmas include Alfven wave current-drive and plasma heating for fusion devices, as well as astrophysical and geophysical dynamo systems. This study also contains extensive studies of resistive Alfven wave properties. This includes behavior versus spectral location, magnetic Reynolds number and wave number

Alfven frequency modes and global Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villard, L.; Vaclavik, J.

1996-07-01

The spectrum of n=0 Alfven modes is calculated analytically and numerically in cylindrical and toroidal geometries. It includes Global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAE) and Surface Modes (SM) of the fast magnetoacoustic wave. These modes are not induced by toroidicity. The n=0 GAEs owe their existence to the shear. The frequency spacing between different radial and poloidal modes and the correlation of eigenfrequencies with changes in the edge density are examined and found in complete agreement with experimental observations of what has been named the 'Alfven Frequency Mode' (AFM) so far. Although the eigenfrequency is related to the edge density, the n=0 GAE (AFM) is not necessarily edge-localized. (author) figs., tabs., refs

Reflection of Alfven waves at an open magnetopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, F.; Kan, J.R.

1990-01-01

Reflection of an Alfven wave incident on an open magnetopause form the magnetospheric side is examined. An open magnetopause, whose structure is different from the standard rotational discontinuity, is assumed to be a parameterized discontinuity with a nonzero normal field component. When an Alfven wave is incident on the open magnetopause, reflected and transmitted waves are generated. The emanating waves can be analyzed using linearized MHD conservation relations across the magnetopause, together with Snell's law. Under the assumption that the magnetic fields on the two sides of the open magnetopause are coplanar with the normal direction of the magnetopause, the governing equations are solved numerically. The results show that the electric fields of emanating Alfven waves depend mainly on the number density and the magnetic field jumps across the magnetopause. Under conditions representing the open magnetopause, it turns out that the open magnetopause behaves like a near perfect reflector. The corresponding reflection coefficient for the wave electric field can be approximated by R E = E r /E i ∼ -1 as has been deduced by Kan and Sun (1985) based on physical arguments. In other words, the solar wind flow is more or less unchanged by the loading effect of the Alfven wave incident on the magnetopause from the magnetospheric side. Therefore, under the assumptions of the model, the open magnetopause can be viewed as a constant voltage source

ALFVEN WAVES IN A PARTIALLY IONIZED TWO-FLUID PLASMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soler, R.; Ballester, J. L.; Terradas, J. [Departament de Fisica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Carbonell, M., E-mail: roberto.soler@uib.es, E-mail: joseluis.ballester@uib.es, E-mail: jaume.terradas@uib.es, E-mail: marc.carbonell@uib.es [Departament de Matematiques i Informatica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2013-04-20

Alfven waves are a particular class of magnetohydrodynamic waves relevant in many astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. In partially ionized plasmas the dynamics of Alfven waves is affected by the interaction between ionized and neutral species. Here we study Alfven waves in a partially ionized plasma from the theoretical point of view using the two-fluid description. We consider that the plasma is composed of an ion-electron fluid and a neutral fluid, which interact by means of particle collisions. To keep our investigation as general as possible, we take the neutral-ion collision frequency and the ionization degree as free parameters. First, we perform a normal mode analysis. We find the modification due to neutral-ion collisions of the wave frequencies and study the temporal and spatial attenuation of the waves. In addition, we discuss the presence of cutoff values of the wavelength that constrain the existence of oscillatory standing waves in weakly ionized plasmas. Later, we go beyond the normal mode approach and solve the initial-value problem in order to study the time-dependent evolution of the wave perturbations in the two fluids. An application to Alfven waves in the low solar atmospheric plasma is performed and the implication of partial ionization for the energy flux is discussed.

Numerical analysis of quasiperiodic perturbations for the Alfven wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamakoshi, Y.; Muto, K.; Yoshida, Z.

1994-01-01

The Alfven wave may have a localized eigenfunction when it propagates on a chaotic magnetic field. The Arnold-Beltrami-Childress (ABC) flow is a paradigm of chaotic stream lines and is a simple exact solution to the three-dimensional force-free plasma equilibrium equations. The three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field is represented by sinusoidal quasiperiodic modulation. The short wavelength Alfven wave equation for the ABC-flow magnetic field has a quasiperiodic potential term, which induces interference among ''Bragg-reflected'' waves with irregular phases. Then the eigenfunction decays at long distance and a point spectrum occurs. Two different types of short wavelength modes have numerically analyzed to demonstrate the existence of localized Alfven wave eigenmodes

Alfven waves and associated energetic ions downstream from Uranus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ming; Belcher, J.W.; Richardson, J.D.; Smith, C.W.

1991-01-01

The authors report the observation of low-frequency waves in the solar wind downstream from Uranus. These waves are observed by the Voyager spacecraft for more than 2 weeks after the encounter with Uranus and are present during this period whenever the interplanetary magnetic field is oriented such that the field lines intersect the Uranian bow shock. The magnetic field and velocity components transverse to the background field are strongly correlated, consistent with the interpretation that these waves are Alfvenic and/or fast-mode waves. The waves have a spacecraft frame frequency of about 10 -3 Hz, and when first observed near the bow shock have an amplitude comparable to the background field. As the spacecraft moves farther from Uranus, the amplitude decays. The waves appear to propagate along the magnetic field lines outward from Uranus and are right-hand polarized. Theory suggests that these waves are generated in the upstream region by a resonant instability with a proton beam streaming along the magnetic field lines. The solar wind subsequently carries these waves downstream to the spacecraft location. These waves are associated with the presence of energetic (> 28 keV) ions observed by the low-energy charged particle instrument. These ions appear two days after the start of the wave activity and occur thereafter whenever the Alfven waves occur, increasing in intensity away from Uranus. The ions are argued to originate in the Uranian magnetosphere, but pitch-angle scattering in the upstream region is required to bring them downstream to the spacecraft location

Alfven wave studies on a tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kortbawi, D.

1987-10-01

The continuum modes of the shear Alfven resonance are studied on the Tokapole II device, a small tokamak operated in a four node poloidal divertor configuration. A variety of antenna designs and the efficiency with which they deliver energy to the resonant layer are discussed. The spatial structure of the driven waves is studied by means of magnetic probes inserted into the current channel. In an attempt to optimize the coupling of energy in to the resonant layer, the angle of antenna currents with respect to the equilibrium field, antenna size, and plasma-to-antenna distance are varied. The usefulness of Faraday shields, particle shields, and local limiters are investigated. Antennas should be well shielded, either a dense Faraday shield or particle shield being satisfactory. The antenna should be large and very near to the plasma. The wave magnetic fields measured show a spatial resonance, the position of which varies with the value of the equilibrium field and mass density. They are polarized perpendicular to the equilibrium field. A wave propagates radially in to the resonant surface where it is converted to the shear Alfven wave. The signal has a short risetime and does not propagate far toroidally. These points are all consistent with a strongly damped shear Alfven wave. Comparisons of this work to theoretical predictions and results from other tokamaks are made

Discrete Alfven waves in the TORTUS tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amagishi, Y.; Ballico, M.J.; Cross, R.C.; Donnely, I.J.

1989-01-01

Discrete Alfven Waves (DAWs) have been observed as antenna resistance peaks and as enhanced edge fields in the TORTUS tokamak during Alfven wave heating experiments. A kinetic theory code has been used to calculate the antenna loading and the structure of the DAW fields for a range of plasma current and density profiles. There is fair agreement between the measured and predicted amplitude of the DAW fields in the plasma edge when both are normalized to the same antenna power

Nonlinear propagation of Alfven waves in cometary plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakhina, G.S.; Shukla, P.K.

1987-07-01

Large amplitude Alfven waves propagating along the guide magnetic field in a three-component plasma are shown to be modulationally unstable due to their nonlinear interaction with nonresonant electrostatic density fluctuations. A new class of subsonic Alfven soliton solutions are found to exist in the three-component plasma. The Alfven solitons can be relevant in explaining the properties of hydromagnetic turbulence near the comets. (author). 15 refs

Excitation and Propagation of Alfven Waves in a Helicon Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grulke, Olaf; Klinger, Thomas; Franck, Christian M.

2003-01-01

An experimental study of shear Alfven waves in a linearly magnetized plasma is presented. Shear Alfven waves are electromagnetic waves propagating parallel to the background magnetic field without compression of the plasma at a frequency well below the ion cyclotron frequency and a wavelength inversely proportional to the square root of the plasma density. A basic condition on laboratory investigations is that the Alfven wavelength must be significantly smaller than the device dimension. This makes Alfven waves difficult to investigate in laboratory experiments and most studies are performed in space, where typical Alfven wavelengths of several kilometers are observed. The results of these studies are often ambiguous due to difficulties concerning the measurements of plasma parameters and the magnetic field geometry. The primary motivation for the present paper is the investigation of Alfven wave propagation in a well defined laboratory situation. The experiments are conducted in the linear VINETA device. The necessary operational regime is achieved by the large axial device length of 4.5m and the use of a helicon plasma source providing high density plasmas with ionization degrees of up to 100%. The Argon plasma is magnetized by a set of 36 magnetic field coils, which produce a maximum magnetic field of 0.1T on the device axis. With this configuration a plasma-β of ≥ 10-4 is achieved, which exceeds the electron to ion mass ration, and the ion cyclotron frequency is ≅ 250kHz. Langmuir probes provide detailed informations on the time-averaged plasma profiles. Magnetic field perturbations for the excitation of Alfven waves are generated by a current loop, which is introduced into the plasma. The surface normal of the current loop is directed perpendicular to the magnetic field. The waves's dispersion relation in dependence of plasma parameters is determined by spatially resolved B probe measurements

Alfven wave absorption in dissipative plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavrikov, M B; Taiurskii, A A

2017-01-01

We consider nonlinear absorption of Alfven waves due to dissipative effects in plasma and relaxation of temperatures of electrons and ions. This study is based on an exact solution of the equations of two-fluid electromagnetic hydrodynamics (EMHD) of plasma. It is shown that in order to study the decay of Alfven waves, it suffices to examine the behavior of their amplitudes whose evolution is described by a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) obtained in this paper. On finite time intervals, the system of equations on the amplitudes is studied numerically, while asymptotic integration (the Hartman-Grobman theorem) is used to examine its large-time behavior. (paper)

Comments on the Alfven wave spectrum as measured on the TCA tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puri, S.

1986-06-01

The heating in the TCA tokamak is ascribed to a combination of compressional Alfven wave heating (CAW) and discrete Alfven wave (DAW) heating. In this communication we invoke an alternative plasma heating mechanism by the direct excitation of torsional Alfven waves (TAW) to account for the observed features of the TCA experiment. (orig./GG)

Alfven Eigenmode Control in DIII-D

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, W.; Olofsson, E.; Welander, A.; van Zeeland, M.; Collins, C.; Heidbrink, W.

2017-10-01

Alfven eigenmodes (AE) driven by fast ions from neutral beam and ion cyclotron heating are common in present day tokamak plasmas and are expected to be destabilized by alpha particles in future burning plasma experiments. Because these waves have been shown to cause loss and redistribution of fast ions which can impact plasma performance and potentially device integrity, developing control techniques for AEs is of paramount importance. In the DIII-D plasma control system, spectral analysis of real-time ECE data is used as a monitor of AE amplitude, frequency, and location. These values are then used for feedback control of the neutral beam power to control Alfven waves and reduce fast ion loss. This work describes tests of AE control experiments in the current ramp up phase, during which multiple Alfven eigenmodes are typically unstable and fast ion confinement is degraded significantly. Comparisons of neutron emission and confined fast ion profiles with and without active AE control will be made. Work supported by the U.S. Dept. of Energy under Award Number DE-FC02-04ER54698.

Dissipation of Alfven waves in compressible inhomogeneous media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malara, F.; Primavera, L.; Veltri, P.

1997-01-01

In weakly dissipative media governed by the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations, any efficient mechanism of energy dissipation requires the formation of small scales. Using numerical simulations, we study the properties of Alfven waves propagating in a compressible inhomogeneous medium, with an inhomogeneity transverse to the direction of wave propagation. Two dynamical effects, energy pinching and phase mixing, are responsible for the small-scales formation, similarly to the incompressible case. Moreover, compressive perturbations, slow waves and a static entropy wave are generated; the former are subject to steepening and form shock waves, which efficiently dissipate their energy, regardless of the Reynolds number. Rough estimates show that the dissipation times are consistent with those required to dissipate Alfven waves of photospheric origin inside the solar corona

Current drive by Alfven waves in elongated cross section tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsypin, V.S.; Elfimov, A.G.; Nekrasov, F.M.; Azevedo, C.A.; Assis, A.S. de

1997-01-01

Full text. The problem of the noninductive current drive in cylindrical plasma model and in circular cross-section tokamaks had been already discussed intensively. At the beginning of the study of this problem it have been clear that there are significant difficulties in using of the current-drive in toroidal magnetic traps, especially in a tokamak reactor. Thus, in the case of the lower-hybrid current-drive the efficiency of this current-drive drops strongly as the plasma density increases. For the Alfven waves, there is an opinion that the efficiency of the current-drive drops as a result of waves absorption by the trapped particles 1,2. Okhawa proposed that the current in a magnetized plasma can be maintained also by means of forces, depending on the radiofrequency (rf) field amplitude gradients (the helicity injection). This idea was developed later, some new hopes appeared, connected with the possibility of the current-drive efficiency increasing. It was shown that for the cylindrical plasmas the local efficiency of Alfev wave current drive can be increased by one order of magnitude due to gradient forces, for the kinetic Alfven waves (KAW) and the global Alfven waves 9GAW) at some range of the phase velocity. For tokamaks, this additional nonresonant current drive does not depend on the trapped particle effects, which reduce strongly the Alfven current drive efficiency in tokamaks, as it is supposed. Now, the theory development of the Alfven wave (AW) current drive is very important in the cource of the future experiments on the TCA/BR tokamak (Brazil). In this paper, an attempt is made to clarify some general aspects of this problems for magnetic traps. For large aspects ratio tokamaks, with an elongated cross-section, some general formulas concerning the untrapped and trapped particles dynamics and their input to the Landau damping of the Alfven waves, are presented. They are supposed to be used for the further development of the Alfven current drive theory

Current drive by Alfven waves in elongated cross section tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsypin, V.S.; Elfimov, A.G.; Nekrasov, F.M.; Azevedo, C.A. [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica; Assis, A.S. de [Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

1997-12-31

Full text. The problem of the noninductive current drive in cylindrical plasma model and in circular cross-section tokamaks had been already discussed intensively. At the beginning of the study of this problem it have been clear that there are significant difficulties in using of the current-drive in toroidal magnetic traps, especially in a tokamak reactor. Thus, in the case of the lower-hybrid current-drive the efficiency of this current-drive drops strongly as the plasma density increases. For the Alfven waves, there is an opinion that the efficiency of the current-drive drops as a result of waves absorption by the trapped particles 1,2. Okhawa proposed that the current in a magnetized plasma can be maintained also by means of forces, depending on the radiofrequency (rf) field amplitude gradients (the helicity injection). This idea was developed later, some new hopes appeared, connected with the possibility of the current-drive efficiency increasing. It was shown that for the cylindrical plasmas the local efficiency of Alfev wave current drive can be increased by one order of magnitude due to gradient forces, for the kinetic Alfven waves (KAW) and the global Alfven waves (GAW) at some range of the phase velocity. For tokamaks, this additional nonresonant current drive does not depend on the trapped particle effects, which reduce strongly the Alfven current drive efficiency in tokamaks, as it is supposed. Now, the theory development of the Alfven wave (AW) current drive is very important in the cource of the future experiments on the TCA/BR tokamak (Brazil). In this paper, an attempt is made to clarify some general aspects of this problems for magnetic traps. For large aspects ratio tokamaks, with an elongated cross-section, some general formulas concerning the untrapped and trapped particles dynamics and their input to the Landau damping of the Alfven waves, are presented. They are supposed to be used for the further development of the Alfven current drive theory

Nonlinear Evolution of Alfvenic Wave Packets

Science.gov (United States)

Buti, B.; Jayanti, V.; Vinas, A. F.; Ghosh, S.; Goldstein, M. L.; Roberts, D. A.; Lakhina, G. S.; Tsurutani, B. T.

1998-01-01

Alfven waves are a ubiquitous feature of the solar wind. One approach to studying the evolution of such waves has been to study exact solutions to approximate evolution equations. Here we compare soliton solutions of the Derivative Nonlinear Schrodinger evolution equation (DNLS) to solutions of the compressible MHD equations.

Non-axial-symmetric Alfven waves in cylindrical, radial inhomogeneous plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raeuchle, E.

1978-08-01

The propagation of nonaxialsymmetric Alfven waves is investigated theoretically. Eigenfunctions and dispersion relations are calculated numerically for radial inhomogeneous cylindrical plasmas. In the MHD treatment resistivity, neutral particle loading and ion cyclotron effects are included. The investigations are of importance for plasma heating by Alfven waves. (orig.) [de

Ion temperature in plasmas with intrinsic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, C. S.; Yoon, P. H.; Wang, C. B.

2014-01-01

This Brief Communication clarifies the physics of non-resonant heating of protons by low-frequency Alfvenic turbulence. On the basis of general definition for wave energy density in plasmas, it is shown that the wave magnetic field energy is equivalent to the kinetic energy density of the ions, whose motion is induced by the wave magnetic field, thus providing a self-consistent description of the non-resonant heating by Alfvenic turbulence. Although the study is motivated by the research on the solar corona, the present discussion is only concerned with the plasma physics of the heating process

How to turn gravity waves into Alfven waves and other such tricks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newington, Marie E; Cally, Paul S

2011-01-01

Recent observations of travelling gravity waves at the base of the chromosphere suggest an interplay between gravity wave propagation and magnetic field. Our aims are: to explain the observation that gravity wave flux is suppressed in magnetic regions; to understand why we see travelling waves instead of standing waves; and to see if gravity waves can undergo mode conversion and couple to Alfven waves in regions where the plasma beta is of order unity. We model gravity waves in a VAL C atmosphere, subject to a uniform magnetic field of various orientations, considering both adiabatic and radiatively damped propagation. Results indicate that in the presence of a magnetic field, the gravity wave can propagate as a travelling wave, with the magnetic field orientation playing a crucial role in determining the wave character. For the majority of magnetic field orientations, the gravity wave is reflected at low heights as a slow magneto-acoustic wave, explaining the observation of reduced flux in magnetic regions. In a highly inclined magnetic field, the gravity wave undergoes mode conversion to either field guided acoustic waves or Alfven waves. The primary effect of incorporating radiative damping is a reduction in acoustic and magnetic fluxes measured at the top of the integration region. By demonstrating the mode conversion of gravity waves to Alfven waves, this work identifies a possible pathway for energy transport from the solar surface to the upper atmosphere.

Alfven wave heating in ASDEX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Besson, G.; Borg, G.G.; Lister, J.B.; Marmillod, Ph.; Braun, F.; Murphy, A.B.; Noterdaeme, J.M.; Ryter, F.; Wesner, F.

1990-01-01

An experiment has been completed on ASDEX to study the response of the plasma to Alfven wave heating (AWH). Antenna excitation was provided by the old TCA rf generator with an output power capability of 500 kW. Two poloidal loop antennas were installed at the east and west ends of the tokamak allowing either N=1 or N=2 phasings. Since the largest antenna coupling to the Alfven resonance is provided by the m=1 surface wave, the antenna consisted only of a single element on the low field side, whereas in TCA the antennas are located on the top and the bottom of the torus. The antenna elements consisted of 2 parallel bars of inductance 730 nH and, as in TCA, were left unshielded. A typical antenna circulating current of 2 kA peak at 1.80 MHz was provided for the experiments. (author) 3 refs., 4 figs

Nonlinear surface Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cramer, N.F.

1991-01-01

The problem of nonlinear surface Alfven waves propagating on an interface between a plasma and a vacuum is discussed, with dispersion provided by the finite-frequency effect, i.e. the finite ratio of the frequency to the ion-cyclotron frequency. A set of simplified nonlinear wave equations is derived using the method of stretched co-ordinates, and another approach uses the generation of a second-harmonic wave and its interaction with the first harmonic to obtain a nonlinear dispersion relation. A nonlinear Schroedinger equation is then derived, and soliton solutions found that propagate as solitary pulses in directions close to parallel and antiparallel to the background magnetic field. (author)

Alfven wave. [Book on linear and nonlinear properties for fusion applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasegawa, A.; Uberoi, C.

1978-11-01

Seven chapters are included. Chapters 1 and 2 introduce the Alfven wave and describe its linear properties in a homogeneous medium. Chapters 3 and 4 cover the effects of inhomogeneities on these linear properties. Particular emphasis is placed on the appearance of a continuum spectrum and the associated absorption of the Alfven wave which arise due to the inhomogeneity. The explanation of the physical origin of absorption is given using kinetic theory. Chapter 5 is devoted to the associated plasma instabilities. Nonlinear effects discussed in Chapter 6 include quasilinear diffusion, decay, a solitary wave, and a modulational instability. The principles of Alfven wave heating, a design example and present-day experimental results are described in Chapter 7.

Structure and parameters dependences of Alfven wave current drive generated in the low-field side of simulated spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

1999-01-01

Theoretical results on the wave-plasma interactions in simulated toroidal configurations are presented. The study covers the cases of large to low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the pre-heated stage. Fast waves emitted from an external antenna with different wave numbers and frequencies are considered. The non-inductive Alfven wave current drive is evaluated and discussed. (author)

Structure and parameters dependences of Alfven wave current drive generated in the low-field side of simulated spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

2001-01-01

Theoretical results on the wave-plasma interactions in simulated toroidal configurations are presented. The study covers the cases of large to low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the pre-heated stage. Fast waves emitted from an external antenna with different wave numbers and frequencies are considered. The non-inductive Alfven wave current drive is evaluated and discussed. (author)

Alfven wave heating in a tokamak reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borg, G.G.; Appert, K.; Knight, A.J.; Lister, J.B.; Vaclavik, J.

1990-01-01

A number of features of Alfven wave heating make it potentially attractive for use in large tokamak reactors. Among them are the availability and relativity low cost of the power supplies, the potential ability to act selectively on the current profile, and the probable absence of operational limits in size, fields or density. The physics of Alfven wave heating in a large tokamak is assessed. Present theoretical understanding of mode coupling and antenna loading is extrapolated to a large machine. The problem of a recessed antenna is analysed. Calculations of loading and discussion of various heating scenarios for the particular case of NET are also presented. (author). 23 refs, 18 figs, 4 tabs

Wave-Particle Energy Exchange Directly Observed in a Kinetic Alfven-Branch Wave

Science.gov (United States)

Gershman, Daniel J.; F-Vinas, Adolfo; Dorelli, John C.; Boardsen, Scott A. (Inventor); Avanov, Levon A.; Bellan, Paul M.; Schwartz, Steven J.; Lavraud, Benoit; Coffey, Victoria N.; Chandler, Michael O.;

Stable Alfven wave dynamo action in the reversed field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werley, K.A.

1984-01-01

Recent advances in linear resistive MHD stability analysis are used to calculate the quasi-linear dynamo mean electromotive force of Alfven waves. This emf is incorporated into a one-dimensional transport and mean-field evolution code. The changing equilibrium is then fed back to the stability code to complete a computational framework that self-consistently evaluates a dynamic plasma dynamo. Static quasi-linear Alfven wave calculations have shown that dynamo emfs on the order of eta vector J are possible. This suggested a possible explanation of RFP behavior and a new (externally driven) mechanism for extending operation and controlling field profiles (possibly reducing plasma transport). This thesis demonstrates that the dynamo emf can quickly induce plasma currents whose emf cancels the dynamo effect. This thesis also contains extensive studies of resistive Alfven wave properties. This includes behavior versus spectral location, magnetic Reynolds number and wave number

CORONAL HEATING BY SURFACE ALFVEN WAVE DAMPING: IMPLEMENTATION IN A GLOBAL MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS MODEL OF THE SOLAR WIND

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, R. M. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Space Weather Lab, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Opher, M. [Astronomy Department, Boston University, 675 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Oran, R.; Van der Holst, B.; Sokolov, I. V.; Frazin, R.; Gombosi, T. I. [Center for Space Environment Modeling, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Vasquez, A., E-mail: Rebekah.e.frolov@nasa.gov [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio (CONICET-UBA) and FCEN (UBA), CC 67, Suc 28, Ciudad de Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2012-09-10

The heating and acceleration of the solar wind is an active area of research. Alfven waves, because of their ability to accelerate and heat the plasma, are a likely candidate in both processes. Many models have explored wave dissipation mechanisms which act either in closed or open magnetic field regions. In this work, we emphasize the boundary between these regions, drawing on observations which indicate unique heating is present there. We utilize a new solar corona component of the Space Weather Modeling Framework, in which Alfven wave energy transport is self-consistently coupled to the magnetohydrodynamic equations. In this solar wind model, the wave pressure gradient accelerates and wave dissipation heats the plasma. Kolmogorov-like wave dissipation as expressed by Hollweg along open magnetic field lines was presented in van der Holst et al. Here, we introduce an additional dissipation mechanism: surface Alfven wave (SAW) damping, which occurs in regions with transverse (with respect to the magnetic field) gradients in the local Alfven speed. For solar minimum conditions, we find that SAW dissipation is weak in the polar regions (where Hollweg dissipation is strong), and strong in subpolar latitudes and the boundaries of open and closed magnetic fields (where Hollweg dissipation is weak). We show that SAW damping reproduces regions of enhanced temperature at the boundaries of open and closed magnetic fields seen in tomographic reconstructions in the low corona. Also, we argue that Ulysses data in the heliosphere show enhanced temperatures at the boundaries of fast and slow solar wind, which is reproduced by SAW dissipation. Therefore, the model's temperature distribution shows best agreement with these observations when both dissipation mechanisms are considered. Lastly, we use observational constraints of shock formation in the low corona to assess the Alfven speed profile in the model. We find that, compared to a polytropic solar wind model, the wave

Destabilization of hydromagnetic drift-Alfven waves in a finite pressure collisional plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, J.T.

1974-01-01

In a finite beta (β = 8πn 0 kT 0 /B 0 2 ) plasma, where the plasma pressure n 0 kT 0 is an appreciable fraction of the confining magnetic field energy-density B 0 2 /8π, density-gradient driven drift waves couple with Alfven waves when the phase velocities of the two waves become comparable. The resulting hydromagnetic drift-Alfven waves separate into two branches--a drift mode and an Alfven mode, with both modes exhibiting magnetic field and localized density fluctuations near the coupling point. The dispersion relation of the collisional drift-Alfven wave is derived by using a slab-geometry, two-fluid model which includes finite beta, electron-ion collisions, ion-ion collisions, finite ion larmar radius, temperature fluctuations, and an axial electron current. A hydromagnetic drift mode is found to be unstable in a moderately dense plasma. A localized ''Alfven'' mode is destabilized only with the passage of an axial current along the plasma column. In order to check the theoretical predictions an experiment is performed in a finite-beta plasma of density n 0 = 10 13 -10 15 cm -3 and temperature T/sub e/ approximately T/sub i/ = 1-7 eV. (U.S.)

Particle energization by inertial Alfven wave in auroral ionosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, S.

2017-12-01

The role of inertial Alfven wave in auroral acceleration region and in the inertial regime to energize the plasma particles is an interesting field and widely discussed observationally as well as theoretically in recent years. In this work, we present the density perturbations by inertial Alfvén wave (AW) in the auroral ionosphere. We obtain dynamical equations for inertial AW and fast mode of AW using two-fluid model and then solve them numerically in order to analyze the localized structures and cavity formation. The ponderomotive force due to the high frequency inertial AW changes the background density and is believed to be responsible for the wave localization or for the formation of density cavities in auroral ionosphere. These density cavities are believed to be the sites for particle energization. This perturbed density channel grow with time until the modulation instability acquires steady state. We find that the density cavities are accompanied by the high amplitude magnetic fields. The amplitude of the strongest density cavity is estimated as ˜ 0.26n0 (n0 is unperturbed plasma number density). The results presented here are found consistent with the observational studies using FAST spacecraft.

Effect of Dust Grains on Solitary Kinetic Alfven Wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yangfang; Wu, D. J.; Morfill, G. E.

2008-01-01

Solitary kinetic Alfven wave has been studied in dusty plasmas. The effect of the dust charge-to-mass ratio is considered. We derive the Sagdeev potential for the soliton solutions based on the hydrodynamic equations. A singularity in the Sagdeev potential is found and this singularity results in a bell-shaped soliton. The soliton solutions comprise two branches. One branch is sub-Alfvenic and the soliton velocities are much smaller than the Alfven speed. The other branch is super-Alfvenic and the soliton velocities are very close to or greater than the Alfven speed. Both compressive and rarefactive solitons can exist in each branch. For the sub-Alfvenic branch, the rarefactive soliton is a bell shape curve which is much narrower than the compressive one. In the super-Alfvenic branch, however, the compressive soliton is bell-shaped and the rarefactive one is broadened. We also found that the super-Alfvenic solitons can develop to other structures. When the charge-to-mass ratio of the dust grains is sufficiently high, the width of the rarefactive soliton will increase extremely and an electron density depletion will be observed. When the velocity is much higher than the Alfven speed, the bell-shaped soliton will transit to a cusped structure.

Alfven Wave Reflection Model of Field-Aligned Currents at Mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Lyatsky, Wladislaw; Khazanov, George V.; Slavin, James

2010-01-01

An Alfven Wave Reflection (AWR) model is proposed that provides closure for strong field-aligned currents (FACs) driven by the magnetopause reconnection in the magnetospheres of planets having no significant ionospheric and surface electrical conductance. The model is based on properties of the Alfven waves, generated at high altitudes and reflected from the low-conductivity surface of the planet. When magnetospheric convection is very slow, the incident and reflected Alfven waves propagate along approximately the same path. In this case, the net field-aligned currents will be small. However, as the convection speed increases. the reflected wave is displaced relatively to the incident wave so that the incident and reflected waves no longer compensate each other. In this case, the net field-aligned current may be large despite the lack of significant ionospheric and surface conductivity. Our estimate shows that for typical solar wind conditions at Mercury, the magnitude of Region 1-type FACs in Mercury's magnetosphere may reach hundreds of kilo-Amperes. This AWR model of field-aligned currents may provide a solution to the long-standing problem of the closure of FACs in the Mercury's magnetosphere. c2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The stationary Alfven wave in laboratory and space regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Finnegan, S. M.

In this thesis, a non-linear, collisional, two-fluid model of uniform plasma convection across field-aligned current (FAC) sheets, describing stationary Alfven (StA) waves is developed in support of laboratory experiments performed to test the hypothesis that a stationary inertial Alfven wave pattern forms within a channel of parallel electron current across which plasma is convected. In a previous work, Knudsen (D. J. Knudsen, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 10,761 (1996)) showed that, for cold, collisionless plasma, stationary inertial Alfven (StIA) waves can accelerate electrons parallel to a background magnetic field and cause large, time-independent plasma-density variations having spatial periodicity in the direction of the convective flow over a broad range of spatial scales and energies. Here, Knudsen's model has been generalized for warm, collisional, anisotropic plasma. The inclusion of parallel electron thermal pressure introduces dispersive effects which extend the model to the kinetic (beta > me/mi) regime. The effects of both ion-neutral and electron-ion collisional resistivity on StIA and stationary kinetic Alfven (StKA) wave solutions is studied. Conditions for both periodic and solitary wave solutions are identified. In the small amplitude limit, it is shown that the StA wave equation reduces to the differential equation describing the behavior of a forced harmonic oscillator. Analytical solutions are obtained for both a step and impulse, of finite width, forcing functions. Plasma rotation experiments in the West Virginia University Q-machine (WVUQ) demonstrate that an electron-emitting spiral electrode produces controllable, parabolic radial profile of floating potential, while the space potential showed no such structure. Laser-induced fluorescence measurements confirmed that the azimuthal ion drift velocity is inconsistent with a drift due to a gradient in the space potential. Experiments designed to produce StIA wave signatures were performed in the

Destabilization of Alfven eigenmodes by fast particles in W7-AS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zegenhagen, S.

2006-02-01

In the present thesis, a systematic study of beam driven Alfven eigenmodes in high-density and low-temperature plasmas of the W7-AS stellarator is performed. The goal of this thesis is twofold: (I) identification and description of fast particle driven Alfven instabilities in W7-AS, and (II) study of energetic particle losses induced by Alfven instabilities. A total of 133 different Alfven eigenmodes is studied in discharges from different experimental campaigns. The discharges are characterized by high density, n e =5 x 1019 m -3 to 2.5 x 1020 m -3 at relatively low temperatures of T e =T i =150..600 eV. Additional 13 events are found to have frequencies inside the EAE gap and could possibly be EAEs. Evidence for high-frequency Alfven eigenmodes (mirror- and helicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes) is seen, but can not be proven rigorously due to uncertain mode numbers and the complexity of the Alfven continuum. The remaining 41 Alfven eigenmodes can not be classified to be one of the above cases. (orig.)

Destabilization of Alfven eigenmodes by fast particles in W7-AS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zegenhagen, S.

2006-02-15

In the present thesis, a systematic study of beam driven Alfven eigenmodes in high-density and low-temperature plasmas of the W7-AS stellarator is performed. The goal of this thesis is twofold: (I) identification and description of fast particle driven Alfven instabilities in W7-AS, and (II) study of energetic particle losses induced by Alfven instabilities. A total of 133 different Alfven eigenmodes is studied in discharges from different experimental campaigns. The discharges are characterized by high density, n{sub e}=5 x 1019 m{sup -3} to 2.5 x 1020 m{sup -3} at relatively low temperatures of T{sub e}=T{sub i}=150..600 eV. Additional 13 events are found to have frequencies inside the EAE gap and could possibly be EAEs. Evidence for high-frequency Alfven eigenmodes (mirror- and helicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes) is seen, but can not be proven rigorously due to uncertain mode numbers and the complexity of the Alfven continuum. The remaining 41 Alfven eigenmodes can not be classified to be one of the above cases. (orig.)

Mechanisms for the Dissipation of Alfven Waves in Near-Earth Space Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Nagendra; Khazanov, George; Krivorutsky, E. N.; Davis, John M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Alfven waves are a major mechanism for the transport of electromagnetic energy from the distant part of the magnetosphere to the near-Earth space. This is especially true for the auroral and polar regions of the Earth. However, the mechanisms for their dissipation have remained illusive. One of the mechanisms is the formation of double layers when the current associated with Alfven waves in the inertial regime interact with density cavities, which either are generated nonlinearly by the waves themselves or are a part of the ambient plasma turbulence. Depending on the strength of the cavities, weak and strong double layers could form. Such double layers are transient; their lifetimes depend on that of the cavities. Thus they impulsively accelerate ions and electrons. Another mechanism is the resonant absorption of broadband Alfven- wave noise by the ions at the ion cyclotron frequencies. But this resonant absorption may not be possible for the very low frequency waves, and it may be more suited for electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. A third mechanism is the excitation of secondary waves by the drifts of electrons and ions in the Alfven wave fields. It is found that under suitable conditions, the relative drifts between different ion species and/or between electrons and ions are large enough to drive lower hybrid waves, which could cause transverse accelerations of ions and parallel accelerations of electrons. This mechanism is being further studied by means of kinetic simulations using 2.5- and 3-D particle-in-cell codes. The ongoing modeling efforts on space weather require quantitative estimates of energy inputs of various kinds, including the electromagnetic energy. Our studies described here contribute to the methods of determining the estimates of the input from ubiquitous Alfven waves.

On WKB expansions for Alfven waves in the solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollweg, J.V.

1990-01-01

The author reexamines the WKB expansion for toroidal Alfven waves in the solar wind, as described by equations (9) of Heinemann and Olbert (1980). His principal conclusions are as follows: (1) The WKB expansion used by Belcher (1971) and Hollweg (1973) is nonuniformly convergent. (2) Using the method of multiple scales (Nayfeh, 1981), he obtains an expansion which is uniform. (3) The uniform expansion takes into account the small modification to the Alfven wave phase speed due to spatial gradients of the background. (4) Both the uniform and nonuniform expansions reveal that each normal mode has both Elsaesser variables δz + ≠ 0 and δz - ≠ 0. Thus if δz - corresponds to the outgoing mode in a homogeneous background, an observation of δz + ≠ 0 does not necessarily imply the presence of the inward propagating mode, as is commonly assumed. (5) Even at the Alfven critical point (where V = υ A ) he finds that δz + ≠ 0. Thus incompressible MHD turbulence, which requires both δz + ≠ 0 and δz - ≠ 0, can proceed at the Alfven critical point (cf. Roberts, 1989). (6) With very few exceptions, the predictions of these calculations do not agree with recent observations (Marsch and Tu, 1990) of the power spectra of δz + and δz - in the solar wind. Thus the evolution of Alfven waves in the solar wind is governed by dynamics not included in the Heinemann and Olbert equations

Neutrino induced vorticity, Alfven waves and the normal modes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhatt, Jitesh R. [Theory Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (India); George, Manu [Theory Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (India); Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Ahmedabad (India)

2017-08-15

We consider a plasma consisting of electrons and ions in the presence of a background neutrino gas and develop the magnetohydrodynamic equations for the system. We show that the electron neutrino interaction can induce vorticity in the plasma even in the absence of any electromagnetic perturbations if the background neutrino density is left-right asymmetric. This induced vorticity supports a new kind of Alfven wave whose velocity depends on both the external magnetic field and on the neutrino asymmetry. The normal mode analysis show that in the presence of neutrino background the Alfven waves can have different velocities. We also discuss our results in the context of dense astrophysical plasma such as magnetars and show that the difference in the Alfven velocities can be used to explain the observed pulsar kick. We discuss also the relativistic generalisation of the electron fluid in presence of an asymmetric neutrino background. (orig.)

Small amplitude Kinetic Alfven waves in a superthermal electron-positron-ion plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Adnan, Muhammad; Mahmood, Sahahzad; Qamar, Anisa; Tribeche, Mouloud

2016-11-01

We are investigating the propagating properties of coupled Kinetic Alfven-acoustic waves in a low beta plasma having superthermal electrons and positrons. Using the standard reductive perturbation method, a nonlinear Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) type equation is derived which describes the evolution of Kinetic Alfven waves. It is found that nonlinearity and Larmor radius effects can compromise and give rise to solitary structures. The parametric role of superthermality and positron content on the characteristics of solitary wave structures is also investigated. It is found that only sub-Alfvenic and compressive solitons are supported in the present model. The present study may find applications in a low β electron-positron-ion plasma having superthermal electrons and positrons.

The cause of high-intensity long-duration continuous AE activity (HILDCAAS): interplanetary Alfven wave trains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsurutani, B.T.; Gonzalez, W.D.

1987-01-01

It is shown that high intensity (AE > 1,000 nT), long duration (T > 2 d) continuous auroral activity (HILDCAA) events are caused by outward (from the sun) propagating interplanetary Alfven wave trains. The Alfven waves are often (but not always) detected several days after major interplanetary events, such as shocks and solar wind density enhancements. Presumably magnetic reconnection between the southward components of the Alfven wave magnetic fields and magnetospheric fields is the mechanism for transfer of solar wind energy to the magnetosphere. If the stringent requirements for HILDCAA events are relaxed, there are many more AE events of this type. A brief inspection indicates that these are also related to interplanetary Alfvenic fluctuations. We therefore suggest that most auroral activity may be caused by reconnection associated with Alfven waves in the interplanetary medium. (author)

Fast-ion transport during repetitive burst phenomena of toroidal Alfven eigenmodes in the Large Helical Device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishiura, M.; Isobe, M.; Yamamoto, S.

2008-10-01

Alfven instabilities induced fast-ion losses have been directly observed for the first time by a newly developed scintillator lost ion probe (SLIP) in the Large Helical Device (LHD). The SLIP can measure the pitch angle and gyro radius of escaped fast ions toward loss region. Neutral beam driven Alfven Eigenmodes (AEs) are excited under the reactor relevant conditions: the ratio of fast ion (beam) speed υ b and Alfven speed υ A is more than 0.3 - 4.0. The beta value for fast ions is considered roughly to be ∼10%. Non-linear phenomena related to Alfven instabilities are observed under such conditions. During repetitive Toroidal Alfven Eigenmode (TAE) bursts, synchronized fast ion losses are observed by SLIP. From the orbit calculation the measured fast ion with pitch angle of 130 degrees and beam energy of 150 keV surely pass through the locations of TAE gaps. The orbit analysis found that the observed fast ions interact strongly with the excited TAEs. This result becomes the first experimental evidence of radial transport of fast ions predicted theoretically during TAE activities. In addition, from the correlation between stored energy degradation and fast-ion loss rate, it is found that fast-ion losses induced by TAE activities with low toroidal mode numbers categorize two phenomena without and with fast- ion loss enhancements, which indicate the fast-ion redistribution and loss. (author)

Alfven shock trains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malkov, M.A.; Kennel, C.F.; Wu, C.C.; Pellat, R.; Shapiro, V.D.

1991-01-01

The Cohen--Kulsrud--Burgers equation (CKB) is used to consider the nonlinear evolution of resistive, quasiparallel Alfven waves subject to a long-wavelength, plane-polarized, monochromatic instability. The instability saturates by nonlinear steepening, which proceeds until the periodic waveform develops an interior scale length comparable to the dissipation length; a fast or an intermediate shock then forms. The result is a periodic train of Alfven shocks of one or the other type. For propagation strictly parallel to the magnetic field, there will be two shocks per instability wavelength. Numerical integration of the time-dependent CKB equation shows that an initial, small-amplitude growing wave asymptotes to a stable, periodic stationary wave whose analytic solution specifies how the type of shock embedded in the shock train, and the amplitude and speed of the shock train, depend on the strength and phase of the instability. Waveforms observed upstream of the Earth's bowshock and cometary shocks resemble those calculated here

Alfven waves in the auroral ionosphere: A numerical model compared with measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knudsen, D.J.; Kelley, M.C.; Vickrey, J.F.

1992-01-01

The authors solve a linear numerical model of Alfven waves reflecting from the high-latitude ionosphere, both to better understanding the role of the ionosphere in the magnetosphere/ionosphere coupling process and to compare model results with in situ measurements. They use the model to compute the frequency-dependent amplitude and phase relations between the meridional electric and the zonal magnetic fields due to Alfven waves. These relations are compared with measurements taken by an auroral sounding rocket flow in the morningside oval and by the HILAT satellite traversing the oval at local noon. The sounding rocket's trajectory was mostly parallel to the auroral oval, and is measured enhanced fluctuating field energy in regions of electron precipitation. The rocket-measured phase data are in excellent agreement with the Alfven wave model, and the relation between the modeled and the measured by HILAT are related by the height-integrated Pedersen conductivity Σ p , indicating that the measured field fluctuations were due mainly to structured field-aligned current systems. A reason for the relative lack of Alfven wave energy in the HILAT measurements could be the fact that the satellite traveled mostly perpendicular to the oval and therefore quickly traversed narrow regions of electron precipitation and associated wave activity

Alfvenic Instabilities and Fast Ion Transport in the DIII-D Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Zeeland, M.; Heidbrink, W.; Nazikian, R.; Austin, M.; Berk, H.; Gorelenkov, N.; Holcomb, C.; Kramer, G.; Lohr, J.; Luo, Y.; Makowski, M.; McKee, G.; Petty, C.; Prater, R.; Solomon, W.; White, R.

2008-01-01

Neutral beam injection into reversed magnetic shear DIII-D plasmas produces a variety of Alfvenic activity including Toroidicity and Ellipticity induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE/EAE, respectively) and Reversed Shear Alfven Eigenmodes (RSAE) as well as their spatial coupling. These modes are typically studied during the discharge current ramp phase when incomplete current penetration results in a high central safety factor and strong drive due to multiple higher order resonances. During this same time period Fast-Ion D α (FIDA) spectroscopy shows that the central fast ion profile is flattened, the degree of which depends on the Alfven eigenmode amplitude. Interestingly, localized electron cyclotron heating (ECH) near the mode location stabilizes RSAE activity and results in significantly improved fast ion confinement relative to discharges with ECH deposition on axis. In these discharges, RSAE activity is suppressed when ECH is deposited near the radius of the shear reversal point and enhanced with deposition near the axis. To simulate the observed neutral beam ion redistribution, NOVA calculations of the 3D eigenmode structures are matched with experimental measurements and used in combination with the ORBIT guiding center following code. For fixed frequency eigenmodes, it is found that ORBIT calculations cannot explain the observed beam ion transport with experimentally measured mode amplitudes. Possible explanations are considered including recent simulation results incorporating eigenmodes with time dependent frequencies

Stable operating regimes in NET with respect to Alfven wave instabilities during neutral beam current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhartt, D.

1989-01-01

Supra-thermal ions can contribute to the steady-state current in future large tokamak machines like NET or ITER. The fast-ion population is generated by collisional slowing-down of high-energy ions which were injected as neutral atoms in quasi-tangential direction and ionized by plasma interactions. Depending on the initial beam shape these fast ions can excite microinstabilities of the Alfven-wave type which are driven by the gradients in velocity-space. The ensuring plasma turbulence is expected to slow down the fast ions very quickly. This effect reduces the current drive efficiency which otherwise is comparable to that of other current drive schemes like lower hybrid waves where the toroidal current is carried by high-energy resonant electrons. (author) 3 refs., 1 fig

Solitary Alfven wave envelopes and the modulational instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennel, C.F.

1987-06-01

The derivative nonlinear Schroedinger equation describes the modulational instability of circularly polarized dispersive Alfven wave envelopes. It also may be used to determine the properties of finite amplitude localized stationary wave envelopes. Such envelope solitons exist only in conditions of modulational stability. This leaves open the question of whether, and if so, how, the modulational instability produces envelope solitons. 12 refs

Energy dissipation of Alfven wave packets deformed by irregular magnetic fields in solar-coronal arches

Science.gov (United States)

Similon, Philippe L.; Sudan, R. N.

1989-01-01

The importance of field line geometry for shear Alfven wave dissipation in coronal arches is demonstrated. An eikonal formulation makes it possible to account for the complicated magnetic geometry typical in coronal loops. An interpretation of Alfven wave resonance is given in terms of gradient steepening, and dissipation efficiencies are studied for two configurations: the well-known slab model with a straight magnetic field, and a new model with stochastic field lines. It is shown that a large fraction of the Alfven wave energy flux can be effectively dissipated in the corona.

Research activities and plan of electron cyclotron wave startup and Alfven wave current drive at SUNIST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhe; He Yexi; Tan Yi

2009-01-01

Using electromagnetic waves to startup and sustain plasma current takes a important role in the research program of the SUNIST spherical tokamak. Electron cyclotron ware (ECW) current startup have been investigated and revealed two totally different regimes. In the regime of very low working pressure, a plasma current of about 2 kA is obtained with a steadily applied vertical field of 12 Gauss and 40 kW/2.45 GHz microwave injection. In addition, the physics of the transient process during ECW startup in the relatively high working pressure regime is analyzed. The hardware preparation for the experimental research of Alfven wave current drive is being performed. The Alfven wave antenna system consists of four models in toroidal direction and two antenna straps in poloidal direction for each module and the rf generator has been designed as a four-phase oscillator (4x100 kW, 0.5 - 1 Mhz).The impedance spectrum of the antenna system is roughly evaluated by 1-D cylindrical magneto-hydrodynamic calculation. To investigate the wave-plasma interaction in ECW startup and Alfven wave current drive, upgrade of the device, especially in equilibrium control and diagnostics, is ongoing. (author)

Kinetic Alfven Waves at the Magnetopause-Mode Conversion, Transport and Formation of LLBL; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jay R. Johnson; C.Z. Cheng

2002-01-01

At the magnetopause, large amplitude, low-frequency (ULF), transverse MHD waves are nearly always observed. These waves likely result from mode conversion of compressional MHD waves observed in the magnetosheath to kinetic Alfven waves at the magnetopause where there is a steep gradient in the Alfven velocity[Johnson and Cheng, Geophys. Res. Lett. 24 (1997) 1423]. The mode-conversion process can explain the following wave observations typically found during satellite crossings of the magnetopause: (1) a dramatic change in wave polarization from compressional in the magnetosheath to transverse at the magnetopause, (2) an amplification of wave amplitude at the magnetopause, (3) a change in Poynting flux from cross-field in the magnetosheath to field-aligned at the magnetopause, and (4) a steepening in the wave power spectrum at the magnetopause. We examine magnetic field data from a set of ISEE1, ISEE2, and WIND magnetopause crossings and compare with the predictions of theoretical wave solutions based on the kinetic-fluid model with particular attention to the role of magnetic field rotation across the magnetopause. The results of the study suggest a good qualitative agreement between the observations and the theory of mode conversion to kinetic Alfven waves. Because mode-converted kinetic Alfven waves readily decouple particles from the magnetic field lines, efficient quasilinear transport (D(approx) 109m2/s) can occur. Moreover, if the wave amplitude is sufficiently large (Bwave/B0 and gt; 0.2) stochastic particle transport also occurs. This wave-induced transport can lead to significant heating and particle entry into the low latitude boundary layer across closed field lines.At the magnetopause, large amplitude, low-frequency (ULF), transverse MHD waves are nearly always observed. These waves likely result from mode conversion of compressional MHD waves observed in the magnetosheath to kinetic Alfven waves at the magnetopause where there is a steep gradient in

Instability of drift Alfven wave accompanying polar magnetic storm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higuchi, Yoshihiro

1974-01-01

As the micro plasma instability due to the plasma non-uniformity in magnetosphere, there is the instability of drift Alfven wave. With the data obtained with the network of multiple observation points for geomagnetism, attempt was made to prove the hypothesis that the instability of drift Alfven wave due to the electron temperature gradient at the inner boundary of plasma sheet may be one of the causes for the geomagnetic pulsation (Pi 1) accompanying polar magnetic storm. Up to date, final conclusion is yet impossible as to the problems in it due to the discussion based on the data from widely separated observation points. The installation of economically efficient multi-point observation network is necessary for the solution. (Mori, K.)

Nonlinear coupled Alfven and gravitational waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaellberg, Andreas; Brodin, Gert; Bradley, Michael

2004-01-01

In this paper we consider nonlinear interaction between gravitational and electromagnetic waves in a strongly magnetized plasma. More specifically, we investigate the propagation of gravitational waves with the direction of propagation perpendicular to a background magnetic field and the coupling to compressional Alfven waves. The gravitational waves are considered in the high-frequency limit and the plasma is modeled by a multifluid description. We make a self-consistent, weakly nonlinear analysis of the Einstein-Maxwell system and derive a wave equation for the coupled gravitational and electromagnetic wave modes. A WKB-approximation is then applied and as a result we obtain the nonlinear Schroedinger equation for the slowly varying wave amplitudes. The analysis is extended to 3D wave pulses, and we discuss the applications to radiation generated from pulsar binary mergers. It turns out that the electromagnetic radiation from a binary merger should experience a focusing effect, that in principle could be detected

Excitation of short wavelength Alfven oscillations by high energy ions in tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beasley, C.O. Jr.; Lominadze, J.G.; Mikhailovskii, A.B.

1975-08-01

The excitation of Alfven waves by fast untrapped ions in axisymmetric tokamaks is described by the dispersion relation epsilon 11 - c 2 k/sub parallel bars/ 2 /ω 2 = 0. Using this relation a new class of instability connected with the excitation of Alfven oscillations is described. (U.S.)

Wall effects on the propagation of compressional Alfven waves in a cylindrical plasma with two-ion species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akiyama, H.; Hayler, M.O.; Kristiansen, M.

1985-01-01

The dispersion relations for the compressional Alfven waves in a two-ion species plasma of deuterium and hydrogen are calculated for a configuration which includes a vacuum layer between the cylindrical plasma and the conducting wall. The presence of the vacuum layer strongly affects the propagation of the compressional Alfven wave, permitting some branches to propagate and penetrate the plasma column over most frequencies in the ion-cyclotron range. Basic Alfven-wave propagation and heating experiments in two-ion species consequently should be possible using tokamak and mirror devices with minor radii smaller than the Alfven wavelength

On field line resonances of hydromagnetic Alfven waves in dipole magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Liu; Cowley, S.C.

1989-07-01

Using the dipole magnetic field model, we have developed the theory of field line resonances of hydromagnetic Alfven waves in general magnetic field geometries. In this model, the Alfven speed thus varies both perpendicular and parallel to the magnetic field. Specifically, it is found that field line resonances do persist in the dipole model. The corresponding singular solutions near the resonant field lines as well as the natural definition of standing shear Alfven eigenfunctions have also been systematically derived. 11 refs

Structure of small-scale standing azimuthal Alfven waves interacting with high-energy particles in the magnetosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klimushkin, D.Yu.

1998-01-01

The effect of bounce-drift instability on the structure of small-scale azimuthal Alfven waves in the magnetosphere is studied with allowance for the curvature of the geomagnetic field lines. The pressure of the background plasma is assumed to be zero. As early as 1993, Leonovich and Mazur showed that Alfven waves with m>>1, being standing waves along magnetic field lines, propagate, at the same time, across the magnetic surfaces. As these waves propagate through the magnetosphere, they interact with a group of high-energy particles and, thereby, are amplified with a growth rate dependent on the radial coordinate, i.e., a coordinate perpendicular to the magnetic sheaths. Near the Alfven resonance surface, the growth rate approaches zero, and the waves are damped completely due to the energy dissipation in the ionosphere. As the growth rate increases, the maximum of the wave amplitude is displaced to the Alfven resonance region and the most amplified waves are those whose magnetic field vectors oscillate in the azimuthal direction. Among the waves excited in a plasma resonator that is formed near the plasmapause, the most amplified are those with radial polarization

Modification and damping of Alfven waves in a magnetized dusty plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salimullah, M.; Dasgupta, B.; Watanabe, K.; Sato, T.

1994-10-01

The dispersion characteristics of the circularly polarized electromagnetic waves along a homogeneous magnetic field in a dusty plasma have been investigated theoretically. The Vlasov equation has been employed to find the response of the magnetized plasma particles where the dust grains form a static background of highly charged and massive centers having certain correlation. It is found that in addition to the usual Landau damping which is negligible in the low temperature approximation, a novel mechanism of damping of the Alfven waves due to the dust comes into play. The modification and damping of the Alfven waves depend on the dust perturbation parameters, unequal densities of plasma particles, the average correlation length of the dust grains, temperature of the plasma and the magnetic field. (author)

Scale separation closure and Alfven wave turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, C.Y.; Mahajan, S.M.

1985-04-01

Based on the concept of scale separation between coherent response function and incoherent source for renormalized turbulence theories, a closure scheme is proposed. A model problem dealing with shear-Alfven wave turbulence is numerically solved; the solution explicitly shows expected turbulence features such as frequency shift from linear modes, band-broadening, and a power law dependence for the turbulence spectrum

The spectrum of axisymmetric torsional Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sy, W.N.

1977-03-01

The spectrum of axisymmetric torsional Alfven waves propagating in a cylindrical, non-uniform, resistive plasma waveguide has been analysed by a method of singular perturbations. A simple condition has been derived which predicts whether the spectrum is continuous or discrete under given physical conditions. Application of this result to resolve an apparent discrepancy in experimental observations is briefly discussed. (Author)

MONTE CARLO SIMULATION MODEL OF ENERGETIC PROTON TRANSPORT THROUGH SELF-GENERATED ALFVEN WAVES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Afanasiev, A.; Vainio, R., E-mail: alexandr.afanasiev@helsinki.fi [Department of Physics, University of Helsinki (Finland)

2013-08-15

A new Monte Carlo simulation model for the transport of energetic protons through self-generated Alfven waves is presented. The key point of the model is that, unlike the previous ones, it employs the full form (i.e., includes the dependence on the pitch-angle cosine) of the resonance condition governing the scattering of particles off Alfven waves-the process that approximates the wave-particle interactions in the framework of quasilinear theory. This allows us to model the wave-particle interactions in weak turbulence more adequately, in particular, to implement anisotropic particle scattering instead of isotropic scattering, which the previous Monte Carlo models were based on. The developed model is applied to study the transport of flare-accelerated protons in an open magnetic flux tube. Simulation results for the transport of monoenergetic protons through the spectrum of Alfven waves reveal that the anisotropic scattering leads to spatially more distributed wave growth than isotropic scattering. This result can have important implications for diffusive shock acceleration, e.g., affect the scattering mean free path of the accelerated particles in and the size of the foreshock region.

Energetic particle destabilization of shear Alfven waves in stellarators and tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spong, D.A.; Carreras, B.A.; Hedrick, C.L.; Leboeuf, J.N.; Weller, A.

1994-01-01

An important issue for ignited devices is the resonant destabilization of shear Alfven waves by energetic populations. These instabilities have been observed in a variety of toroidal plasma experiments in recent years, including: beam-destabilized toroidal Alfven instabilities (TAE) in low magnetic field tokamaks, ICRF destabilized TAE's in higher field tokamaks, and global Alfven instabilities (GAE) in low shear stellarators. In addition, excitation and study of these modes is a significant goal of the TFIR-DT program and a component of the ITER physics tasks. The authors have developed a gyrofluid model which includes the wave-particle resonances necessary to excite such instabilities. The TAE linear mode structure is calculated nonperturbatively, including many of the relevant damping mechanisms, such as: continuum damping, non-ideal effects (ion FLR and electron collisionality), and ion/electron Landau damping. This model has been applied to both linear and nonlinear regimes for a range of experimental cases using measured profiles

Nonlinear Propagation of Alfven Waves Driven by Observed Photospheric Motions: Application to the Coronal Heating and Spicule Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Takuma; Shibata, Kazunari

We have performed MHD simulations of Alfven wave propagation along an open ux tube in the solar atmosphere. In our numerical model, Alfven waves are generated by the photospheric granular motion. As the wave generator, we used a derived temporal spectrum of the photo-spheric granular motion from G-band movies of Hinode/SOT. It is shown that the total energy ux at the corona becomes larger and the transition region height becomes higher in the case when we use the observed spectrum rather than white/pink noise spectrum as the wave gener-ator. This difference can be explained by the Alfven wave resonance between the photosphere and the transition region. After performing Fourier analysis on our numerical results, we have found that the region between the photosphere and the transition region becomes an Alfven wave resonant cavity. We have conrmed that there are at least three resonant frequencies, 1, 3 and 5 mHz, in our numerical model. Alfven wave resonance is one of the most effective mechanisms to explain the dynamics of the spicules and the sufficient energy ux to heat the corona.

Convective cell excitation by inertial Alfven waves in a low density plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pokhotelov, O.A.; Onishchenko, O.G.; Sagdeev, R.Z.; Srenflo, L.; Balikhin, M.A.

2005-01-01

The parametric interaction of inertial Alfven waves with large-scale convective cells in a low-density plasma is investigated. It is shown that, in plasmas where the Alfven velocity is comparable to or exceeds the speed of light, the parametric interaction is substantially suppressed. A compact expression for the optimal scale and instability growth rate of the fastest growing mode is obtained [ru

Advanced antenna system for Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in TCABR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruchko, L.F.; Ozono, E.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Nascimento, I.C.; Degasperi, F.T.; Lerche, E.

1998-01-01

An advanced antenna system that has been developed for investigation of Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in the TCABR tokamak is described. The main goal was the development of such a system that could insure the excitation of travelling single helicity modes with predefined wave mode numbers M and N. The system consists of four similar modules with poloidal windings. The required spatial spectrum is formed by proper phasing of the RF feeding currents. The impedance matching of the antenna with the four-phase oscillator is accomplished by resonant circuits which form one assembly unit with the RF feeders. The characteristics of the antenna system design with respect to the antenna-plasma coupling and plasma wave excitation, for different phasing of the feeding currents, are summarised. The antenna complex impedance Z=Z R +Z I is calculated taking into account both the plasma response to resonant excitation of fast Alfven waves and the nonresonant excitation of vacuum magnetic fields in conducting shell. The matching of the RF generator with the antenna system during plasma heating is simulated numerically, modelling the plasma response with mutually coupled effective inductances with corresponding active Z R and reactive Z I impedances. The results of the numerical simulation of the RF system performance, including both the RF magnetic field spectrum analysis and the modeling of the RF generator operation with plasma load, are presented. (orig.)

Effects of Wind Velocity Driven by Alfven Waves on the Line Profiles for 32 CYG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyung-Mee Kim

1996-06-01

Full Text Available We calculate the theoretical line profiles for 32 Cyg in order to investigate the influence of various velocity fields. Line profiles are calculated with wind accelerations driven by Alfven waves and described by velocity parameters. The results for Alfvenic wave model show weakened line profiles. For the orbital phases ¥÷=0.78 and ¥÷=0.06 the Alfvenic models show strong absorption part due to very low densities at the surface of the supergiant. Hence, we conclude the velocity gradient of the wind near the supergiant could influence on the theoretical line formation.

ULF Waves in the Ionospheric Alfven Resonator: Modeling of MICA Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Streltsov, A. V.; Tulegenov, B.

2017-12-01

We present results from a numerical study of physical processes responsible for the generation of small-scale, intense electromagnetic structures in the ultra-low-frequency range frequently observed in the close vicinity of bright discrete auroral arcs. In particular, our research is focused on the role of the ionosphere in generating these structures. A significant body of observations demonstrate that small-scale electromagnetic waves with frequencies below 1 Hz are detected at high latitudes where the large-scale, downward magnetic field-aligned current (FAC) interact with the ionosphere. Some theoretical studies suggest that these waves can be generated by the ionospheric feedback instability (IFI) inside the ionospheric Alfven resonator (IAR). The IAR is the region in the low-altitude magnetosphere bounded by the strong gradient in the Alfven speed at high altitude and the conducting bottom of the ionosphere (ionospheric E-region) at low altitude. To study ULF waves in this region we use a numerical model developed from reduced two fluid MHD equations describing shear Alfven waves in the ionosphere and magnetosphere of the earth. The active ionospheric feedback on structure and amplitude of magnetic FACs that interact with the ionosphere is implemented through the ionospheric boundary conditions that link the parallel current density with the plasma density and the perpendicular electric field in the ionosphere. Our numerical results are compared with the in situ measurements performed by the Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling in the Alfven Resonator (MICA) sounding rocket, launched on February 19, 2012 from Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska to measure fields and particles during a passage through a discreet auroral arc. Parameters of the simulations are chosen to match actual MICA parameters, allowing the comparison in the most precise and rigorous way. Waves generated in the numerical model have frequencies between 0.30 and 0.45 Hz, while MICA measured

Longitudinal propagation of nonlinear surface Alfven waves at a magnetic interface in a compressible atmosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruderman, M S

1988-08-01

Nonlinear Alfven surface wave propagation at a magnetic interface in a compressible fluid is considered. It is supposed that the magnetic field directions at both sides of the interface and the direction of wave propagation coincide. The equation governing time-evolution of nonlinear small-amplitude waves is derived by the method of multiscale expansions. This equation is similar to the equation for nonlinear Alfven surface waves in an incompressible fluid derived previously. The numerical solution of the equation shows that a sinusoidal disturbance overturns, i.e. infinite gradients arise.

Particle simulations of nonlinear whistler and Alfven wave instabilities - Amplitude modulation, decay, soliton and inverse cascading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omura, Yoshiharu; Matsumoto, Hiroshi.

1989-01-01

Past theoretical and numerical studies of the nonlinear evolution of electromagnetic cyclotron waves are reviewed. Such waves are commonly observed in space plasmas such as Alfven waves in the solar wind or VLF whistler mode waves in the magnetosphere. The use of an electromagnetic full-particle code to study an electron cyclotron wave and of an electromagnetic hybrid code to study an ion cyclotron wave is demonstrated. Recent achievements in the simulations of nonlinear revolution of electromagnetic cyclotron waves are discussed. The inverse cascading processes of finite-amplitude whistler and Alfven waves is interpreted in terms of physical elementary processes. 65 refs

Energy densities of Alfven waves between 0.7 and 1.6 AU. [in interplanetary medium

Science.gov (United States)

Belcher, J. W.; Burchsted, R.

1974-01-01

Plasma and field data from Mariner 4 and 5 between 0.7 and 1.6 AU are used to study the radial dependence of the levels of microscale fluctuation associated with interplanetary Alfven waves. The observed decrease of these levels with increasing distance from the sun is consistent with little or no local generation or damping of the ambient Alfven waves over this range of radial distance.

Alfven wave experiments on the TORTUS tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballico, M.J.; Bowden, M.; Brand, G.F.; Brennan, M.H.; Cross, R.C.; Fekete, P.; James, B.W.

1989-01-01

Results are presented on the first observations of the Discrete Alfven Wave (DAW) and the first measurements of laser scattering off the kinetic Alfven wave in the TORTUS tokamak. TORTUS is a relatively small device, with major radius R=0.44m, minor radius 0.1m and has previously been operated routinely with B Φ =0.7T, I p =20 kA and n e ∼ 1x10 19 m -3 . Under these conditions, and over a wide frequency range (1-14 MHz), there has been no evidence of the DAW modes observed on TCA. Recently, a minor upgrade of TORTUS has permitted routine operation at B Φ =1.0 T, I p =39 kA, q(a)∼5 and n e ∼1-4 x 10 19 m -3 . At the operating frequency, 3.2 MHz, chosen for this study, DAW modes are observed clearly at both low and high densities. The appearance of DAW modes appears to be due to a steeper current profile at the higher plasma currents now generated in TORTUS. The general behaviour of DAW modes is in fact quite sensitive to the density and current profiles, indicating that DAW modes should provide a useful current profile diagnostic. (author) 6 refs., 2 figs

Alfven Continuum and Alfven Eigenmodes in the National Compact Stellarator Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fesenyuk, O.P.; Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Lutsenko, V.V.; White, R.B.; Yakovenko, Yu.V.

2004-01-01

The Alfven continuum (AC) in the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) is investigated with the AC code COBRA. The resonant interaction of Alfven eigenmodes and the fast ions produced by neutral beam injection is analyzed. Alfven eigenmodes residing in one of the widest gaps of the NCSX AC, the ellipticity-induced gap, are studied with the code BOA-E

Fast wave current drive in H mode plasmas on the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Grassie, J.S. de; Baity, F.W.

1999-01-01

Current driven by fast Alfven waves is measured in H mode and VH mode plasmas on the DIII-D tokamak for the first time. Analysis of the poloidal flux evolution shows that the fast wave current drive profile is centrally peaked but sometimes broader than theoretically expected. Although the measured current drive efficiency is in agreement with theory for plasmas with infrequent ELMs, the current drive efficiency is an order of magnitude too low for plasmas with rapid ELMs. Power modulation experiments show that the reduction in current drive with increasing ELM frequency is due to a reduction in the fraction of centrally absorbed fast wave power. The absorption and current drive are weakest when the electron density outside the plasma separatrix is raised above the fast wave cut-off density by the ELMs, possibly allowing an edge loss mechanism to dissipate the fast wave power since the cut-off density is a barrier for fast waves leaving the plasma. (author)

Dissipation of Alfven Waves at Fluid Scale through Parametric Decay Instabilities in Low-beta Turbulent Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, X.; Li, H.; Guo, F.; Li, X.; Roytershteyn, V.

2017-12-01

The solar wind is a turbulent magnetized plasma extending from the upper atmosphere of the sun to the edge of the heliosphere. It carries charged particles and magnetic fields originated from the Sun, which have great impact on the geomagnetic environment and human activities in space. In such a magnetized plasma, Alfven waves play a crucial role in carrying energy from the surface of the Sun, injecting into the solar wind and establishing power-law spectra through turbulent energy cascades. On the other hand, in compressible plasmas large amplitude Alfven waves are subject to a parametric decay instability (PDI) which converts an Alfven wave to another counter-propagating Alfven wave and an ion acoustic wave (slow mode). The counter-propagating Alfven wave provides an important ingredient for turbulent cascade, and the slow-mode wave provides a channel for solar wind heating in a spatial scale much larger than ion kinetic scales. Growth and saturation of PDI in quiet plasma have been intensively studied using linear theory and nonlinear simulations in the past. Here using 3D hybrid simulations, we show that PDI is still effective in turbulent low-beta plasmas, generating slow modes and causing ion heating. Selected events in WIND data are analyzed to identify slow modes in the solar wind and the role of PDI, and compared with our simulation results. We also investigate the validity of linear Vlasov theory regarding PDI growth and slow mode damping in turbulent plasmas. Since PDI favors low plasma beta, we expect to see more evidence of PDI in the solar wind close to the Sun, especially from the upcoming NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission which will provide unprecedented wave and plasma data as close as 8.5 solar radii from the Sun.

Influence of the Alfven wave spectrum on the scrape-off layer of the TCA tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Y.; Hollenstein, C.

1989-01-01

The study of the scrape-off layer (SOL) during Alfven wave heating may lead to a better understanding of the antenna-plasma interaction. The scrape-off layer of the TCA tokamak has been widely investigated by means of Langmuir probes. The aim of this work is to present measurements on the influence of the Alfven wave spectrum on the scrape-off layer. These experiments have shown that the plasma boundary layer is strongly affected by the wave field, in particular the ion saturation current and the floating potential. In TCA, as the spectrum evolves due to a density rise, the passage of the Alfven continua and their associated eigenmodes, the Discrete Alfven Wave (DAW) induces a strong depletion in the edge density of up to 70% during the continuum part and a density increase during the crossing of an eigenmode. The floating potential becomes negative during the continua and even more negative crossing the eigenmodes. In case of MHD mode activity, this behaviour changes for power exceeding 100 kW. The profiles of basic parameters are modified, depending on the wave spectrum. MHD mode activity which can occur during the RF (radio frequency) phase considerably alters the behaviour mentioned above. Finally, the modulation of the RF power allows us to characterize the coupling between RF power and typical edge parameters. (orig.)

Differential field equations for the MHD waves and wave equation of Alfven; Las ecuaciones diferenciales de campo para las ondas MHD y la ecuacion de onda de Alfven

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fierros Palacios, Angel [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Temixco, Morelos (Mexico)

2001-02-01

In this work the complete set of differential field equations which describes the dynamic state of a continuos conducting media which flow in presence of a perturbed magnetic field is obtained. Then, the thermic equation of state, the wave equation and the conservation law of energy for the Alfven MHD waves are obtained. [Spanish] Es este trabajo se obtiene el conjunto completo de ecuaciones diferenciales de campo que describen el estado dinamico de un medio continuo conductor que se mueve en presencia de un campo magnetico externo perturbado. Asi, se obtiene la ecuacion termica de estado, la ecuacion de onda y la ley de la conservacion de la energia para las ondas de Alfven de la MHD.

Kinetic Alfven wave in the presence of kappa distribution function in plasma sheet boundary layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shrivastava, G., E-mail: geetphy9@gmail.com; Ahirwar, G. [School of Studies in Physics, Vikram University, Ujjain India (India); Shrivastava, J., E-mail: jayashrivastava2007@gmail.com [Dronacharya Group of Institutions, Greater Noida-India (India)

2015-07-31

The particle aspect approach is adopted to investigate the trajectories of charged particles in the electromagnetic field of kinetic Alfven wave. Expressions are found for the dispersion relation, damping/growth rate and associated currents in the presence of kappa distribution function. Kinetic effect of electrons and ions are included to study kinetic Alfven wave because both are important in the transition region. It is found that the ratio β of electron thermal energy density to magnetic field energy density and the ratio of ion to electron thermal temperature (T{sub i}/T{sub e}), and kappa distribution function affect the dispersion relation, damping/growth rate and associated currents in both cases(warm and cold electron limit).The treatment of kinetic Alfven wave instability is based on assumption that the plasma consist of resonant and non resonant particles. The resonant particles participate in an energy exchange process, whereas the non resonant particles support the oscillatory motion of the wave.

Improved model of quasi-particle turbulence (with applications to Alfven and drift wave turbulence)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendonca, J. T.; Hizanidis, K.

2011-01-01

We consider the classical problem of wave stability and dispersion in a turbulent plasma background. We adopt a kinetic description for the quasi-particle turbulence. We describe an improved theoretical approach, which goes beyond the geometric optics approximation and retains the recoil effects associated with the emission and absorption of low frequency waves by nearly resonant quasi-particles. We illustrate the present approach by considering two particular examples. One is the excitation of zonal flows by drift wave turbulence or driftons. The other is the coupling between ion acoustic waves and Alfven wave turbulence, eventually leading to saturation of Alfven wave growth. Both examples are relevant to anomalous transport in magnetic fusion devices. Connection with previous results is established. We show that these results are recovered in the geometric optics approximation.

Fast wave current drive in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Callis, R.W.; Chiu, S.C.; deGrassie, J.S.; Forest, C.B.; Freeman, R.L.; Gohil, P.; Harvey, R.W.; Ikezi, H.; Lin-Liu, Y.-R.

1995-02-01

The non-inductive current drive from fast Alfven waves launched by a directional four-element antenna was measured in the DIII-D tokamak. The fast wave frequency (60 MHz) was eight times the deuterium cyclotron frequency at the plasma center. An array of rf pickup loops at several locations around the torus was used to verify the directivity of the four-element antenna. Complete non-inductive current drive was achieved using a combination of fast wave current drive (FWCD) and electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) in discharges for which the total plasma current was inductively ramped down from 400 to 170 kA. For discharges with steady plasma current, up to 110 kA of FWCD was inferred from an analysis of the loop voltage, with a maximum non-inductive current (FWCD, ECCD, and bootstrap) of 195 out of 310 kA. The FWCD efficiency increased linearly with central electron temperature. For low current discharges, the FWCD efficiency was degraded due to incomplete fast wave damping. The experimental FWCD was found to agree with predictions from the CURRAY ray-tracing code only when a parasitic loss of 4% per pass was included in the modeling along with multiple pass damping

Alfven wave excitation in a cavity with a transverse magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bures, M.

1982-12-01

A transversely magnetized cylindrical plasma model with an internal rod conductor is used to approximate the FIVA internal ring device of Spherator type with a purely poloidal magnetic field. It is shown that an excitation asymmetry along the plasma column, i.e. with a wave number k sub (z) does not equal 0, introduces a coupling between the magnetoacoustic and shear Alfven waves in the frequency range #betta#<<#betta# sub (ci). The introduction of an equilibrium mass motion along the plasma cylinder introduces a flow continuum. Simultaneously the Alfven resonance frequency becomes Doppler shifted. The experimental observations indicate that cavity modes do not build up in the FIVA device in the case of nonsymmetric excitation. If on the other hand the exciting structure becomes symmetric, i.e. with k sub (z) equals 0, the magnetoacoustic resonance become excited. The resulting Q values are rather low which indicates that the coupling to the shear wave through the Hall electric field cannot be neglected. (Author)

Alfven-wave current drive and magnetic field stochasticity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litwin, C.; Hegna, C.C.

1993-01-01

Propagating Alfven waves can generate parallel current through an alpha effect. In resistive MHD however, the dynamo field is proportional to resistivity and as such cannot drive significant currents for realistic parameters. In the search for an enhancement of this effect the authors investigate the role of magnetic field stochasticity. They show that the presence of a stochastic magnetic field, either spontaneously generated by instabilities or induced externally, can enhance the alpha effect of the wave. This enhancement is caused by an increased wave dissipation due to both current diffusion and filamentation. For the range of parameters of current drive experiments at Phaedrus-T tokamak, a moderate field stochasticity leads to significant modifications in the loop voltage

Oscillations in sunspot umbras due to trapped Alfven waves excited by overstability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchida, Yutaka; Sakurai, Takashi.

1975-01-01

Oscillations observed in sunspot umbras are interpreted as a vertical motion in the atmosphere induced by a standing Alfven wave trapped in the region between the overstable layer under the photosphere and the chromosphere-corona transition layer. The Alfven wave motion is considered to be excited by the overstable convection occurring at the bottom of the abovementioned oscillating layer, and waves with special frequencies are selected as eigen-mode waves standing in the ''cavity,'' while other waves which are out of phase with themselves after reflections will disappear. It is shown by solving the eigen-value problem that the fundamental eigen frequency falls in a range around 0.04 rad s -1 (corresponding to 140-180 s) for the condition in the umbra of a typical spot, and also that the eigen frequencies do not depend greatly on the circumstantial physical or geometric parameters of the model atmosphere, such as the temperature in the layer, or the height of the transition layer, etc. The eigen frequencies, however, depend on the Alfven velocity at the base of the oscillating layer (or at the top of the overstable layer), but the latter quantity, which represents the stiffness of the magnetic tube of force against the overturning motion, takes roughly a common value for different sunspots according to SAVAGE's (1969) stability analysis of the umbral atmosphere against thermal convection, and thus gives a comparatively narrow range of resonant frequencies. In addition to the selection mechanism for oscillations of 140-180-s period, some other aspects of the oscillation, such as the relation to the running penumbral waves, are discussed. (auth.)

Direct excitation of resonant torsional Alfven waves by footpoint motions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruderman, M. S.; Berghmans, D.; Goossens, M.; Poedts, S.

1997-01-01

The present paper studies the heating of coronal loops by linear resonant Alfven waves that are excited by the motions of the photospheric footpoints of the magnetic field lines. The analysis is restricted to torsionally polarised footpoint motions in an axially symmetric system so that only

Interaction of the precessional wave with free-boundary Alfven surface waves in tandem mirrors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Kaiser, T.B.

1984-04-01

We consider a symmetric tandem mirror plugging a long central cell, with plugs stabilized by a hot component plasma. The system is taken to have a flat pressure profile with a steep edge gradient. We then consider the interaction of the precessional mode with Alfven waves generated in the central cell. This analysis is non-eikonal and is valid when mΔ/r < 1 (m is the azimuthal mode number. r the plasma radius and Δ the radial gradient scale length) for long-wavelength radial modes. We find that without FLR effects the precessional mode is always destabilized by the excitation of the Alfven waves for m greater than or equal to 2. For m=1, it is possible to achieve stabilization with conducting walls. A discussion is given of how FLR affects stabilization of the m greater than or equal to 2 long-wavelength modes and of finite-Larmor-radius stabilization of modes described in the eikonal approximation

Fast waves mode conversion and energy deposition in simulated, pre-heated, neoclassical, tight aspect ratio tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). School of Physics and Astronomy; Coll. of Judea and Samaria, Ariel (Israel); Cuperman, S. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). School of Physics and Astronomy

2000-11-01

Some basic aspects of wave-plasma interaction of special interest for tight aspect ratio (spherical) tokamaks (ST's) are investigated numerically; these aspects include fast mode conversion and energy deposition. The study is based on the numerical solution of the full electro-magnetic (e.m.) wave equation which includes a quite general two-fluid, resistive MHD dielectric tensor, with consideration of equilibrium current and neoclassical effects. A generalized expression for the power absorption appropriate for the above scenario, with consideration of all the basic effects also present in the dielectric tensor-operator, was derived and used. The current-carrying ST-plasma has a circular cross-section and toroidicity effects are simulated by a Grad-Shafranov type, radially dependent axial magnetic field and its shear; however, the Shafranov shift is not considered. Actually, the equilibrium parameters and radial profiles (magnetic field, pressure and current) observed in the low field side (LFS) of spherical tokamaks (viz., START at Culham, UK) are used. Fast magnetosonic waves are launched from an external antenna into this simulated spherical tokamak plasma; these waves are converted to Alfven waves at points (layers) satisfying the Alfven resonance condition. Quantitative-results concerning (i) the structure and space dependence of the mode-converted Alfven waves and (ii) the basic features of the deposited power are presented. Their dependence on the equilibrium plasma current, neoclassical resistivity and electron inertia as well as on those of the antenna launched wave (wave numbers, frequency and current intensity) is systematically studied and discussed. (orig.)

Fast waves mode conversion and energy deposition in simulated, pre-heated, neoclassical, tight aspect ratio tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.

2000-01-01

Some basic aspects of wave-plasma interaction of special interest for tight aspect ratio (spherical) tokamaks (ST's) are investigated numerically; these aspects include fast mode conversion and energy deposition. The study is based on the numerical solution of the full electro-magnetic (e.m.) wave equation which includes a quite general two-fluid, resistive MHD dielectric tensor, with consideration of equilibrium current and neoclassical effects. A generalized expression for the power absorption appropriate for the above scenario, with consideration of all the basic effects also present in the dielectric tensor-operator, was derived and used. The current-carrying ST-plasma has a circular cross-section and toroidicity effects are simulated by a Grad-Shafranov type, radially dependent axial magnetic field and its shear; however, the Shafranov shift is not considered. Actually, the equilibrium parameters and radial profiles (magnetic field, pressure and current) observed in the low field side (LFS) of spherical tokamaks (viz., START at Culham, UK) are used. Fast magnetosonic waves are launched from an external antenna into this simulated spherical tokamak plasma; these waves are converted to Alfven waves at points (layers) satisfying the Alfven resonance condition. Quantitative-results concerning (i) the structure and space dependence of the mode-converted Alfven waves and (ii) the basic features of the deposited power are presented. Their dependence on the equilibrium plasma current, neoclassical resistivity and electron inertia as well as on those of the antenna launched wave (wave numbers, frequency and current intensity) is systematically studied and discussed. (orig.)

Influence of the Alfven wave spectrum on the scrape-off layer of the TCA tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Y.; Hollenstein, Ch.

1988-01-01

The study of the Scrape-Off Layer (SOL) during Alfven wave heating may lead to a better understanding of the antenna-plasma interaction. The SOL of the TCA tokamak has been widely investigated by means of Langmuir probes. The aim of the present work is to present in detail the influence of the Alfven wave spectrum on the SOL. The experiments have shown that the plasma boundary layer is strongly affected by the RF, in particular the ion density, the electron temperature and the floating potential. In TCA, as the spectrum evolves due to a density rise, the passage of the Alfven continua and their associated eigenmodes (DAW) induces a strong depletion in the edge density of up to 70% during the continuum part and a density increase during the crossing of an eigenmode. The floating potential becomes negative during the continua and even more negative crossing the eigenmodes. This behaviour changes as a function of the power transmitted to the plasma through the antennae, especially we have found with MHD modes a change around 100 kW. The profiles of the basic parameters are modified, depending on the wave spectrum. MHD mode activity which can occur during the RF phase considerably alters the behaviour mentioned above. Finally, the modulation of the RF power allows us to characterize the difference in coupling, for the continua and the eigenmodes, between the Alfven wave field and the scrape-off layer. (author) 5 figs., 6 refs

Effects of dust on the propagation and dissipation of Alfven waves in interstellar clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilipp, W.; Morfill, G.E.; Hartquist, T.W.; Havnes, O.; Maryland Univ., College Park; Nordlysobservatoriet, Tromso, Norway)

1987-01-01

The propagation of circularly polarized Alfven waves in dusty, weakly ionized media consisting of three gaseous fluids and of one size of grains that are either neutral or singly ionized is numerically investigated. For a molecular hydrogen number density of 10,000/cu cm, a magnetic field strength of 0.0001 G, and a temperature of 20 K, the waves are well coupled when the wavelengths exceed about 1 pc. The grains can reduce the minimum wavelength for coupled waves to about 0.1 pc and the dissipation rates of well-coupled small-amplitude waves by an order of magnitude. The speeds and dissipation rates of decoupled Alfven waves with frequencies well above 0.01/yr and wavelengths well below 0.01 pc are altered greatly over a wide range of frequencies by the presence of grains. In particular, right-handed circularly polarized waves are affected strongly by gyroresonance and cutoff effects. 18 references

Design of the RF system for Alfven wave heating and current drive in a TCA/BR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruchko, L.; Andrade, M.L.; Ozono, E.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Degaspari, F.T.; Nascimento, I.C.

1995-01-01

The advanced RF system for Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in TCA/BR tokamak is presented. The antenna system is capable of exciting the standing and travelling wave M = -1,N = 1,N =-4,-6 with single helicity and thus provides the possibility to improve Alfven wave plasma heating efficiency in TCA/BR tokamak and to increase input power level up to P ≅ 1 MW, without the uncontrolled density rise which was encountered in previous TCA (Switzerland) experiments. (author). 4 refs., 3 figs

Laser plasma simulations of the generation processes of Alfven and collisionless shock waves in space plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prokopov, P A; Zakharov, Yu P; Tishchenko, V N; Shaikhislamov, I F; Boyarintsev, E L; Melekhov, A V; Ponomarenko, A G; Posukh, V G; Terekhin, V A

2016-01-01

Generation of Alfven waves propagating along external magnetic field B 0 and Collisionless Shock Waves propagating across B 0 are studied in experiments with laser- produced plasma and magnetized background plasma. The collisionless interaction of interpenetrating plasma flows takes place through a so-called Magnetic Laminar Mechanism (MLM) or Larmor Coupling. At the edge of diamagnetic cavity LP-ions produce induction electric field E φ which accelerates BP-ions while LP-ions rotate in opposite direction. The ions movement generates sheared azimuthal magnetic field B φ which could launches torsional Alfven wave. In previous experiments at KI-1 large scale facility a generation of strong perturbations propagating across B 0 with magnetosonic speed has been studied at a moderate value of interaction parameter δ∼0.3. In the present work we report on experiments at conditions of 5∼R2 and large Alfven-Mach number M A ∼10 in which strong transverse perturbations traveling at a scale of ∼1 m in background plasma at a density of ∼3*10 13 cm -3 is observed. At the same conditions but smaller M A ∼ 2 a generation, the structure and dynamic of Alfven wave with wavelength ∼0.5 m propagating along fields B 0 ∼100÷500 G for a distance of ∼2.5 m is studied. (paper)

Effects of minority ions on the propagation of the Fast Alfven wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, K.L.; Kristiansen, M.; Hagler, M.

1985-01-01

Minority ions play an important role in ICRF wave heating and fast wave current drive. The former provides supplemental heating to the plasma ions, and the latter enables a Tokamak reactor to operate in steady state. The injection of minority ions greatly perturbs the propagation and absorption properties of the fast waves provided that the excitation frequency and confining magnetic field strength make the hybrid layers exist inside the plasma. A cold-plasma slab model with gradient confining magnetic field, parabolic plasma density, vacuum layer, launching antenna and conducting walls was used in studying wave propagation with and without minority ions. The wave propagation was studied individually for each discrete toroidal eigenmode (N=Rk/sub z/). There exists an asymmetric density cutoff region which is mainly due to the density variation in a single-ion plasma. The larger the torodial mode number, the larger the density cutoff region. Therefore, there exists a maximum mode number N/sub m/, which can be excited for each operating frequency. With injection of minority ions, the cutoff region for each mode number is almost unchanged. But, if one carefully chooses the excitation frequency; the hybrid layers can exist inside the plamsa for all or part of the allowed eigenmodes. Those eigenmodes with hybrid layers inside the plasma will undergo drastic change in the propagation and absorption of the waves

Alfven eigenmodes driven by Alfvenic beam ions in JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinohara, K.; Kusama, Y.; Takechi, M.

2001-01-01

Instabilities with frequency chirping in the frequency range of Alfven eigenmodes have been found in the domain 0.1% h > bparallel /υ A ∼ 1 with high energy neutral beam injection in JT-60U. One instability with a frequency inside the Alfven continuum spectrum appears and its frequency increases slowly to the toroidicity induced Alfven eigenmode (TAE) gap on the timescale of an equilibrium change (∼ 200 ms). Other instabilities appear with a frequency inside the TAE gap and their frequencies change very quickly by 10-20 kHz in 1-5 ms. During the period when these fast frequency sweeping (fast FS) modes occur, abrupt large amplitude events (ALEs) often appear with a drop of neutron emission rate and an increase in fast neutral particle fluxes. The loss of energetic ions increases with a peak fluctuation amplitude of B-tilde θ /B θ . An energy dependence of the loss ions is observed and suggests a resonant interaction between energetic ions and the mode. (author)

Ion Acceleration in Plasmas with Alfven Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolesnychenko, O.Ya.; Lutsenko, V.V.; White, R.B.

2005-01-01

Effects of elliptically polarized Alfven waves on thermal ions are investigated. Both regular oscillations and stochastic motion of the particles are observed. It is found that during regular oscillations the energy of the thermal ions can reach magnitudes well exceeding the plasma temperature, the effect being largest in low-beta plasmas (beta is the ratio of the plasma pressure to the magnetic field pressure). Conditions of a low stochasticity threshold are obtained. It is shown that stochasticity can arise even for waves propagating along the magnetic field provided that the frequency spectrum is non-monochromatic. The analysis carried out is based on equations derived by using a Lagrangian formalism. A code solving these equations is developed. Steady-state perturbations and perturbations with the amplitude slowly varying in time are considered

Nonlinear inertial Alfven waves in plasmas with sheared magnetic field and flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Yinhua; Wang Ge; Tan Liwei

2004-01-01

Nonlinear equations describing inertial Alfven waves in plasmas with sheared magnetic field and flow are derived. For some specific parameters chosen, authors have found a new type of electromagnetic coherent structures in the tripolar vortex-like form

The analysis of Alfven wave current drive and plasma heating in TCABR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruchko, L.F.; Lerche, E.A.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Elfimov, A.G.; Nascimento, I.C.; Sa, W.P. de; Sanada, E.; Elizondo, J.I.; Ferreira, A.A.; Saettone, E.A.; Severo, J.H.F.; Bellintani, V.; Usuriaga, O.N.

2002-01-01

The results of experiments on Alfven wave current drive and plasma heating in the TCABR tokamak are analyzed with the help of a numerical code for simulation of the diffusion of the toroidal electric field. It permits to find radial distributions of plasma current density and conductivity, which match the experimentally measured total plasma current and loop voltage changes, and thus to study the performance of the RF system during Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive experiments. Regimes with efficient RF power input in TCABR have been analyzed and revealed the possibility of noninductive current generation with magnitudes up to ∼8 kA. The increase of plasma energy content due to RF power input is consistent with the diamagnetic measurements. (author)

Enhanced coupling of the fast wave to electrons through mode conversion to the ion hybrid wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lashmore-Davies, C.N.; Fuchs, V.; Ram, A.K.; Bers, A.

1996-07-01

The mode conversion of the fast compressional Alfven wave to the ion hybrid wave is analyzed with particular reference to a plasma with two ion species present in approximately equal proportions. Two configurations are considered, the first referring to the usual resonance-cut-off case and the second to a cut-off-resonance-cut-off situation. The optimum conditions for maximising the mode converted energy are given. The second order fast wave equation is generalised to include the effect of the parallel electric field. Hence, all ion and electron loss mechanisms for the fast wave are incorporated, including mode conversion at the two-ion hybrid resonance. The significance of the approximate equality of the two ion species concentrations is that the mode converted ion hybrid wave is damped only by the electrons. The damping of the ion hybrid wave is described with the aid of the local dispersion relation and by means of a toroidal ray tracing code. In particular, the ray tracing calculation shows that the mode converted energy is totally absorbed by the electrons close to the two-ion hybrid resonance. The generalised fast wave equation is solved to determine how much energy is lost from the fast wave, incident from the low field side, before it encounters the two-ion hybrid resonance. For comparable concentrations of the two ion species, the mode converted power can be separated from the power directly absorbed by the ions and electrons from the fast wave. This allows the conditions to be ascertained under which strong electron heating through mode conversion dominates the direct dissipation of the fast wave. (UK)

Energy balance in the TCA tokamak plasma with Alfven wave heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Ning; Qu Wenxiao; Huang Li; Long Yongxing; Qiu Xiaoming

1993-01-01

The energy balance in TCA tokamak plasma with Alfven wave heating is studied, in which the equivalent electron thermal conductivity is determined by using the profile consistency principle. The results are in good agreement with experiments. It is shown that this method is applicable to various devices and other heating methods

Differential equation for Alfven ion cyclotron waves in finite-length plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, D.C.; Fateman, R.J.; Baldwin, D.E.

1977-01-01

One finds the fourth-order differential equation describing an Alfven-ion-cyclotron wave propagating along a magnetic field of varying intensity. The equation is self-adjoint and possesses non-trivial turning points. The final form of the equation is checked using MACSYMA, a system for performing algebra on a computer

Fast Waves Mode Conversion and Energy Deposition in Simulated, Pre-Heated, Neoclassical, Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1999-01-01

Some basic aspects of wave-plasma interaction of interest for tight aspect ratio spherical tokamaks are investigated theoretically. The following scenario is considered: A. Fast magnetosonic waves are launched by an external antenna into a simulated spherical Tokamak plasma; these waves are converted to Alfven waves at points (layer) satisfying the Alfven resonance condition. B. The simulated spherical tokamaks-plasma has a circular cross-section and toroidicity effects are simulated by Grad-Shafranov type, radially dependent axial magnetic field and its shear. (J. Actual equilibrium profiles (magnetic field, pressure and current) observed in the low field side (LFS) of spherical tokamaks (viz., START at Culham, UK) are used. D. The study is based on the numerical solution of the full e.m. wave equation which includes a quite general resistive MHD dielectric tensor, with consideration of equilibrium current and neoclassical effects. Two kinds of results will be presented: I. Proofs validating the computational algorithm used and including convergence and energy conservation. II. Exact quantitative results concerning (i) the structure and space dependence of the mode-converted Alfven waves and (ii) the basic features of the deposited p over . The dependence of the results on the launched wave characteristics (wave numbers, frequency and intensity) as well as on those of the equilibrium plasma (equilibrium current, neoclassical resistivity and electron inertia) will be discussed

Effects of heavy ion temperature on low-frequency kinetic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, L.; Wu, D. J.

2011-01-01

Heavy ion-electron (or proton) temperature ratio varies in a wide range in the solar and space environment. In this paper, proton and heavy ion temperatures are included in a three-fluid plasma model. For the specified parameters, low-frequency (<< heavy ion gyrofrequency) kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs) with sub- and super-Alfvenic speeds are found to coexist in the same plasma environment. Our results show that the temperature ratio of heavy ions to electrons can considerably affect the dispersion, propagation, and electromagnetic polarizations of the KAWs. In particular, the temperature ratio can increase the ratio of parallel to perpendicular electric fields and the normalized electric to magnetic field ratio, the variations of which are greatly different in regions with a high heavy ion temperature and with a low one. The results may help to understand the physical mechanism of some energization processes of heavy ions in the solar and space plasma environment. Effects of the ratio of electron thermal to Alfven speeds and the heavy ion abundance on these parameters are also discussed.

Stability of Global Alfven Waves (Tae, Eae) in Jet Tritium Discharges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kerner, W.; Borba, D.; Huysmans, G. T. A.; Porcelli, F.; Poedts, S.; Goedbloed, J. P.; Betti, R.

1994-01-01

The interaction of alpha-particles in JET tritium discharges with global Alfven waves via inverse Landau damping is analysed. It is found that alpha-particle driven eigenmodes were stable in the PTE1 and should also be stable in a future 50:50 deuterium-tritium mix discharge aiming at Q(DT) = 1,

Fast wave current drive experiment on the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Chiu, S.C.; deGrassie, J.S.; Harvey, R.W.; Lohr, J.; Luce, T.C.; Mayberry, M.J.; Prater, R.; Porkolab, M.; Baity, F.W.; Goulding, R.H.; Hoffman, J.D.; James, R.A.; Kawashima, H.

1992-06-01

One method of radio-frequency heating which shows theoretical promise for both heating and current drive in tokamak plasmas is the direct absorption by electrons of the fast Alfven wave (FW). Electrons can directly absorb fast waves via electron Landau damping and transit-time magnetic pumping when the resonance condition ω - κ parallele υ parallele = O is satisfied. Since the FW accelerates electrons traveling the same toroidal direction as the wave, plasma current can be generated non-inductively by launching FW which propagate in one toroidal direction. Fast wave current drive (FWCD) is considered an attractive means of sustaining the plasma current in reactor-grade tokamaks due to teh potentially high current drive efficiency achievable and excellent penetration of the wave power to the high temperature plasma core. Ongoing experiments on the DIII-D tokamak are aimed at a demonstration of FWCD in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF). Using frequencies in the ICRF avoids the possibility of mode conversion between the fast and slow wave branches which characterized early tokamak FWCD experiments in the lower hybrid range of frequencies. Previously on DIII-D, efficient direct electron heating by FW was found using symmetric (non-current drive) antenna phasing. However, high FWCD efficiencies are not expected due to the relatively low electron temperatures (compared to a reactor) in DIII-D

Particle acceleration by Alfven wave turbulence in radio galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eilek, J.A.

1986-01-01

Radio galaxies show evidence for acceleration of relativistic electrons locally within the diffuse radio luminous plasma. One likely candidate for the reacceleration mechanism is acceleration by magnetohydrodynamic turbulence which exists within the plasma. If Alfven waves are generated by a fluid turbulent cascade described by a power law energy-wavenumber spectrum, the particle spectrum in the presence of synchrotron losses will evolve towards an asymptotic power law which agrees with the particle spectra observed in these sources

Non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low aspects ratio Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

1996-01-01

A theoretical investigation of radio frequency (RF) current drive via helicity injection in low aspect ratio tokamaks was carried out. A current-carrying cylindrical plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell was considered. Toroidal features of low aspect ratio tokamaks were simulated by incorporation of the following effects: (i) arbitrarily small aspect ratio, R o /a ≡ 1/ε (ii) strongly sheared equilibrium magnetic field; and (iii) relatively large poloidal component of the equilibrium magnetic field. The study concentrates on the Alfven continuum, i.e. the case in which the wave frequency satisfies the condition {ω Alf (r)} min ≤ω≥{ω Alf (r)} max , where ω Alf (r)≡ω[n(r),B o (o)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave (SAW). Thus, using low-p, ideal magneto-hydrodynamics, the wave equation with correct boundary (matching) conditions was solved, the RF field components were found and subsequently, current drive , power deposition and efficiency were computed. The results of our investigation clearly demonstrate the possibility of generation of RF-driven currents via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the SAW mode. A special algorithm was developed which enables the selection of the antenna parameters providing optimal current drive efficiency. (authors)

Effect of Landau damping on kinetic Alfven and ion-acoustic solitary waves in a magnetized nonthermal plasma with warm ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandyopadhyay, Anup; Das, K.P.

2002-01-01

The evolution equations describing both kinetic Alfven wave and ion-acoustic wave in a nonthermal magnetized plasma with warm ions including weak nonlinearity and weak dispersion with the effect of Landau damping have been derived. These equations reduce to two coupled equations constituting the KdV-ZK (Korteweg-de Vries-Zakharov-Kuznetsov) equation for both kinetic Alfven wave and ion-acoustic wave, including an extra term accounting for the effect of Landau damping. When the coefficient of the nonlinear term of the evolution equation for ion-acoustic wave vanishes, the nonlinear behavior of ion-acoustic wave, including the effect of Landau damping, is described by two coupled equations constituting the modified KdV-ZK (MKdV-ZK) equation, including an extra term accounting for the effect of Landau damping. It is found that there is no effect of Landau damping on the solitary structures of the kinetic Alfven wave. Both the macroscopic evolution equations for the ion-acoustic wave admits solitary wave solutions, the former having a sech 2 profile and the latter having a sech profile. In either case, it is found that the amplitude of the ion-acoustic solitary wave decreases slowly with time

The calculation for energy balance of heating plasmas by Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long Yongxing; Ding Ning; He Qibing; Qu Wenxiao; Huang Lin; Qiu Xiaoming

1992-10-01

A numerical method for computing the energy balance of heating tokamak plasmas by Alfven waves is introduced. The results are in agreement with experiments. This method is not only simpler and more distinct but also considerably saving time in computation. It also can be used in kinetic problems with other types of radio frequency (RF) heating

Ion Heating by Fast Particle Induced Alfven Turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gates, D.; Gorelenkov, N.; White, R.B.

2001-01-01

A novel mechanism that directly transfers energy from Super-Alfvenic energetic ions to thermal ions in high-beta plasmas is described. The mechanism involves the excitation of compressional Alfvin eigenmodes (CAEs) in the frequency range with omega less than or approximately equal to omega(subscript ci). The broadband turbulence resulting from the large number of excited modes causes stochastic diffusion in velocity space, which transfers wave energy to thermal ions. This effect may be important on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX), and may scale up to reactor scenarios. This has important implications for low aspect ratio reactor concepts, since it potentially allows for the modification of the ignition criterion

On the definition of the momentum of an Alfven wave packet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khudik, V.N.

1993-01-01

The different definitions of the momentum of a wave disturbance are considered, corresponding to the invariance of the Lagrangian with respect to different kinds of translation in magnetohydrodynamics. It is shown that the value of the momentum of an Alfven wave packet calculated using the definition accepted in the electrodynamics of continuous media is not the same as the total momentum of the particles in the medium and the electromagnetic field in the region within which the packet is localized. 5 refs., 2 figs

Evidence for fast-electron-driven Alfvenic modes in the HSX stellarator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brower, D.L.; Deng, C.; Spong, D.A.; Abdou, A.; Almagri, A.F.; Anderson, D.T.; Anderson, F.S.B.; Guttenfelder, W.; Likin, K.; Oh, S.; Sakaguchi, V.; Talmadge, J.N.; Zhai, K.

2005-01-01

The helically-symmetric experiment (HSX) stellarator device is the first of a new generation of stellarators that exploit the concept of quasi-symmetric magnetic fields. In HSX, the plasma is both produced and heated by use of electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) at the 2nd harmonic X-mode resonance. This heating configuration generates a nonthermal energetic electron population. Herein, we report on the first experimental evidence for fast-electron-driven Global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAE). This mode has previously been observed in both tokamaks and stellarators but it was always driven by energetic ions, not electrons. Evidence for this instability is obtained from quasi-helically symmetric HSX plasmas. Potential consequences of these measurements are twofold; (1) fast electrons can drive the GAE instability, and (2) quasi-symmetry makes a difference by better confining the particles that drive the instability as compared to the conventional stellarator configuration. We report on several features of this fluctuation. It is a coherent mode that is experimentally observed in the plasma core and edge by external magnetic coils, interferometry, ECE and Langmuir probes diagnostics. Fluctuations are observed in the frequency range of 20-120 kHz and scale with ion mass density according to expectations for Alfvenic modes. The mode is observed to be global with odd poloidal mode number (inferred from interferometry, possibly m=1) and is present in quasi-helically symmetric HSX plasmas. When quasi-helical symmetry is broken, the mode is no longer observed. Theory predicts a GAE mode in the gap below the Alfven continua can be excited in the frequency range of the measured fluctuations. By employing a biased electrode inserted deep into the plasma, flows can be generated. Under these conditions, the Alfvenic mode amplitude can increase and the fluctuation is even observed in the conventional stellarator configuration. Shifts in the measured frequency can be used to

Alfven wave coupling in large tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borg, G.G.; Knight, A.J.; Lister, J.B.; Appert, K.; Vaclavik, J.

1988-01-01

Supplementary plasma heating by Alfven waves (AWH) has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally for small, low temperature plasmas. However, only a few studies of AWH have been performed for fusion plasmas. In this paper the cylindrical kinetic code ISMENE is used to address problems af AWH in a large tokamak. The results of calculations are presented which show that the antenna loading scales with frequency and vessel dimensions according to ideal MHD theory. A sample scaling of the experimental antenna loading measured in TCA to the loading predicted for a fusion plasma is presented. We discuss whether this loading leads to a realistic antenna design. The choice of a suitable antenna configuration, mode number and operating frequency is presented for NET parameters with a typical operating scenario. (author) 6 figs., 8 refs

Non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low-aspect-ratio tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences

1996-08-01

A theoretical investigation of radio-frequency (RF) current drive via helicity injection in low aspect ratio tokamaks is carried out. A current-carrying cylindrical plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is considered. Toroidal features of low-aspect-ratio tokamaks are simulated by incorporating the following effects: (i) arbitrarily small aspect ratio, R{sub O}/a ``identical to`` 1/{epsilon}; (ii) strongly sheared equilibrium magnetic field; and (iii) relatively large poloidal component of the equilibrium magnetic field. This study concentrates on the Alfven continuum, i.e. the case in which the wave frequency satisfies the condition {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}({tau}){r_brace}{sub min}{r_brace} {<=} {omega} {<=} {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}({tau}){r_brace}{sub max}, where {omega}{sub Alf}({tau}) ``identical to`` {omega}{sub Alf}[n({tau}), B{sub O}({tau})] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave (SAW). Thus, using low-{beta} magnetohydrodynamics, the wave equation with correct boundary (matching) conditions is solved, the RF field components are found, and subsequently current drive, power deposition and efficiency are computed. The results of our investigation clearly demonstrate the possibility of generation of RF-driven currents via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low-aspect-ratio tokamaks, in the SAW mode. A special algorithm is developed that enables one to select the antenna parameters providing optimal current drive efficiency. (Author).

Current-driven instabilities of the kinetic shear Alfven wave: Application to reversed field pinches and spheromaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyerhofer, D.D.; Perkins, F.W.

1984-01-01

The kinetic Alfven wave is studied in a cylindrical force-free plasma with self-consistent magnetic fields. This equilibrium represents a reversed field pinch or a spheromak. The stability of the wave is found to depend on the ratio of the electron drift velocity to the Alfven velocity. This ratio varies inversely with the square root of the plasma line density. The critical line density using the Spitzer--Harm electron distribution function is found for reversed field pinches with deuterium plasmas to be approximately 2 x 10 18 and is 5 x 10 17 m -1 in spheromaks with hydrogen plasmas. The critical line density is in reasonable agreement with experimental data for reversed field pinches

Current driven instabilities of the kinetic shear Alfven wave: application to reversed field pinches and spheromaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyerhofer, D.D.; Perkins, F.W.

1984-04-01

The kinetic Alfven wave is studied in a cylindrical force-free plasma with self-consistent magnetic fields. This equilibrium represents a reversed field pinch or a spheromak. The stability of the wave is found to depend on the ratio of the electron drift velocity to the Alfven velocity. This ratio varies inversely with the square root of the plasma line density. The critical line density using the Spitzer-Harm electron distribution function is found for reversed field pinches with deuterium plasmas to be approximately 2 x 10 18 m -1 and is 5 x 10 17 m -1 in spheromaks with hydrogen plasmas. The critical line density is in reasonable agreement with experimental data for reversed field pinches

Kinetic-magnetohydrodynamic simulation study of fast ions and toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Sato, T.

2001-01-01

Particle-magnetohydrodynamic and Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulations of fast ions and toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE modes) have been carried out. Alpha particle losses induced by TAE mode are investigated with particle-magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Trapped particles near the passing-trapped boundary in the phase space are also lost appreciably in addition to the counter-passing particles. In Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulation source and slowing-down of fast ions are considered. A coherent pulsating behavior of multiple TAE modes, which occurs in neutral beam injection experiments, is observed when the slowing-down time is much longer than the damping time of the TAE modes and the fast-ion pressure is sufficiently high. For a slowing-down time comparable to the damping time, the TAE modes reach steady saturation levels. (author)

Kinetic-magnetohydrodynamic simulation study of fast ions and toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Sato, T.

1999-01-01

Particle-magnetohydrodynamic and Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulations of fast ions and toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE modes) have been carried out. Alpha particle losses induced by TAE mode are investigated with particle-magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Trapped particles near the passing-trapped boundary in the phase space are also lost appreciably in addition to the counter-passing particles. In Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulation source and slowing-down of fast ions are considered. A coherent pulsating behavior of multiple TAE modes, which occurs in neutral beam injection experiments, is observed when the slowing-down time is much longer than the damping time of the TAE modes and the fast-ion pressure is sufficiently high. For a slowing-down time comparable to the damping time, the TAE modes reach steady saturation levels. (author)

Role of plasma equilibrium current in Alfven wave antenna optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puri, S.

1986-12-01

The modifications in the antenna loading produced by the plasma equilibrium current, the Faraday shield, and the finite electron temperature for coupling to the Alfven waves are studied using a self-consistent, three-dimensional, fully analytic periodic-loop-antenna model. The only significant changes are found to occur due to the plasma current and consist of an improved coupling (by a factor of ∝ 2.5) at low toroidal numbers (n ∝ 1-3). Despite this gain, however, the coupling to low n continues to be poor with R=0.03 Ω and Q=180 for n=2. Optimum coupling with R=0.71 Ω and Q=16.8 occurs for n=8 as was also the case in the absence of the plasma current. For the large n values, mode splitting due to the removal of the poloidal degeneracy combined with the finite electron temperatures effects lead to significant broadening of the energy absorption profile. Direct antenna coupling to the surface shear wave is small and no special provision, such as Faraday shielding, may be needed for preventing surface losses. The introduction of the Faraday screen, in fact, increases the coupling to the surface shear wave, possibly by acting as an impedance matching transformer between the antenna and the plasma. The finite electron temperature causes the predictable increase in the absorption width without influencing the antenna coupling. Thus the recommendations for antenna design for optimum coupling to the Alfven wave remain unaffected by the inclusion of the plasma current. Efficient coupling with capabilities for dynamic impedance tracking through purely electronic means may be obtained using a dense-cluster-array antenna with a toroidal configuration of n ∝ 8. (orig.)

Signatures of mode conversion and kinetic Alfven waves at the magnetopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, Jay R.; Cheng, C. Z.

2000-01-01

It has been suggested that resonant mode conversion of compressional MHD waves into kinetic Alfven waves at the magnetopause can explain the abrupt transition in wave polarization from compressional to transverse commonly observed during magnetopause crossings. The authors analyze magnetic field data for magnetopause crossings as a function of magnetic shear angle (defined as the angle between the magnetic fields in the magnetosheath and magnetosphere) and compare with the theory of resonant mode conversion. The data suggest that amplification in the transverse magnetic field component at the magnetopause is not significant up to a threshold magnetic shear angle. Above the threshold angle significant amplification results, but with weak dependence on magnetic shear angle. Waves with higher frequency are less amplified and have a higher threshold angle. These observations are qualitatively consistent with theoretical results obtained from the kinetic-fluid wave equations

Fast particle effects on the internal kink, fishbone and Alfven modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.; Bernabei, S.; Cheng, C.Z.; Fu, G.Y.; Hill, K.; Kaye, S.; Kramer, G.J.; Nazikian, R.; Park, W.; Kusama, Y.; Shinokhara, K.; Ozeki, T.

2001-01-01

The issues of linear stability of low frequency perturbative and nonperturbative modes in advanced tokamak regimes are addressed based on recent developments in theory, computational methods, and progress in experiments. Perturbative codes NOVA and ORBIT are used to calculate the effects of TAEs on fast particle population in spherical tokamak NSTX. Nonperturbative analysis of chirping frequency modes in experiments on TFTR and JT-60U is presented using the kinetic code HINST, which identified such modes as a separate branch of Alfven modes - resonance TAE (R-TAE). Internal kink mode stability in the presence of fast particles is studied using the NOVA code and hybrid kinetic-MHD nonlinear code M3D. (author)

Fast Particle Effects on the Internal Kink, Fishbone and Alfven Modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.; Bernabei, S.; Cheng, C.Z.; Fu, G.Y.; Hill, K.; Kaye, S.; Kramer, G.J.; Kusama, Y.; Shinohara, K.; Nazikian, R.; Ozeki, T.; Park, W.

2000-01-01

The issues of linear stability of low frequency perturbative and nonperturbative modes in advanced tokamak regimes are addressed based on recent developments in theory, computational methods, and progress in experiments. Perturbative codes NOVA and ORBIT are used to calculate the effects of TAEs on fast particle population in spherical tokamak NSTX. Nonperturbative analysis of chirping frequency modes in experiments on TFTR and JT-60U is presented using the kinetic code HINST, which identified such modes as a separate branch of Alfven modes - resonance TAE (R-TAE). Internal kink mode stability in the presence of fast particles is studied using the NOVA code and hybrid kinetic-MHD nonlinear code M3D

Optimization of transport suppression barriers generated by externally driven Alfven waves in D-shaped, low aspect ratio tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C; Cuperman, S; Komoshvili, K

2003-01-01

In an effort to optimize the internal transport barriers (ITBs) generated by externally launched mode-converted fast waves (FWs) in pre-heated spherical tokamaks (STs), we have carried out a systematic parametric investigation with respect to the rf waves and antenna characteristics; as a study case, a START-like device has been considered. Within the framework of a plasma model including both kinetic effects (collisionless Landau damping on passing electrons) and collisional damping on both trapped and passing electrons and ions, and starting with the solution of the full wave equation for a ST-plasma, we show that optimized ITBs, suitable for the stabilization of plasma turbulence (e.g. overpassing the maximum growth rate of the ITG-instability, γ ITG ) in STs can be generated by the aid of externally launched FW and mode-converted to kinetic Alfven waves. This result holds in spite of the limiting trapped-particles associated squeezing factor S present in the non-linear equation for E r (via the viscosity coefficient μ θi ∝|S| 3/2 , S = S(dE r /dr))

SDO/AIA Observations of Quasi-periodic Fast (~1000 km/s) Propagating (QFP) Waves as Evidence of Fast-mode Magnetosonic Waves in the Low Corona: Statistics and Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, W.; Ofman, L.; Title, A. M.; Zhao, J.; Aschwanden, M. J.

2011-12-01

Recent EUV imaging observations from SDO/AIA led to the discovery of quasi-periodic fast (~2000 km/s) propagating (QFP) waves in active regions (Liu et al. 2011). They were interpreted as fast-mode magnetosonic waves and reproduced in 3D MHD simulations (Ofman et al. 2011). Since then, we have extended our study to a sample of more than a dozen such waves observed during the SDO mission (2010/04-now). We will present the statistical properties of these waves including: (1) Their projected speeds measured in the plane of the sky are about 400-2200 km/s, which, as the lower limits of their true speeds in 3D space, fall in the expected range of coronal Alfven or fast-mode speeds. (2) They usually originate near flare kernels, often in the wake of a coronal mass ejection, and propagate in narrow funnels of coronal loops that serve as waveguides. (3) These waves are launched repeatedly with quasi-periodicities in the 30-200 seconds range, often lasting for more than one hour; some frequencies coincide with those of the quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) in the accompanying flare, suggestive a common excitation mechanism. We obtained the k-omega diagrams and dispersion relations of these waves using Fourier analysis. We estimate their energy fluxes and discuss their contribution to coronal heating as well as their diagnostic potential for coronal seismology.

Resistive vs. total power depositions by Alfven modes in pre-heated low aspect ratio tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

2004-01-01

The power deposition of fast waves launched by a LFS located antenna in a pre-heated, strongly non-uniform low aspect ratio tokamak (START) is investigated. The rigorous computational results indicate a total power deposition by far larger than that predicted for Alfven continuum eigenmodes in cylindrical plasmas. For toroidal wave numbers |N| > 1, the resistive and total power depositions are almost equal. (author)

Flow shear suppression of turbulence using externally driven ion Bernstein and Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biglari, H.; Ono, M.

1992-01-01

The utilization of externally-launched radio-frequency waves as a means of active confinement control through the generation of sheared poloidal flows is explored. For low-frequency waves, kinetic Alfven waves are proposed, and are shown to drive sheared E x B flows as a result of the radial variation in the electromagnetic Reynolds stress. In the high frequency regime, ion Bernstein waves are considered, and shown to generate sheared poloidal rotation through the pondermotive force. In either case, it is shown that modest amounts of absorbed power (∼ few 100 kW) are required to suppress turbulence in a region of several cm radial width

Collective processes in a tokamak with high-energy particles: general problems of the linear theory of Alfven instabilities of a tokamak with high-energy ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikhailovskii, A.B.

1986-01-01

Some general problems of the theory of Alfven instabilities of a tokamak with high-energy ions are considered. It is assumed that such ions are due to either ionization of fast neutral atoms, injected into the tokamak, or production of them under thermo-nuclear conditions. Small-oscillation equations are derived for the Alfven-type waves, which allow for both destabilizing effects, associated with the high-energy particles, and stabilizing ones, such as effects of shear and bulk-plasm dissipation. A high-energy ion contribution is calculated into the growth rate of the Alfven waves. The author considers the role of trapped-electron collisional dissipation

Theory of charged particle heating by low-frequency Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Zehua; Crabtree, Chris; Chen, Liu

2008-01-01

The heating of charged particles by a linearly polarized and obliquely propagating shear Alfven wave (SAW) at frequencies a fraction of the charged particle cyclotron frequency is demonstrated both analytically and numerically. Applying Lie perturbation theory, with the wave amplitude as the perturbation parameter, the resonance conditions in the laboratory frame are systematically derived. At the lowest order, one recovers the well-known linear cyclotron resonance condition k parallel v parallel -ω-nΩ=0, where v parallel is the particle velocity parallel to the background magnetic field, k parallel is the parallel wave number, ω is the wave frequency, Ω is the gyrofrequency, and n is any integer. At higher orders, however, one discovers a novel nonlinear cyclotron resonance condition given by k parallel v parallel -ω-nΩ/2=0. Analytical predictions on the locations of fixed points, widths of resonances, and resonance overlapping criteria for global stochasticity are also found to agree with those given by computed Poincare surfaces of section

Unified theory of damping of linear surface Alfven waves in inhomogeneous incompressible plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruderman, M.S.; Goossens, M.

1996-01-01

The viscous damping of surface Alfven waves in a non-uniform plasma is studied in the context of linear and incompressible MHD. It is shown that damping due to resonant absorption and damping on a true discontinuity are two limiting cases of the continuous variation of the damping rate with respect to the dimensionless number Rg = Δλ 2 Re, where Δ is the relative variation of the local Alfven velocity, λ is the ratio of the thickness of the inhomogeneous layer to the wavelength, and Re is the viscous Reynolds number. The analysis is restricted to waves with wavelengths that are long in comparison with the extent of the non-uniform layer (λ '' >'' 1) values of Rg. For very small values of Rg, the damping rate agrees with that found for a true discontinuity, while for very large values of Rg, it agrees with the damping rate due to resonant absorption. The dispersion relation is subsequently studied numerically over a wide range of values of Rg, revealing a continuous but non-monotonic variation of the damping rate with respect to Rg. (Author)

ALFVEN WAVE REFLECTION AND TURBULENT HEATING IN THE SOLAR WIND FROM 1 SOLAR RADIUS TO 1 AU: AN ANALYTICAL TREATMENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandran, Benjamin D. G.; Hollweg, Joseph V.

2009-01-01

We study the propagation, reflection, and turbulent dissipation of Alfven waves in coronal holes and the solar wind. We start with the Heinemann-Olbert equations, which describe non-compressive magnetohydrodynamic fluctuations in an inhomogeneous medium with a background flow parallel to the background magnetic field. Following the approach of Dmitruk et al., we model the nonlinear terms in these equations using a simple phenomenology for the cascade and dissipation of wave energy and assume that there is much more energy in waves propagating away from the Sun than waves propagating toward the Sun. We then solve the equations analytically for waves with periods of hours and longer to obtain expressions for the wave amplitudes and turbulent heating rate as a function of heliocentric distance. We also develop a second approximate model that includes waves with periods of roughly one minute to one hour, which undergo less reflection than the longer-period waves, and compare our models to observations. Our models generalize the phenomenological model of Dmitruk et al. by accounting for the solar wind velocity, so that the turbulent heating rate can be evaluated from the coronal base out past the Alfven critical point-that is, throughout the region in which most of the heating and acceleration occurs. The simple analytical expressions that we obtain can be used to incorporate Alfven-wave reflection and turbulent heating into fluid models of the solar wind.

Development of slow and fast wave coupling and heating from the C-Stellarator to NSTX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hosea Joel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A historical perspective on key discoveries which contributed to understanding the properties of coupling both slow and fast waves and the effects on plasma heating and current drive will be presented. Important steps made include the demonstration that the Alfven resonance was in fact a mode conversion on the C-stellarator, that toroidal m = -1 eigenmodes were excited in toroidal geometry and impurity influx caused the Z mode on the ST tokamak, that the H minority regime provided strong heating and that 3He minority could be used as well on PLT, that the 2nd harmonic majority tritium regime was viable on TFTR, and that high harmonic fast wave heating was efficient when the SOL losses were avoided on NSTX.

Fast Particle Interaction With Waves In Fusion Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breizman, Boris

2006-01-01

There are two well-known motivations for theoretical studies of fast particle interaction with waves in magnetic confinement devices. One is the challenge of avoiding strong collective losses of alpha particles and beam ions in future burning plasma experiments. The other one is the compelling need to quantitatively interpret the large amount of experimental data from JET, TFTR, JT-60U, DIII-D, and other machines. Such interpretation involves unique diagnostic opportunities offered by MHD spectroscopy. This report discusses how the present theory responds to the stated challenges and what theoretical and computational advances are required to address the outstanding problems. More specifically, this paper deals with the following topics: predictive capabilities of linear theory and simulations; theory of Alfven cascades; diagnostic opportunities based on linear and nonlinear properties of unstable modes; interplay of kinetic and fluid nonlinearities; fast chirping phenomena for non-perturbative modes; and global transport of fast particles. Recent results are presented on some of the listed topics, although the main goal is to identify critical issues for future work

Generation of electromagnetic waves and Alfven waves during coalescence of magnetic islands in pair plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, J.I.; Haruki, T.; Kazimura, Y.

2000-01-01

It is shown by using a 2-D fully relativistic electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) code that the tearing instability in a current sheet of pair plasmas is caused by Landau resonances of both electrons and positrons. Strong magnetic flux can be generated during coalescence of magnetic islands in the nonlinear phase of the tearing instability. The magnetic flux produced in an O-type magnetic island is caused from the counter-streaming instability found by Kazimura et al. (1998). It is also shown that charge separation with a quadrupole-like structure is generated from the localized strong magnetic flux. During the decay of the quadrupole-like charge structure as well as the magnetic flux, there appear wave emission with high-frequency electromagnetic waves and Alfven waves as well as Langmuir waves. We also show by using a 3-D PIC code that current filaments associated with the O-type magnetic islands become unstable against the kink instability during the coalescence of current filaments. (orig.)

Alfven Eigenmodes in spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gryaznevich, Mikhail P.; Sharapov, Sergei E.; Berk, Herbert L.; Pinches, Simon D.

2005-01-01

Electromagnetic instabilities are often excited by fast super-Alfvenic ions produced by neutral beam injection (NBI) in plasmas of the spherical tokamaks START and MAST (toroidal magnetic confinement devices in which the minor a and major R 0 radii of the torus are comparable, R 0 /a≅1.2/1.8). These instabilities are seen as discrete weakly-damped toroidal and elliptical Alfven Eigenmodes (TAEs and EAEs) with frequencies tracing in time the Alfven scaling with the equilibrium magnetic field and plasma density, or as energetic particle modes (EPMs) whose frequencies don't start from TAE-frequency and sweep down in time faster than the equilibrium parameters change. In some discharges the beam drives Aflvenic-type modes that start from the TAE frequency and sweep in both up- and down- directions. Such electromagnetic perturbations are interpreted as 'hole-clump' long-living nonlinear fluctuations of the fast ion distribution function predicted by Berk-Breizman-Petviashvili [Phys. Lett. A238 (1998) 408]. It is found on both START and MAST that the Alfven instabilities weaken in their mode amplitude and in the number of unstable modes as the pressure of the thermal plasma increases, in agreement with increased thermal ion Landau damping and the pressure effect on core-localised TAEs. (author)

Optimization of transport suppression barriers generated by externally driven Alfven waves in D-shaped, low aspect ratio tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv (Israel); Cuperman, S [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv (Israel); Komoshvili, K [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv (Israel)

2003-04-01

In an effort to optimize the internal transport barriers (ITBs) generated by externally launched mode-converted fast waves (FWs) in pre-heated spherical tokamaks (STs), we have carried out a systematic parametric investigation with respect to the rf waves and antenna characteristics; as a study case, a START-like device has been considered. Within the framework of a plasma model including both kinetic effects (collisionless Landau damping on passing electrons) and collisional damping on both trapped and passing electrons and ions, and starting with the solution of the full wave equation for a ST-plasma, we show that optimized ITBs, suitable for the stabilization of plasma turbulence (e.g. overpassing the maximum growth rate of the ITG-instability, {gamma}{sub ITG}) in STs can be generated by the aid of externally launched FW and mode-converted to kinetic Alfven waves. This result holds in spite of the limiting trapped-particles associated squeezing factor S present in the non-linear equation for E{sub r} (via the viscosity coefficient {mu}{sub {theta}}{sub i}{proportional_to}|S|{sup 3/2}, S = S(dE{sub r}/dr))

Kinetic effects in the conversion of fast waves in pre-heated, low aspect ratio tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kommoshvili, K [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv (Israel); Cuperman, S [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv (Israel); Bruma, C [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv (Israel)

2003-03-01

Kinetic effects in the conversion of fast waves to Alfven waves and their subsequent deposition in low aspect ratio (spherical) tokamaks (LARTs) have been investigated theoretically. More specifically, we have considered the consequences of incorporation of kinetic effects in the electron parallel (to the ambient magnetic field) dynamics derived by following the drift-tearing mode analysis of Chen et al (Chen L, Rutherford P H and Tang W M 1977 Phys. Rev. Lett. 39 460), and particle-conserving Krook collision operator for the passing electrons involved (Mett R R and Mahajan S M 1992 Phys. Fluids B 4 2885). The perpendicular plasma dynamics is described by a quite general resistive two-fluid (2F) model based dielectric tensor-operator (Cuperman S, Bruma C and Komoshvili K 2002 Solution of the resistive 2F wave equations for Alfvenic modes in spherical tokamak plasmas J. Plasma Phys. accepted for publication). The full-wave electromagnetic equations, formulated in terms of the vector and scalar potentials, have been solved by the aid of an advanced finite elements numerical code (Sewell G 1993 Adv. Eng. Software 17 105). Detailed solutions of the full-wave equations are obtained and compared with those corresponding to a pure resistive 2F model, this, for the illustrative pre-heated START-type device (Sykes 1994). Our results quantitatively confirm the general theory of the conversion of fast waves with subsequent power dissipation for the conditions of spherical tokamaks thus providing the required auxiliary energy source for the successful operation of LARTs. Moreover, these results indicate the absolute necessity of using a full model for the parallel electron dynamics, i.e. including both kinetic and collisional effects.

Kinetic effects in the conversion of fast waves in pre-heated, low aspect ratio tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kommoshvili, K; Cuperman, S; Bruma, C

2003-01-01

Kinetic effects in the conversion of fast waves to Alfven waves and their subsequent deposition in low aspect ratio (spherical) tokamaks (LARTs) have been investigated theoretically. More specifically, we have considered the consequences of incorporation of kinetic effects in the electron parallel (to the ambient magnetic field) dynamics derived by following the drift-tearing mode analysis of Chen et al (Chen L, Rutherford P H and Tang W M 1977 Phys. Rev. Lett. 39 460), and particle-conserving Krook collision operator for the passing electrons involved (Mett R R and Mahajan S M 1992 Phys. Fluids B 4 2885). The perpendicular plasma dynamics is described by a quite general resistive two-fluid (2F) model based dielectric tensor-operator (Cuperman S, Bruma C and Komoshvili K 2002 Solution of the resistive 2F wave equations for Alfvenic modes in spherical tokamak plasmas J. Plasma Phys. accepted for publication). The full-wave electromagnetic equations, formulated in terms of the vector and scalar potentials, have been solved by the aid of an advanced finite elements numerical code (Sewell G 1993 Adv. Eng. Software 17 105). Detailed solutions of the full-wave equations are obtained and compared with those corresponding to a pure resistive 2F model, this, for the illustrative pre-heated START-type device (Sykes 1994). Our results quantitatively confirm the general theory of the conversion of fast waves with subsequent power dissipation for the conditions of spherical tokamaks thus providing the required auxiliary energy source for the successful operation of LARTs. Moreover, these results indicate the absolute necessity of using a full model for the parallel electron dynamics, i.e. including both kinetic and collisional effects

Nonlinear self-precession and wavenumber shift of electromagnetic waves under resonance and of Alfven waves in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, B.; Chakraborty, B.

1979-01-01

Nonlinear corrections of a left and a right circularly polarized electromagnetic wave of the same frequency, propagating in the direction of a static and uniform magnetic field in a cold and collisionally damped two-component plasma, have been evaluated. The nonlinearly correct dispersion relation, self-generating nonlinear precessional rotation of the polarization ellipse of the wave and the shift in a wave parameter depend on linear combinations of products of the amplitude components taken two at a time and hence on the energies of the waves. Both in the low frequency resonance (that is when the ion cyclotron frequency equals the wave frequency) and in the high frequency resonance (that is when the electron cyclotron frequency equals the wave frequency), the self-precessional rate and wavenumber shift are found to be large and so have the possibility of detection in laboratory experiments. Moreover, for the limit leading to Alfven waves, these nonlinear effects have been found to have some interesting and significant properties. (Auth.)

Alfven waves in dusty plasmas with plasma particles described by anisotropic kappa distributions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galvao, R. A.; Ziebell, L. F. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Caixa Postal 15051, CEP: 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil); Gaelzer, R. [Instituto de Fisica e Matematica, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Caixa Postal 354-Campus UFPel, CEP: 96010-900 Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil); Juli, M. C. de [Centro de Radio-Astronomia e Astrofisica Mackenzie-CRAAM, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Rua da Consolacao 896, CEP: 01302-907 Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

2012-12-15

We utilize a kinetic description to study the dispersion relation of Alfven waves propagating parallelly to the ambient magnetic field in a dusty plasma, taking into account the fluctuation of the charge of the dust particles, which is due to inelastic collisions with electrons and ions. We consider a plasma in which the velocity distribution functions of the plasma particles are modelled as anisotropic kappa distributions, study the dispersion relation for several combinations of the parameters {kappa}{sub Parallel-To} and {kappa}{sub Up-Tack }, and emphasize the effect of the anisotropy of the distributions on the mode coupling which occurs in a dusty plasma, between waves in the branch of circularly polarized waves and waves in the whistler branch.

Fast wave and electron cyclotron current drive in the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Austin, M.E.

1995-01-01

The non-inductive current drive from directional fast Alfven and electron cyclotron waves was measured in the DIII-D tokamak in order to demonstrate these forms of radiofrequency (RF) current drive and to compare the measured efficiencies with theoretical expectations. The fast wave frequency was 8 times the deuterium cyclotron frequency at the plasma centre, while the electron cyclotron wave was at twice the electron cyclotron frequency. Complete non-inductive current drive was achieved using a combination of fast wave current drive (FWCD) and electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) in discharges for which the total plasma current was inductively ramped down from 400 to 170 kA. For steady current discharges, an analysis of the loop voltage revealed up to 195 kA of a non-inductive current (out of 310 kA) during combined electron cyclotron and fast wave injection, with a maximum of 110 kA of FWCD and 80 kA of ECCD achieved (not simultaneously). The peakedness of the current profile increased with RF current drive, indicating that the driven current was centrally localized. The FWCD efficiency increased linearly with the central electron temperature as expected; however, the FWCD was severely degraded in low current discharges owing to incomplete fast wave absorption. The measured FWCD agreed with the predictions of a ray tracing code only when a parasitic loss of 4% per pass was included in the modelling along with multiple pass absorption. Enhancement of the second harmonic ECCD efficiency by the toroidal electric field was observed experimentally. The measured ECCD was in good agreement with Fokker-Planck code predictions. (author). 41 refs, 13 figs, 1 tab

The effect of broad-band Alfven-cyclotron waves spectra on the preferential heating and differential acceleration of He{sup ++} ions in the solar wind

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maneva, Y. G. [Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, Washington DC, 20064 (United States) and Heliophysics Science Devision, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Ofman, L. [Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064 (United States) and Heliophysics Science Devision, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Vinas, A. F. [Heliophysics Science Devision, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2013-06-13

In anticipation of results from inner heliospheric missions such as the Solar Orbiter and the Solar Probe we present the results from 1.5D hybrid simulations to study the role of magnetic fluctuations for the heating and differential acceleration of He{sup ++} ions in the solar wind. We consider the effects of nonlinear Alfven-cyclotron waves at different frequency regimes. Monochromatic nonlinear Alfven-alpha-cyclotron waves are known to preferentially heat and accelerate He{sup ++} ions in collisionless low beta plasma. In this study we demonstrate that these effects are preserved when higherfrequency monochromatic and broad-band spectra of Alfven-proton-cyclotron waves are considered. Comparison between several nonlinear monochromatic waves shows that the ion temperatures, anisotropies and relative drift are quantitatively affected by the shift in frequency. Including a broad-band wave-spectrum results in a significant reduction of both the parallel and the perpendicular temperature components for the He{sup ++} ions, whereas the proton heating is barely influenced, with the parallel proton temperature only slightly enhanced. The differential streaming is strongly affected by the available wave power in the resonant daughter ion-acoustic waves. Therefore for the same initial wave energy, the relative drift is significantly reduced in the case of initial wave-spectra in comparison to the simulations with monochromatic waves.

Kinetic effects in Alfven wave heating Part 2 propagation and absorption with a single minority species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Wann-Quan; Ross, D.W.; Mahajan, Swadesh M.

1989-06-01

Kinetic effects of Alfven wave spatial resonances near the plasma edge are investigated numerically and analytically in a cylindrical tokamak model. In Part 1, cold plasma surface Alfven eigenmodes (SAE's) in a pure plasma are examined. Numerical calculations of antenna-driven waves exhibiting absorption resonances at certain discrete frequencies are first reviewed. From a simplified kinetic equation, an analytical dispersion relation is then obtained with the antenna current set equal to zero. The real and imaginary parts of its roots, which are the complex eigenfrequencies, agree with the central frequencies and widths, respectively, of the numerical antenna-driven resonances. These results serve as an introduction to the companion paper, in which it is shown that, in the presence of a minority species, certain SAE's, instead of heating the plasma exterior, can dissipate substantial energy in the two-ion hybrid layer near the plasma center. 11 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

Satellite and Ground Signatures of Kinetic and Inertial Scale ULF Alfven Waves Propagating in Warm Plasma in Earth's Magnetosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Rankin, R.; Sydorenko, D.

2015-12-01

Results from a 3D global numerical model of Alfven wave propagation in a warm multi-species plasma in Earth's magnetosphere are presented. The model uses spherical coordinates, accounts for a non-dipole magnetic field, vertical structure of the ionosphere, and an air gap below the ionosphere. A realistic density model is used. Below the exobase altitude (2000 km) the densities and the temperatures of electrons, ions, and neutrals are obtained from the IRI and MSIS models. Above the exobase, ballistic (originating from the ionosphere and returning to ionosphere) and trapped (bouncing between two reflection points above the ionosphere) electron populations are considered similar to [Pierrard and Stegen (2008), JGR, v.113, A10209]. Plasma parameters at the exobase provided by the IRI are the boundary conditions for the ballistic electrons while the [Carpenter and Anderson (1992), JGR, v.97, p.1097] model of equatorial electron density defines parameters of the trapped electron population. In the simulations that are presented, Alfven waves with frequencies from 1 Hz to 0.01 Hz and finite azimuthal wavenumbers are excited in the magnetosphere and compared with Van Allen Probes data and ground-based observations from the CARISMA array of ground magnetometers. When short perpendicular scale waves reflect form the ionosphere, compressional Alfven waves are observed to propagate across the geomagnetic field in the ionospheric waveguide [e.g., Lysak (1999), JGR, v.104, p.10017]. Signals produced by the waves on the ground are discussed. The wave model is also applied to interpret recent Van Allen Probes observations of kinetic scale ULF waves that are associated with radiation belt electron dynamics and energetic particle injections.

Basic physics of Alfven instabilities driven by energetic particles in toroidally confined plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W. W.

2008-01-01

Superthermal energetic particles (EP) often drive shear Alfven waves unstable in magnetically confined plasmas. These instabilities constitute a fascinating nonlinear system where fluid and kinetic nonlinearities can appear on an equal footing. In addition to basic science, Alfven instabilities are of practical importance, as the expulsion of energetic particles can damage the walls of a confinement device. Because of rapid dispersion, shear Alfven waves that are part of the continuous spectrum are rarely destabilized. However, because the index of refraction is periodic in toroidally confined plasmas, gaps appear in the continuous spectrum. At spatial locations where the radial group velocity vanishes, weakly damped discrete modes appear in these gaps. These eigenmodes are of two types. One type is associated with frequency crossings of counterpropagating waves; the toroidal Alfven eigenmode is a prominent example. The second type is associated with an extremum of the continuous spectrum; the reversed shear Alfven eigenmode is an example of this type. In addition to these normal modes of the background plasma, when the energetic particle pressure is very large, energetic particle modes that adopt the frequency of the energetic particle population occur. Alfven instabilities of all three types occur in every toroidal magnetic confinement device with an intense energetic particle population. The energetic particles are most conveniently described by their constants of motion. Resonances occur between the orbital frequencies of the energetic particles and the wave phase velocity. If the wave resonance with the energetic particle population occurs where the gradient with respect to a constant of motion is inverted, the particles transfer energy to the wave, promoting instability. In a tokamak, the spatial gradient drive associated with inversion of the toroidal canonical angular momentum P ζ is most important. Once a mode is driven unstable, a wide variety of

Scrape-off measurements during Alfven wave heating in the TCA tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, F.; Hollenstein, C.; Joye, B.; Lietti, A.; Lister, J.B.; Pochelon, A.; Gimzewski, J.K.; Veprek, S.

1984-01-01

Plasma parameters and impurity fluxes in the scrape-off layer of the TCA tokamak have been measured during Alfven wave heating. Langmuir probes are used to measure electron density, electron temperature and plasma potential. Collection probes, in conjunction with XPS surface analysis, are used to determine impurity fluxes and ion impact energies. During RF heating, the electron edge temperature rises, the plasma potential drops and impurity fluxes are enhanced. Probe erosion due to impurity sputtering is clearly observed. The measurements are correlated with other diagnostics on TCA. (orig.)

Effect of Alfvenic fluctuations on the solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien, T.H.

1974-01-01

The major source of microscale fluctuations in the interplanetary medium due to the outwardly propagating Alfven waves is considered. The effect of the Alfven waves on the supersonic expansion of the solar wind is studied under the assumption that the motion of the interplanetary medium can be resolved physically into a comparatively smooth and slowly varying mesoscale flow and field with very irregular disordered incompressible microscale Alfvenic fluctuations superposed on it. The important features of the solar wind such as heat conduction flux, spiral interplanetary magnetic field, and proton thermal anisotropy are included in the theory. For inviscid, steady state, spherically symmetrical model of the solar wind, the two-fluid formulation of the background mesoscale MHD equations is obtained. The results show that during the expansion process, fluctuation energy is converted into the kinetic energy of the solar wind. Due to the presence of the Alfvenic fluctuations, the velocity of the solar wind is about 5 percent higher than that without considering the fluctuations. (U.S.)

Symmetries of the triple degenerate DNLS equations for weakly nonlinear dispersive MHD waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, G. M.; Brio, M.; Zank, G. P.

1996-01-01

A formulation of Hamiltonian and Lagrangian variational principles, Lie point symmetries and conservation laws for the triple degenerate DNLS equations describing the propagation of weakly nonlinear dispersive MHD waves along the ambient magnetic field, in β∼1 plasmas is given. The equations describe the interaction of the Alfven and magnetoacoustic modes near the triple umbilic point, where the fast magnetosonic, slow magnetosonic and Alfven speeds coincide and a g 2 =V A 2 where a g is the gas sound speed and V A is the Alfven speed. A discussion is given of the travelling wave similarity solutions of the equations, which include solitary wave and periodic traveling waves. Strongly compressible solutions indicate the necessity for the insertion of shocks in the flow, whereas weakly compressible, near Alfvenic solutions resemble similar, shock free travelling wave solutions of the DNLS equation

Interplay of energetic ions and Alfven modes in helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Lutsenko, V.V.; Yakovenko, Yu.Y.; Yamazaki, K.; Nakajima, N.; Narushima, Y.; Toi, K.; Yamamoto, S.

2003-08-01

Alfven eigenmodes and their destabilization by energetic ions in stellarators, mainly, in the Large Helical Device (LHD) plasmas, are considered. A general expression for the instability growth rate is derived, which generalizes that obtained in Ref. [Ya.I. Kolesnichenko et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 517 (2002)] by taking into account the finite magnitude of the perturbed longitudinal magnetic field. The structures of the Alfven continuum and Alfven eigenmodes, as well as the resonances of the wave-particle interaction, are studied. A numerical simulation of the destabilization of Alfven waves with low mode numbers during neutral-beam injection in a particular LHD shot is carried out. The obtained solutions represent even and odd core-localized Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes, the calculated frequencies and the mode numbers being in agreement with experimental data. The growth rates of the instabilities are calculated. This work was done during the stay of Ya.I. Kolesnichenko in NIFS as a Guest Professor from January 26, 2003 to April 25, 2003. (author)

Kinetic Alfven wave with density variation and loss-cone distribution function of multi-ions in PSBL region

Science.gov (United States)

Tamrakar, Radha; Varma, P.; Tiwari, M. S.

2018-05-01

Kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) generation due to variation of loss-cone index J and density of multi-ions (H+, He+ and O+) in the plasma sheet boundary layer region (PSBL) is investigated. Kinetic approach is used to derive dispersion relation of wave using Vlasov equation. Variation of frequency with respect to wide range of k⊥ρi (where k⊥ is wave vector across the magnetic field, ρi is gyroradius of ions and i denotes H+, He+ and O+ ions) is analyzed. It is found that each ion gyroradius and number density shows different effect on wave generation with varying width of loss-cone. KAW is generated with multi-ions (H+, He+ and O+) over wide regime for J=1 and shows dissimilar effect for J=2. Frequency is reduced with increasing density of gyrating He+ and O+ ions. Wave frequency is obtained within the reported range which strongly supports generation of kinetic Alfven waves. A sudden drop of frequency is also observed for H+ and He+ ion which may be due to heavy penetration of these ions through the loss-cone. The parameters of PSBL region are used for numerical calculation. The application of these results are in understanding the effect of gyrating multi-ions in transfer of energy and Poynting flux losses from PSBL region towards ionosphere and also describing the generation of aurora.

Finite Larmor radius effects on Alfven wave current drive in low-aspect ratio tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.

1998-01-01

Alfven wave current drive (AWCD) in low-aspect ratio (A≡R/a=1/ε > or approx. 1) tokamaks (LARTs) is studied numerically. For this, the full-wave equation (E parallel ≠0) with a Vlasov-based dielectric tensor is solved by relaxation techniques, subject to appropriate boundary conditions at the plasma centre and at the plasma-vacuum interface, as well as the concentric antenna current sheet and at the external metallic wall. A systematic investigation of the physical characteristics of the AWCD generated in LARTs when kinetic effects are considered is carried out and illustrative results are presented and discussed. (author)

Alfvenic resonant cavities in the solar atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollweg, J.V.

1984-01-01

We investigate the propagation of Alfven waves in a simple medium consisting of three uniform layers; each layer is characterized by a different value for the Alfven speed, νsub(A). We show how the central layer can act as a resonant cavity under quite general conditions. If the cavity is driven externally, by an incident wave in one of the outer layers, there result resonant transmission peaks, which allow large energy fluxes to enter the cavity from outside. The transmission peaks result from the destructive interference between a wave which leaks out of the cavity, and a directly reflected wave. We show that there are two types of resonances. The first type occurs when the cavity has the largest (or smallest) of the three Alfven speeds; this situation occurs on coronal loops. The second type occurs when the cavity Alfven speed is intermediate between the other two values of νsub(A); this situation may occur on solar spicules. Significant heating of the cavity can occur if the waves are damped. We show that if the energy lost to heat greatly exceeds the energy lost by leakage out of the cavity, then the cavity heating can be independent of the damping rate. This conclusion is shown to apply to coronal resonances and to the spicule resonances. This conclusion agrees with a point made by Ionson in connection with the coronal resonances. Except for a numerical factor of order unity, we recover Ionson's expression for the coronal heating rate. However, Ionson's qualities are much too large. For solar parameters, the maximum quality is of the order of 100, but the heating is independent of the damping rate only when dissipation reduces the quality to less than about 10. (WB)

Wave Driven Fast Ion Loss in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredrickson, E.D.; Cheng, C.Z.; Darrow, D.; Fu, G.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; Kramer, G.; Medley, S.S.; Menard, J.; Roquemore, L.; Stutman, D.; White, R.B.

2003-01-01

The study of fast ion instabilities in conventional aspect ratio tokamaks is motivated in large part by their potential to negatively impact the ignition threshold in fusion reactors by causing fast ion losses. Spherical tokamak's (ST), with intrinsically low magnetic fields, are particularly susceptible to fast ion driven instabilities. The 3.5 MeV alpha's from the D-T [deuterium-tritium] fusion reaction in proposed ST reactors will have velocities much higher than the Alfven speed. The Larmor radius of the fusion alphas, normalized to the plasma size, will also be larger than for conventional aspect ratio tokamak reactors. The resulting longer wavelengths of the *AE instabilities will be more effective in driving fast ion loss. The change in magnetic topology also influences the mode structure, as in the case of the Compressional Alfven Eigenmodes (CAE) seen on NSTX

The Ion Cyclotron, Lower Hybrid, and Alfven Wave Heating Methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, R.

2004-01-01

This lecture covers the practical features and experimental results of the three heating methods. The emphasis is on ion cyclotron heating. First, we briefly come back to the main non-collisional heating mechanisms and to the particular features of the quasilinear coefficient in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF). The specific case of the ion-ion hybrid resonance is treated, as well as the polarisation issue and minority heating scheme. The various ICRF scenarios are reviewed. The experimental applications of ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) systems are outlined. Then, the lower hybrid and Alfven wave heating and current drive experimental results are covered more briefly. Where applicable, the prospects for ITER are commented

Analysis and design of the Alfven wave antenna system for the SUNIST spherical tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan Yi; Gao Zhe; He Yexi

2009-01-01

Analysis and design of the Alfven wave antenna system for the SUNIST spherical tokamak are presented. Two candidate antenna concepts, folded and unfolded, are analyzed and compared with each other. In the frequency range of Alfven resonance the impedance spectrums of both two concept antennas for major modes are numerically calculated in a 1-D MHD framework. The folded concept is chosen for engineering design. The antenna system is designed to be simple and requires least modification to the vacuum vessel. The definition of the antenna shape is guided by the analyses with constraints of existing hardware layouts. Each antenna unit consists of two stainless steel straps with a thickness of 1 mm. A number of boron nitride tiles are assembled together as the side limiters for plasma shielding. Estimation shows that the structure is robust enough to withstand the electromagnetic force and the heat load for typical discharge duty cycles.

Shear Alfven Wave Injection in the Magnetosphere by Ionospheric Modifications in the Absence of Electrojet Currents

Science.gov (United States)

Papadopoulos, K.; Eliasson, B.; Shao, X.; Labenski, J.; Chang, C.

2011-12-01

A new concept of generating ionospheric currents in the ULF/ELF range with modulated HF heating using ground-based transmitters even in the absence of electrojet currents is presented. The new concept relies on using HF heating of the F-region to modulate the electron temperature and has been given the name Ionospheric Current Drive (ICD). In ICD, the pressure gradient associated with anomalous or collisional F-region electron heating drives a local diamagnetic current that acts as an antenna to inject mainly Magneto-Sonic (MS) waves in the ionospheric plasma. The electric field associated with the MS wave drives Hall currents when it reaches the E region of the ionosphere. The Hall currents act as a secondary antenna that inject waves in the Earth-Ionosphere Waveguide (EIW) below and shear Alfven waves or EMIC waves upwards towards the conjugate regions. The paper presents: (i) Theoretical results using a cold Hall MHD model to study ICD and the generation of ULF/ELF waves by the modulation of the electron pressure at the F2-region with an intense HF electromagnetic wave. The model solves equations governing the dynamics of the shear Alfven and magnetosonic modes, of the damped modes in the diffusive Pedersen layer, and of the weakly damped helicon wave mode in the Hall-dominated E-region. The model incorporates realistic profile of the ionospheric conductivities and magnetic field configuration. We use the model to simulate propagation and dynamics of the low-frequency waves and their injection into the magnetosphere from the HAARP and Arecibo ionospheric heaters. (ii) Proof of principle experiments using the HAARP ionospheric heater in conjunction with measurements by the DEMETER satellite This work is supported by ONR MURI grant and DARPA BRIOCHE Program

Determination of central q and effective mass on textor based on discrete Alfven wave (DAW) spectrum measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Descamps, P.; Wassenhove, G. van; Koch, R.; Messiaen, A.M.; Vandenplas, P.E.; Lister, J.B.; Marmillod, P.

1990-01-01

The use of the discrete Alfven wave spectrum to determine the current density profile and the effective mass density of the plasma in the TEXTOR tokamak is studied; the measurement, the validity of which is discussed, confirms independently the central q(r=0)<1 already obtained by polarimetry. (orig.)

Profiles of fast ions that are accelerated by high harmonic fast waves in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, D; Heidbrink, W W; Podesta, M; Ruskov, E; Bell, R E; Fredrickson, E D; Medley, S S; Harvey, R W

2010-01-01

Combined neutral beam injection and high-harmonic fast-wave (HHFW) heating accelerate deuterium fast ions in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). With 1.1 MW of HHFW power, the neutron emission rate is about three times larger than in the comparison discharge without HHFW heating. Acceleration of fast ions above the beam injection energy is evident on an E||B type neutral particle analyzer (NPA), a 4-chord solid state neutral particle analyzer (SSNPA) array and a 16-channel fast-ion D-alpha (FIDA) diagnostic. The accelerated fast ions observed by the NPA and SSNPA diagnostics mainly come from passive charge exchange reactions at the edge due to the NPA/SSNPA localization in phase space. The spatial profile of accelerated fast ions that is measured by the FIDA diagnostic is much broader than in conventional tokamaks because of the multiple resonance layers and large orbits in NSTX. The fast-ion distribution function calculated by the CQL3D Fokker-Planck code differs from the measured spatial profile, presumably because the current version of CQL3D uses a zero-banana-width model. In addition, compressional Alfven eigenmode activity is stronger during the HHFW heating and it may affect the fast-ion spatial profile.

Alfven wave heating studies in Tokapole II tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kortbawi, D.; Witherspoon, F.D.; Zhu, S.Y.; Casavant, T.; Sprott, J.C.; Prager, S.C.

1984-01-01

In earlier experiments at low power on the Tokapole II tokamak using the internal divertor rings as a launching structure the authors have observed a resonance with properties consistent with those expected for a shear Alfven wave. With these encouraging results, a second phase of experiments has begun where, eventually, 4 discrete antennas, located ≅180 0 apart in both the toroidal and poloidal directions and phased to establish proper mode numbers are driven from a 1 MW source. A prototype antenna has been installed and tested. It is a 2 turn Faraday shielded loop extending 54 0 along a toroidal arc. This orientation was chosen for the antenna currents based on the earlier experiments and the simple MHD result that the component of the wage magnetic field perpendicular to the equilibrium field is most strongly divergent. To test this the antenna can be rotated +.45 0 . It can also be inserted radially up to 6 cm

Re-ionization of a partially ionized plasma by an Alfven wave of moderate amplitude

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brennan, M.H.; Sawley, M.L.

1980-01-01

The use of forced magnetic-acoustic oscillations to investigate the effect of a torsional hydromagnetic (Alfven) wave pulse of moderate amplitude on the properties of a partially ionized afterglow helium plasma is reported. Observations of the magnetic flux associated with the oscillations, measured at a number of frequencies are used to determine radial density profiles and to provide estimates of plasma temperature. The torsional wave is shown to cause significant re-ionization of the plasma with no corresponding increase in the plasma temperature. The presence of a number of energetic particles is evidenced by the production of a significant number of doubly charged helium ions. (author)

An experimental study of Alfven wave heating using electrostatically shielded antennas in TCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borg, G.G.; Joye, B.

1990-01-01

Despite the wide acceptance of electrostatic screens in ICRH for the protection of the plasma from the near fields of rf antennas, it has always been considered that low voltages at low frequency have made such screens unnecessary in Alfven wave heating (AWH). Despite this, AWH performs rather poorly as a heating method; the results being confused by a density rise up to 300 % of the target density. It is known that the density increase arises neither from impurity injection nor from a change in recycling. In addition, an extensive range of phenomena have been observed in the plasma scrape-off layer (SOL). During AWH, the SOL density is observed to decrease, the SOL floating potential is perturbed in a way that reflects the Alfven wave spectrum, the antennas charge negatively and draw a large current from the plasma and harmonics have been observed on the edge wave fields. The cause and correlation of these effects with each other and their impression on the bulk plasma response was not known. Experimental results from the TORTUS tokamak have indicated that the density increase might be eliminated by electrostatic screens. In their case, two AWH experiments were performed. In the first, an unshielded OFHC copper loop antenna was excited at a given power and, in the second, the same antenna was excited at the same power after installation of an aluminium, TiN coated, slotted screen. The density increase in the first case was shown to be completely eliminated in the second, although spectroscopic measurements revealed a difference in the plasma O(II) and Cu(I) content for each case. (author) 2 refs., 3 figs

Wave-trains in the solar wind. III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richter, A.K.

1975-01-01

Applying an Alfven-Wave-Extended-QRH-approximation and the method of characteristics, the equations of motion for outwardly propagating Alfven waves are solved analytically for three different cases of an azimuthal dependence of the background solar wind, (a) for a pure fast-slow stream configuration, (b) for the situation where the high-speed stream originates from a diverging magnetic field, and (c) for the case of (b) and an initially decreasing density configuration ('coronal hole'). The reaction of these waves on the background state as well as mode-mode coupling effects are neglected. These three solar wind models are discussed shortly. For the superimposed Alfven waves it is found, on an average, that there is a strong azimuthal dependence of all relevant parameters which, correlated with the azimuthal distributions of the solar wind variables, leads to good agreements with observations. The signature of high-speed streams and these correlations could clearly indicate solar wind streams originating from 'coronal holes'. Contrary to the purely radial solar wind, where outwardly propagating Alfven waves are exclusively refracted towards the radial direction, a refraction nearly perpendicular to the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field in the compression region and closely towards the magnetic field direction down the trailing edge and in the low-speed regime is found. (Auth.)

Alfven instability and micromagnetic islands in a plasma with sheared magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, J.; Kaw, P.; Chen, L.

1977-07-01

The normal mode equation for coupled drift and Alfven waves in a finite-β nonuniform plasma with a sheared magnetic field is solved, in the slab geometry, to investigate the instability of slow Alfven waves. It is shown, that, besides having an appreciable growth rate, the instability also produces microscopic ''tearing'' of the rational surfaces which has important implications for anomalous transport

Alpha effect of Alfven waves and current drive in reversed field pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litwin, C.; Prager, S.C.

1997-10-01

Circularly polarized Alfven waves give rise to an α-dynamo effect that can be exploited to drive parallel current. In a open-quotes laminarclose quotes magnetic the effect is weak and does not give rise to significant currents for realistic parameters (e.g., in tokamaks). However, in reversed field pinches (RFPs) in which magnetic field in the plasma core is stochastic, a significant enhancement of the α-effect occurs. Estimates of this effect show that it may be a realistic method of current generation in the present-day RFP experiments and possibly also in future RFP-based fusion reactors

Ion beam generation at the plasma sheet boundary layer by kinetic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moghaddam-Taaheri, E.; Goertz, C.K.; Smith, R.A.

1989-01-01

The kinetic Alfven wave, an Alfven wave with a perpendicular wavelength comparable to the ion gyroradius, can diffuse ions both in velocity and coordinate spaces with comparable transport rates. This may lead to the generation of ion beams in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL). To investigate the ion beam generation process numerically, a two-dimensional quasi-linear code was constructed. Assuming that the plasma β (the ratio of plasma pressure to the magnetic pressure) varies from β = 1 to β << 1 across the magnetic field, the dynamics of the ion beam generation in the PSBL was studied. It was found that if your start with an ion distribution function which monotonically decreases with velocity along the magnetic field and a density gradient across the magnetic field, ions diffuse in velocity-coordinate space until nearly a plateau is established along the diffusion path. Depending on the topology of the magnetic field at the lobe side of the simulation system, i.e., open or closed field lines, the ion distribution function may or may not reach a steady state. If the field lines are open there, i.e., if the diffusion extends into the lobe, the double diffusion process may provide a mechanism for continuously transferring the ions from the central plasma sheet to the lobe. The authors comment on the effect of the particle loss on the establishment of the pressure balance in the plasma sheet

Alfven continuum and high-frequency eigenmodes in optimized stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Lutsenko, V.V.; Wobig, H.; Yakovenko, Yu.V.; Fesenyuk, O.P.

2001-01-01

An equation of shear Alfven eigenmodes (AE) in optimized stellarators of Wendelstein line (Helias configurations) is derived. The metric tensor coefficients, which are contained in this equation, are calculated analytically. Two numerical codes are developed: the first one, COBRA (COntinuum BRanches of Alfven waves), is intended for the investigation of the structure of Alfven continuum; the second, BOA (Branches Of Alfven modes), solves the eigenvalue problem. The family of possible gaps in Alfven continuum of a Helias configuration is obtained. It is predicted that there exist gaps which arise due to or are strongly affected by the variation of the shape of the plasma cross section along the large azimuth of the torus. In such gaps, discrete eigenmodes, namely, helicity-induced eigenmodes (HAE 21 ) and mirror-induced eigenmodes (MAE) are found. It is shown that plasma inhomogeneity may suppress the AEs with a wide region of localization

Variational full wave calculation of fast wave current drive in DIII-D using the ALCYON code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becoulet, A.; Moreau, D.

1992-04-01

Initial fast wave current drive simulations performed with the ALCYON code for the 60 MHz DIII-D experiment are presented. Two typical shots of the 1991 summer campaign were selected with magnetic field intensities of 1 and 2 teslas respectively. The results for the wave electromagnetic field in the plasma chamber are displayed. They exhibit a strong enrichment of the poloidal mode number m-spectrum which leads to the upshift of the parallel wavenumber, κ perpendicular, and to the wave absorption. The m-spectrum is bounded when the local poloidal wavenumber reaches the Alfven wavenumber and the κ perpendicular upshifts do not destroy the wave directionality. Linear estimations of the driven current are made. The current density profiles are found to be peaked and we find that about 88 kA can be driven in the 1 tesla/1.7 keV phase with 1.7 MW coupled to the electrons. In the 2 tesla/3.4 keV case, 47 kA are driven with a total power of 1.5 MW, 44% of which are absorbed on the hydrogen minority, through the second harmonic ion cyclotron resonance. The global efficiency is then 0.18 x 10 19 A m -2 W -1 if one considers only the effective power going to the electrons

Drift-kinetic Alfven modes in high performance tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaun, A.; Fasoli, A.F.; Testa, D.; Vaclavik, J.; Villard, L.

2001-01-01

The stability of fast-particle driven Alfven eigenmodes is modeled in high performance tokamaks, successively with a conventional shear, an optimized shear and a tight aspect ratio plasma. A large bulk pressure yields global kinetic Alfven eigenmodes that are stabilized by mode conversion in the presence of a divertor. This suggests how conventional reactor scenarii could withstand significant pressure gradients from the fusion products. A large safety factor in the core q 0 >2.5 in deeply shear reversed configurations and a relatively large bulk ion Larmor radius in a low magnetic field can trigger global drift-kinetic Alfven eigenmodes that are unstable in high performance JET, NSTX and ITER plasmas. (author)

Antenna analysis and boundary conditions for Alfven wave studies in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, D.W.; Li Yanming; Mahajan, S.M.; Michie, R.B.

1986-01-01

Previous studies of Alfven wave heating which employed kinetic theory are extended in order to take into account antenna configurations, in cylindrical geometry, consisting of arbitrary shell currents and their associated radial feeders. For each Fourier component of the form exp [-i(lzeta-mtheta)], the shell current consists of a divergence-free part having the helicity of the mode (l, m), plus an orthogonal part requiring the feeders. It is shown, both analytically and by including the full current in the numerical code, that only the divergence-free part of the current contributes significantly to the plasma response and antenna loading. The important effect of the feeders is to cancel the contribution from the surface current perpendicular to the helicity. This explicitly verifies results reported previously. (author)

Antenna analysis and boundary conditions for Alfven wave studies in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, D.W.; Li, Y.M.; Mahajan, S.M.; Michie, R.B.

1985-07-01

Previous studies of Alfven wave heating which employed kinetic theory are extended to take into account antenna configurations, in cylindrical geometry, consisting of arbitrary shell currents and their associated radial feeders. For each Fourier component of the form esp/-i(l zeta - m theta)/, the shell current consists of a divergence-free part having the helicity of the mode (l,m), plus an orthogonal part requiring the feeders. It is shown, both analtically and by including the full current in the numerical code, that only the divergence-free part of the current contributes significantly to the plasma response and antenna loading. The important effect of the feeders is to cancel the contribution from the surface current perpendicular to the helicity. This explicitly verifies results reported previously

Velocity shear generated Alfven waves in electron-positron plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogava, A.D.; Berezhiani, V.I.; Mahajan, S.M.

1996-01-01

Linear MHD modes in cold, nonrelativistic electron-positron plasma shear flow are considered. The general set of differential equations, describing the evolution of perturbations in the framework of the nonmodal approach is derived. It is found, that under certain circumstances, the compressional and shear Alfven perturbations may exhibit large transient growth fuelled by the mean kinetic energy of the shear flow. The velocity shear also induces mode coupling allowing the exchange of energy as well as the possibility of a strong mutual transformation of these modes into each other. The compressional Alfven mode may extract the energy of the mean flow and transfer it to the shear Alfven mode via this coupling. The relevance of these new physical effects to provide a better understanding of the laboratory e + e - plasma is emphasized. It is speculated that the shear-induced effects in the electron-positron plasmas could also help solve some astrophysical puzzles (e.g., the generation of pulsar radio emission). Since most astrophysical plasma are relativistic, it is shown that the major results of the study remain valid for weakly sheared relativistic plasmas. (author). 21 refs, 4 figs

Shaping of an ion cloud's velocity field by differential braking due to Alfven wave dissipation in the ionosphere, 1. Coupling with an infinite ionosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nalesso, G.F.; Jacobson, A.R.

1988-01-01

We study the interaction of a plasma cloud, jetting across the geomagnetic field with the surrounding ionosphere. The cloud is assumed of finite extension in the direction normal to both the direction of motion and the magnetic field, while the ionosphere is considered a collisional anisotropic magnetized plasma. It is shown that two main mechanisms contribute to the cloud's braking: momentum exchange with the ionosphere via Alfven waves and momentum dissipation due to resistive currents. Due to the finite size of the cloud a differential braking of the different transverse harmonics of the Alfven wave appears when the momentum exchange mechanism is dominant. The result is a sharpening of the cloud's velocity field. copyright American Geophysical Union 1988

On the stochastic interaction of monochromatic Alfven waves with toroidally trapped particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krlin, L.; Pavlo, P.; Tluchor, Z.; Gasek, Z.

1987-07-01

Monochromatic Alfven wave interaction with toroidaly trapped particles in the intrinsic stochasticity regime is discussed. Both the diffusion in velocities and in the radial position of bananas is studied. Using a suitable Hamiltonian formalism, the effect of wave parallel components E-tilde paral and B-tilde paral is investigated. The stochasticity threshold is estimated for plasma electrons and for thermonuclear alpha-particles (neglecting the effect of B-tilde paral ) by means of direct numerical integration of the corresponding canonical equations. Stochasticity causes transfer between trapped and untrapped regimes and the induced radial diffusion of bananas. The latter effect can considerably exceed neoclassical diffusion. The effect of B-tilde paral was only estimated analytically. It consisted in frequency modulation of the banana periodic motion coupled with a possible Mathieu instability. Nevertheless, for B-tilde paral corresponding to E-tilde paral , the effect seems to be weaker than the effect of E-tilde paral when the thermonuclear regime is considered. (author). 14 figs., 36 refs

Resonators for magnetohydrodynamic waves in the solar corona: radioemission modulation effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zajtsev, V.V.; Stepanov, A.V.

1982-01-01

Data on type 2 solar radio bursts are analyzed in the framework of a model of radio emission production by shock waves. Type 2 solar radio bursts data are shown to suggest the existence of Alfven velocity minimum at a height of the one solar radius in the corona. The domain of a low Alfven velocity is a resonator for the fast magnetosonic waves. The eigenmodes of the resonator are determined. The main mode period is about a few minutes. Fast modes in the resonator can be amplified by energetic ion beams at the Cherenkov resonance. The modulation of meter solar radio emission with a period of about a few minutes can be explained by radiowave propagation through the MHD-resonator

Structure and relative importance of ponderomotive forces and current drive generated by converted fast waves in pre-heated low aspect ratio tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K

2003-05-12

The generation in low aspect ratio tokamaks (LARTs) of ponderomotive forces and non-inductive current drive by the resonant fast wave-plasma interaction with mode conversion to kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs) and subsequent deposition, mainly by resonant electron Landau damping, is considered. The calculations follow the rigorous solution of the full wave equations upon using a dielectric tensor operator consisting of (i) a parallel conductivity including both kinetic effects (collisionless Landau damping on passing electrons) and collisional damping on both trapped electrons and passing electrons+ions and (ii) perpendicular components provided by the resistive two-fluid model equations. The fast waves are launched by an antenna located on the low field side and extending {+-}45 deg. about the equatorial plane. A parametric investigation of the structure and importance of the various components of the ponderomotive forces and current drive generated in START-like plasmas is carried out and their suitability for supplementing the required non-rf toroidal equilibrium current is demonstrated.

Drift-Alfven wave mediated particle transport in an elongated density depression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vincena, Stephen; Gekelman, Walter

2006-01-01

Cross-field particle transport due to drift-Alfven waves is measured in an elongated density depression within an otherwise uniform, magnetized helium plasma column. The depression is formed by drawing an electron current to a biased copper plate with cross-field dimensions of 28x0.24 ion sound-gyroradii ρ s =c s /ω ci . The process of density depletion and replenishment via particle flux repeats in a quasiperiodic fashion for the duration of the current collection. The mode structure of the wave density fluctuations in the plane perpendicular to the background magnetic field is revealed using a two-probe correlation technique. The particle flux as a function of frequency is measured using a linear array of Langmuir probes and the only significant transport occurs for waves with frequencies between 15%-25% of the ion cyclotron frequency (measured in the laboratory frame) and with perpendicular wavelengths k perpendicular ρ s ∼0.7. The frequency-integrated particle flux is in rough agreement with observed increases in density in the center of the depletion as a function of time. The experiments are carried out in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) [Gekelman et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)] at the Basic Plasma Science Facility located at the University of California, Los Angeles

Non-linear Dynamics Of Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes On The National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podesta, M.; Bell, R.E.; Crocker, N.A.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Kubota, S.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Yu, H.

2011-01-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX, (M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000))) routinely operates with neutral beam injection as the primary system for heating and current drive. The resulting fast ion population is super-Alfvenic, with velocities 1 fast /v Alfven < 5. This provides a strong drive for toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs). As the discharge evolves, the fast ion population builds up and TAEs exhibit increasing bursts in amplitude and down-chirps in frequency, which eventually lead to a so-called TAE avalanche. Avalanches cause large (∼<30%) fast ion losses over ∼ 1 ms, as inferred from the neutron rate. The increased fast ion losses correlate with a stronger activity in the TAE band. In addition, it is shown that a n = 1 mode with frequency well below the TAE gap appears in the Fourier spectrum of magnetic fluctuations as a result of non-linear mode coupling between TAEs during avalanche events. The non-linear coupling between modes, which leads to enhanced fast ion transport during avalanches, is investigated.

Non-linear dynamics of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podesta, M.; Bell, R.E.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Crocker, N.A.; Kubota, S.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Yuh, H.

2011-01-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX, (Ono et al 2000 Nucl. Fusion 40 557)) routinely operates with neutral beam injection as the primary system for heating and current drive. The resulting fast ion population is super-Alfvenic, with velocities 1 fast /v Alfven < 5. This provides a strong drive for toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs). As the discharge evolves, the fast ion population builds up and TAEs exhibit increasing bursts in amplitude and down-chirps in frequency, which eventually lead to a so-called TAE avalanche. Avalanches cause large (∼<30%) fast ion losses over ∼1 ms, as inferred from the neutron rate. The increased fast ion losses correlate with a stronger activity in the TAE band. In addition, it is shown that a n = 1 mode with frequency well below the TAE gap appears in the Fourier spectrum of magnetic fluctuations as a result of non-linear mode coupling between TAEs during avalanche events. The non-linear coupling between modes, which leads to enhanced fast ion transport during avalanches, is investigated.

Compressional Alfven Eigenmode Similarity Study

Science.gov (United States)

Heidbrink, W. W.; Fredrickson, E. D.; Gorelenkov, N. N.; Rhodes, T. L.

2004-11-01

NSTX and DIII-D are nearly ideal for Alfven eigenmode (AE) similarity experiments, having similar neutral beams, fast-ion to Alfven speed v_f/v_A, fast-ion pressure, and shape of the plasma, but with a factor of 2 difference in the major radius. Toroidicity-induced AE with ˜100 kHz frequencies were compared in an earlier study [1]; this paper focuses on higher frequency AE with f ˜ 1 MHz. Compressional AE (CAE) on NSTX have a polarization, dependence on the fast-ion distribution function, frequency scaling, and low-frequency limit that are qualitatively consistent with CAE theory [2]. Global AE (GAE) are also observed. On DIII-D, coherent modes in this frequency range are observed during low-field (0.6 T) similarity experiments. Experiments will compare the CAE stability limits on DIII-D with the NSTX stability limits, with the aim of determining if CAE will be excited by alphas in a reactor. Predicted differences in the frequency splitting Δ f between excited modes will also be used. \\vspace0.25em [1] W.W. Heidbrink, et al., Plasmas Phys. Control. Fusion 45, 983 (2003). [2] E.D. Fredrickson, et al., Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Report PPPL-3955 (2004).

The structure of ideal MHD Alfven modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turnbull, A.D.; Chu, M.S.; Lao, L.L.; Greene, J.M.; Strait, E.J.; Chance, M.S.

1991-01-01

Continuum Alfven modes have undergone a resurgence in interest with the recent realization that so-called Toroidicity-Induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE modes) can be destabilized either by energetic beam ions in a strongly heated plasma or by alpha particles in a burning plasma. The GATO Ideal MHD Stability code, which minimizes the potential energy according to a variational formulation, has now been modified to isolate and calculate stable continuum eigenmodes. The existence of the TAE mode and its associated gap has been verified, using this code, for a circular cross-section, finite aspect ratio equilibrium. Moreover, the eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes obtained from this variational calculation are found to be in extremely good quantitative agreement with those obtained from the non-variational NOVA code. A systematic survey of the stable continuum has further revealed a surprising diversity in the structure of the continuum Alfven modes; the logarithmic singularity can be so broad, in some cases, as to occupy the whole cross-section. This has important implications for heating experiments which aim to locally excite the plasma by rf waves in the Alfven frequency range. The structure of several representative examples is discussed. The Alfven continuum, in general, and the TAE mode and its associated gap, in particular, are also found to be strongly modified by cross-sectional shaping. The dependence of the spectrum on various shaping factors is explored

Nonlinear hybrid simulation of toroidicity-induced alfven eigenmode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.; Park, W.

1994-11-01

Gyrokinetic/Magnetohydrodynamics hybrid simulations have been carried out using MH3D-K code to study the nonlinear saturation of the toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmode driven by energetic particles in a tokamak plasma. It is shown that the wave particle trapping is the nonlinear saturation mechanism for the parameters considered. The corresponding density profile flattening of hot particles is observed. The saturation amplitude is proportional to the square of linear growth rate. In addition to TAE modes, a new n = 1, m = 0 global Alfven eigenmode is shown to be excited by the energetic particles

Alfven continuum with toroidicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riyopoulos, S.; Mahajan, S.M.

1985-06-01

The symmetry property of the MHD wave propagation operator is utilized to express the toroidal eigenmodes as a superposition of the mutually orthogonal cylindrical modes. Because of the degeneracy among cylindrical modes with the same frequency but resonant surfaces of different helicity the toroidal perturbation produces a zeroth order mixing of the above modes. The toroidal eigenmodes of frequency ω 0 2 have multiple resonant surfaces, with each surface shifted relative to its cylindrical position and carrying a multispectral content. Thus a single helicity toroidal antenna of frequency ω 0 couples strongly to all different helicity resonant surfaces with matching local Alfven frequency. Zeroth order coupling between modes in the continuum and global Alfven modes also results from toroidicity and degeneracy. Our perturbation technique is the MHD counterpart of the quantum mechanical methods and is applicable through the entire range of the MHD spectrum

Experimental investigations of driven Alfven wave resonances in a tokamak plasma using carbon dioxide laser interferometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, T.E.

1984-09-01

The first direct observation of the internal structure of driven global Alfven eigenmodes in a tokamak plasma is presented. A carbon dioxide laser scattering/interferometer has been designed, built, and installed on the PRETEXT tokamak. By using this diagnostic system in the interferometer configuration, we have for the first time, thoroughly investigated the resonance conditions required for, and the spatial wave field structure of, driven plasma eigenmodes at frequencies below the ion cyclotron frequency in a confined, high temperature, tokamak plasma

Magnetosphere as an Alfven maser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trakhtengerts, V.Yu.

1979-01-01

The Earth magnetosphere is considered as an Alfven maser. The operation mechanism of such a maser is duscussed. The main fact of this mechanism is ''overpopulation'' of the Earth radiation belt with particles moving with cross velocities. The cross velocity particles excess results in the excitation of cyclotron instability in the radiation belt and in the self-arbitrary increase of Alfven waves. At late the theory of cyclotron instability of radiation belts has been universally developed. On the basis of ideas on magnetosphere maser on cyclotron resonance it was possible to explain many geophysical phenomena such as periodical spillings out of particles from the radiation belts, pulsing polar lights, oscillations of magnetic force tubes etc. It is proposed to carry out active cosmic experiments to understand deeper the processes occuring in radiation belts

On the quantum inverse problem for a new type of nonlinear Schroedinger equation for Alfven waves in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, S.; Roy Chowdhury, A.

1989-06-01

The nonlinear Alfven waves are governed by the Vector Derivative nonlinear Schroedinger (VDNLS) equation, which for parallel or quasi parallel propagation reduces to the Derivative Nonlinear Schroedinger (DNLS) equation for the circularly polarized waves. We have formulated the Quantum Inverse problem for a new type of Nonlinear Schroedinger Equation which has many properties similar to the usual NLS problem but the structure of classical and quantum R matrix are distinctly different. The commutation rules of the scattering data are obtained and the Algebraic Bethe Ansatz is formulated to derive the eigenvalue equation for the energy of the excited states. 10 refs

Parametric decay of lower hybrid wave into drift waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanuki, Heiji.

1976-12-01

A dispersion relation describing the parametric decay of a lower hybrid wave into an electrostatic drift wave and a drift Alfven wave is derived for an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma. Particularly the stimulated scattering of a drift Alfven wave in such a plasma was investigated in detail. The resonance backscattering instability is found to yield the minimum threshold. (auth.)

Anomalous transport due to shear-Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, W.W.; Chance, M.S.; Okuda, H.

1980-10-01

The behavior of shear-Alfven eigenmodes and the accompanied anomalous transport have been investigated. In the particle simulation, equilibrium thermal fluctuations associated with the eigenmodes have been observed to nullify the zeroth-order shear near the rational surface through the induced second-order eddy current, and, in turn, give rise to the formation of magnetic islands which cause rapid electron energy transport in the region. The theoretical verification of the observed behavior is discussed

The Role of Kinetic Alfven Waves in Plasma Transport in an Ion-scale Flux Rope

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, B.; Li, W.; Wang, C.; Dai, L.

2017-12-01

Magnetic flux ropes, if generated by multiply X-line reconnections, would be born as a crater type one, meaning the plasma density within is relatively high. They will then evolve into typical flux ropes as plasma are transported away along the magnetic field lines [Zhang et al., 2010]. In this study, we report an ion-scale flux rope observed by MMS on November 28, 2016, which is accompanied by strong kinetic Alfven waves (KAW). The related wave parallel electric field can effectively accelerate electrons inside the flux rope by Landau resonance, resulting into a significant decrease of the electron at 90° pitch angle. The change of electron pitch angle distribution would cause the rapid plasma transport along the magnetic field lines, and help the flux rope evolve into a strong magnetic core in a short time. This wave-particle interaction would be a candidate mechanism to explain the rareness of crater flux ropes in reality.

The compressional Alfven instability in ECRH plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Nadi, A.

1982-01-01

It is shown that the hot electron component present in an electron cyclotron resonance heated plasma can destabilize the compressional Alfven wave if β of the background plasma exceeds a certain limit. The relevance of the result to the Elmo Bumpy Torus experiment is discussed. (author)

Assessment of power deposition dependence on the antenna poloidal extension in the fast waves-plasma interaction in pre-heated spherical tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komoshvili, K [Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv (Israel); Cuperman, S [Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv (Israel); Bruma, C [Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv (Israel)

2007-09-15

To assess the effect of antenna poloidal extension on fast waves-plasma interactions in pre-heated spherical tokamaks and, as a result, to assist the determination of optimal conditions for power deposition, we carried out a global, numerical investigation. Thus, we solved the steady-state full wave equations for Alfvenic modes in an inhomogeneous, non-uniformly magnetized, resistive, low aspect ratio tokamak plasma with appropriate consideration of boundary conditions; in this, processes such as wave propagation, reflection, transmission, absorption and mode conversion as well as mode-coupling(s) by plasma cross-section non-homogeneity generated waves were included. The results were analysed in terms of the directions of the current densities generated in the presence of up low field side or down high field side magnetic field gradient. Suitable antenna location and poloidal extension for maximum power deposition were determined.

Assessment of power deposition dependence on the antenna poloidal extension in the fast waves-plasma interaction in pre-heated spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K; Cuperman, S; Bruma, C

2007-01-01

To assess the effect of antenna poloidal extension on fast waves-plasma interactions in pre-heated spherical tokamaks and, as a result, to assist the determination of optimal conditions for power deposition, we carried out a global, numerical investigation. Thus, we solved the steady-state full wave equations for Alfvenic modes in an inhomogeneous, non-uniformly magnetized, resistive, low aspect ratio tokamak plasma with appropriate consideration of boundary conditions; in this, processes such as wave propagation, reflection, transmission, absorption and mode conversion as well as mode-coupling(s) by plasma cross-section non-homogeneity generated waves were included. The results were analysed in terms of the directions of the current densities generated in the presence of up low field side or down high field side magnetic field gradient. Suitable antenna location and poloidal extension for maximum power deposition were determined

Self-consistent Study of Fast Particle Redistribution by Alfven Eigenmodes During Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergkvist, T.; Hellsten, T.; Johnson, T.

2006-01-01

Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) excited by fusion born α particles can degrade the heating efficiency of a burning plasma and throw out αs. To experimentally study the effects of excitation of AEs and the redistribution of the fast ions, ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) is often used. The distribution function of thermonuclear αs in a reactor is expected to be isotropic and constantly renewed through DT reactions. The distribution function of cyclotron heated ions is strongly anisotropic, and the ICRH do not only renew the distribution function but also provide a strong decorrelation mechanism between the fast ions and the AE. Because of the sensitivity of the AE dynamics on the details of the distribution function, the location of the resonance surfaces in phase space and the extent of the overlapping resonant regions for different AEs, a self-consistent treatment of the AE excitation and the ICRH is necessary. Interactions of fast ions with AEs during ICRH has been implemented in the SELFO code. Simulations are in good agreement with the experimentally observer pitch-fork splitting and rapid damping of the AE as ICRH is turned off. The redistribution of fast ions have been studied in the presence of several driven AEs. (author)

Influence of gyroradius and dissipation on the Alfven-wave continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connor, J.W.; Tang, W.M.; Taylor, J.B.

1982-01-01

It is well known that in ideal magnetohydrodynamics there is a continuous spectrum of real frequencies associated with a singularity of the shear Alfven waves on the surface k/sub parallel to/v/sub A/ = omega. It is also known that the introduction of first-order gyroradius effects eliminates the continuum. In the present work we examine the influence of the full gyroradius response and of dissipation on the continuum. In the absence of dissipation we first confirm that if only first-order gyroradius effects are incorporated, the continuum disappears. However, when the full gyroradius response is included, this discrete spectrum vanishes, and a new continuum (associated with singularities at k/sub parallel to/v/sub A/ = 0) appears. The introduction of collisional dissipation removes the original MHD continuum leaving discrete modes whose frequency tends to zero with the collision rate as ν/sup 1/3/. collisions also remove the new continuum of the full gyroradius model leaving discrete modes whose frequency tends to zero as (log ν) -1 . Collisionless Landau damping has a similar effect

Basic toroidal Effects on Alfven Wave Current in Small Aspect Ratio Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1998-01-01

The Alfven wave current drive (AWCD) in small aspect ratio Tokamaks is properly calculated, with consideration of the basic toroidicity effects present in (i) the dielectric tensor-operator (involving the strongly toroidal equilibrium profiles), (ii) the structure of the r.f. fields obtained as a solution of the wave equation (through Maxwell's equations' toroidal operators as well as the conversion rate and conversion layer location, depending also on the equilibrium profiles) and (iii) the formulation of the AWCD (which, besides its dependence on the r.f. fields - affected by toroidicity as mentioned at points (i) and (ii) - also requires the equilibrium-magnetic-surface averaging of non-resonant forces involved). Thus, we consider consistent equilibrium profiles with neo-classical conductivity corresponding to an ohmic START-like discharge; use a resistive (anisotropic) MHD dielectric tensor-operator Edith practically no limitations, adequate to describe the plasma response in the pre-heated stage ; solve numerically the 2(1/2)D full- wave equation by the aid of an advanced finite element code developed in; and evaluate the AWCD by the aid of the recently proposed, quite general formulation holding in the case of strongly toroidal fusion devices and including contributions due to helicity injection, momentum transfer and plasma Bow. A general discussion of the results obtained in this work is presented

Resonant magnetohydrodynamic waves in high-beta plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruderman, M. S.

2009-01-01

When a global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave propagates in a weakly dissipative inhomogeneous plasma, the resonant interaction of this wave with either local Alfven or slow MHD waves is possible. This interaction occurs at the resonant position where the phase velocity of the global wave coincides with the phase velocity of either Alfven or slow MHD waves. As a result of this interaction a dissipative layer embracing the resonant position is formed, its thickness being proportional to R -1/3 , where R>>1 is the Reynolds number. The wave motion in the resonant layer is characterized by large amplitudes and large gradients. The presence of large gradients causes strong dissipation of the global wave even in very weakly dissipative plasmas. Very often the global wave motion is characterized by the presence of both Alfven and slow resonances. In plasmas with small or moderate plasma beta β, the resonance positions corresponding to the Alfven and slow resonances are well separated, so that the wave motion in the Alfven and slow dissipative layers embracing the Alfven and slow resonant positions, respectively, can be studied separately. However, when β > or approx. R 1/3 , the two resonance positions are so close that the two dissipative layers overlap. In this case, instead of two dissipative layers, there is one mixed Alfven-slow dissipative layer. In this paper the wave motion in such a mixed dissipative layer is studied. It is shown that this motion is a linear superposition of two motions, one corresponding to the Alfven and the other to the slow dissipative layer. The jump of normal velocity across the mixed dissipative layer related to the energy dissipation rate is equal to the sum of two jumps, one that occurs across the Alfven dissipative layer and the other across the slow dissipative layer.

Resonators for magnetohydrodynamic waves in the solar corona: The effect of modulation of radio emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaitsev, V.V.; Stepanov, A.V.

1982-01-01

It is shown that the existence of a minimum of the Alfven speed in the corona at a height of approx.1R/sub sun/ follows from the characteristics of type II radio bursts. The region of a reduced Alfven speed is a resonator for a fast magnetosonic (FMS) waves. The eigenmodes of the resonator are determined. The period of the fundamental mode has the order of several minutes. In the resonator FMS waves can be excited at the Cherenkov resonance by streams of energetic ions. Modulations of metal solar radio emission with a period of several minutes is explained by the effect of the propagation of radio waves through an oscillating magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) resonator

Reconstruction of a Broadband Spectrum of Alfvenic Fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Vinas, Adolfo F.; Fuentes, Pablo S. M.; Araneda, Jaime A.; Maneva, Yana G.

2014-01-01

Alfvenic fluctuations in the solar wind exhibit a high degree of velocities and magnetic field correlations consistent with Alfven waves propagating away and toward the Sun. Two remarkable properties of these fluctuations are the tendencies to have either positive or negative magnetic helicity (-1 less than or equal to sigma(sub m) less than or equal to +1) associated with either left- or right- topological handedness of the fluctuations and to have a constant magnetic field magnitude. This paper provides, for the first time, a theoretical framework for reconstructing both the magnetic and velocity field fluctuations with a divergence-free magnetic field, with any specified power spectral index and normalized magnetic- and cross-helicity spectrum field fluctuations for any plasma species. The spectrum is constructed in the Fourier domain by imposing two conditions-a divergence-free magnetic field and the preservation of the sense of magnetic helicity in both spaces-as well as using Parseval's theorem for the conservation of energy between configuration and Fourier spaces. Applications to the one-dimensional spatial Alfvenic propagation are presented. The theoretical construction is in agreement with typical time series and power spectra properties observed in the solar wind. The theoretical ideas presented in this spectral reconstruction provide a foundation for more realistic simulations of plasma waves, solar wind turbulence, and the propagation of energetic particles in such fluctuating fields.

Gyrokinetic theory of fast-wave transmission with arbitrary parallel wave number in a non-uniformly magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lashmore-Davies, C.N.; Dendy, R.O.

1990-01-01

The gyrokinetic theory of ion cyclotron resonance is extended to include propagation at arbitrary angles to a straight equilibrium magnetic field with a linear perpendicular gradient in strength. The case of the compressional Alfven wave propagating in a D( 3 He) plasma is analyzed in detail, for arbitrary concentrations of the two species. A self-consistent local dispersion relation is obtained using a single mode description; this approach enables three-dimensional effects to be included and permits efficient calculation of the transmission coefficient. The dependence of this quantity on the species density ratio, minority temperature, plasma density, magnetic field and equilibrium scale length is obtained. A self-consistent treatment of the variation of the field polarization across the resonant region is included. Families of transmission curves are given as a function of the normalized parallel wave number for parameters relevant to Joint European Torus. Perpendicular absorption by the minority ions is also discussed, and shown to depend on a single parameter, the ratio of the ion thermal velocity to the Alfven speed. (author)

The theory of magnetohydrodynamic wave generation by localized sources. I - General asymptotic theory

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, William

1989-01-01

The magnetohydrodynamic wave emission from several localized, periodic, kinematically specified fluid velocity fields are calculated using Lighthill's method for finding the far-field wave forms. The waves propagate through an isothermal and uniform plasma with a constant B field. General properties of the energy flux are illustrated with models of pulsating flux tubes and convective rolls. Interference theory from geometrical optics is used to find the direction of minimum fast-wave emission from multipole sources and slow-wave emission from discontinuous sources. The distribution of total flux in fast and slow waves varies with the ratios of the source dimensions l to the acoustic and Alfven wavelengths.

Interplanetary Alfvenic fluctuations: A stochastic model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, A.

1981-01-01

The strong alignment of the average directions of minimum magnetic variance and mean magnetic field in interplanetary Alfvenic fluctuations is inconsistent with the usual wave-propagation models. We investigate the concept of minimum variance for nonplanar Alfvenic fluctuations in which the field direction varies stochastically. It is found that the tendency of the minimum variance and mean field directions to be aligned may be purely a consequence of the randomness of the field direction. In particular, a well-defined direction of minimum variance does not imply that the fluctuations are necessarily planar. The fluctuation power spectrum is a power law for frequencies much higher than the inverse of the correlation time. The probability distribution of directions a randomly fluctuating field of constant magnitude is calculated. A new approach for observational studies of interplanetary fluctuations is suggested

Kinetic global analysis of Alfven eigenmodes in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuyama, A.

2002-01-01

Systematic study on low to medium n (toroidal mode number) Alfven eigenmodes (AE) in tokamaks and helical systems is presented. Linear stability of AE in the presence of energetic ions was studied using the kinetic full-wave code TASK/WM.We have reproduced the destabilizing effect of toroidal co-rotation on TAE for JT-60U parameters. We have found the existence of reversed-shear-induced Alfven eigenmode (RSAE) which localizes near the q minimum in a reversed magnetic shear configuration. Two kinds of mode structures are identified for energetic particle mode (EPM) below the TAE frequency gap. The coupling to lower-frequency modes such as drift waves and MHD modes as well as the effect of trapped particles are also taken into account. For a helical plasma, the existence of GAE in the central region and TAE in the off-axis region was confirmed. (author)

Radial energy transport by magnetospheric ULF waves: Effects of magnetic curvature and plasma pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Kouznetsov, Igor; Lotko, William

1995-01-01

The 'radial' transport of energy by internal ULF waves, stimulated by dayside magnetospheric boundary oscillations, is analyzed in the framework of one-fluid magnetohydrodynamics. (the term radial is used here to denote the direction orthogonal to geomagnetic flux surfaces.) The model for the inhomogeneous magnetospheric plasma and background magnetic field is axisymmetric and includes radial and parallel variations in the magnetic field, magnetic curvature, plasma density, and low but finite plasma pressure. The radial mode structure of the coupled fast and intermediate MHD waves is determined by numerical solution of the inhomogeneous wave equation; the parallel mode structure is characterized by a Wentzel-Kramer-Brillouin (WKB) approximation. Ionospheric dissipation is modeled by allowing the parallel wave number to be complex. For boudnary oscillations with frequencies in the range from 10 to 48 mHz, and using a dipole model for the background magnetic field, the combined effects of magnetic curvature and finite plasma pressure are shown to (1) enhance the amplitude of field line resonances by as much as a factor of 2 relative to values obtained in a cold plasma or box-model approximation for the dayside magnetosphere; (2) increase the energy flux delivered to a given resonance by a factor of 2-4; and (3) broaden the spectral width of the resonance by a factor of 2-3. The effects are attributed to the existence of an 'Alfven buoyancy oscillation,' which approaches the usual shear mode Alfven wave at resonance, but unlike the shear Alfven mode, it is dispersive at short perpendicular wavelengths. The form of dispersion is analogous to that of an internal atmospheric gravity wave, with the magnetic tension of the curved background field providing the restoring force and allowing radial propagation of the mode. For nominal dayside parameters, the propagation band of the Alfven buoyancy wave occurs between the location of its (field line) resonance and that of the

Alfven wave stability in D-III-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, R.B.; Samec, T.K.

1989-09-01

Within the framework of the global Alfven eigenmode theory in a cylindrical background plasma, I examine the excitation of global Alfven eigenmodes by intense neutral beam injection in the D III-D tokamak operating at General Atomics. I have considered two separate sets of experimental conditions, a ''low power'' set of cases using 10MW of hydrogen beams, and a ''high power'' shot of 20MW of deuterium beams. My results are particularly sensitive to the background density profile. For parabolic background density profiles, n 0 x (1 - (r/a) 2 ), I have determined that the plasma is stable to all toroidal and poloidal mode numbers for both high and low power cases. For density profiles which are of the form n 0 x (1 - (r/a) 2 ) 1/2 , for the same n 0 , my calculation indicates that the m = -1, l = 0 mode is unstable in each case. The high power case has a considerably higher growth rate at the baseline conditions, which motivated me to study this case more extensively. The results are also sensitive to the beam source radial scalelength, L s , and the electron temperature T e . By narrowing the source from the baseline 36 cm to 20 cm, the growth rate of the (0,-1) actually decreases, but the (0,-2) mode appears with a substantial growth rate. If the source could be made even narrower, L s ∼ 10 cm, the (1,-1) mode would appear, also with a large growth rate. 12 refs., 16 figs., 6 tabs

Propagation of large amplitude Alfven waves in the solar wind current sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malara, Francesco; Primavera, Leonardo; Veltri, Pierluigi

1996-01-01

The time evolution of Alfvenic perturbations in the Solar Wind current sheet is studied by using numerical simulations of the compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The simulations show that the interaction between the large amplitude Alfvenic pertubation and the solar wind current sheet decreases the correlation between velocity and magnetic field fluctuations and produces compressive fluctuations. The characteristics of these compressive fluctuations compare rather well with spatial observations. The behavior of the correlation between density and magnetic field intensity fluctuations and of the their spectra are well reproduced so that the physical mechanisms giving rise to these behaviors can be identified

Global structures of Alfven-ballooning modes in magnetospheric plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vetoulis, G.; Chen, Liu.

1994-03-01

The authors show that a steep plasma pressure gradient can lead to radially localized Alfven modes, which are damped through coupling to filed line resonances. These have been called drift Alfven balloning modes (DABM) and are the prime candidates to explain Pc4-Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations observed during storms. A strong dependence of the damping rate on the azimuthal wave number m is established, as well as on the equilibrium profile. A minimum azimuthal mode number can be found for the DABM to be radially trapped. The authors find that higher m DABMs are better localized, which is consistent with high-m observations

Fokker-Planck simulation study of Alfven eigenmode burst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Watanabe, T.; Park, Hyoung-Bin; Sato, T.

2001-01-01

Recurrent bursts of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) are reproduced with a Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulation where a fast-ion source and slowing down are incorporated self-consistently. The bursts take place at regular time intervals and the behaviors of all the TAEs are synchronized. The fast-ion transport due to TAE activity spatially broadens the classical fast-ion distribution and significantly reduces its peak value. Only a small change of the distribution takes place with each burst, leading to loss of a small fraction of the fast ions. The system stays close to the marginal stability state established through the interplay of the fast-ion source, slowing down, and TAE activity. (author)

Spectral dependence efficiency and localization of non-inductive current-drive via helicity injection by global Alfven waves in Tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.

1996-01-01

The non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by Global Alfven eigenmode (GAE) waves is studied. For illustration, the first radial mode of the discrete resonant GAE spectrum is considered. The following aspects are given special attention: spectral analysis, radial dependence and efficiency - all these as functions of the characteristics of the waves launched by an external, concentric antenna (i.e, wave frequency and poloidal and toroidal wave numbers). The results reveal the following conclusions. Generation of GAE waves. In the range of poloidal wave numbers -3 0 for m = -l, -2, -3 and -20 10; I-BAR < 0 for m = +1, +2, +3 and n < 10. (iv) The efficiency of the current drive, η = absolute I-BAR/absolute P-BAR, increases in the cases m = -1, -2, -3 with absolute m and absolute 1/n. (v) Detailed information on the relative direction and radial (core) localization of the current drive is obtained. (authors)

The dominant mode of standing Alfven waves at the synchronous orbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cummings, W.D.; Countee, C.; Lyons, D.; Wiley, W. III

1975-01-01

Low-frequency oscillations of the earth's magnetic field recorded by the University of California at Los Angeles magnetometer on board ATS 1 have been examined for the 6-month interval January-June 1968. Using evidence from Ogo 5 and ATS 5 as well as the data from ATS 1, we argue that the dominant mode at ATS 1 must be the fundamental rather than the second harmonic of a standing Alfven wave. We also conclude that these transverse oscillations are more accurately associated with magnetically disturbed days than with quiet days. Both of these results represent changes of tentative conclusions based on our initial analysis. From 14 instances when oscillations of distinctly different periods occurred during the same time interval at ATS 1 we also conclude that higher harmonics can exist. The period ratio in seven of the 14 cases corresponds to the simultaneous occurrence of the second harmonic with the fundamental, and four other cases could be identified as the simultaneous occurrence of the fourth harmonic with the fundamental

Properties of Hall magnetohydrodynamic waves modified by electron inertia and finite Larmor radius effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damiano, P. A.; Wright, A. N.; McKenzie, J. F.

2009-01-01

The linear wave equation (sixth order in space and time) and the corresponding dispersion relation is derived for Hall magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves including electron inertial and finite Larmor radius effects together with several limiting cases for a homogeneous plasma. We contrast these limits with the solution of the full dispersion relation in terms of wave normal (k perpendicular ,k || ) diagrams to clearly illustrate the range of applicability of the individual approximations. We analyze the solutions in terms of all three MHD wave modes (fast, slow, and Alfven), with particular attention given to how the Alfven branch (including the cold ideal field line resonance (FLR) [D. J. Southwood, Planet. Space Sci. 22, 483 (1974)]) is modified by the Hall term and electron inertial and finite Larmor radius effects. The inclusion of these terms breaks the degeneracy of the Alfven branch in the cold plasma limit and displaces the asymptote position for the FLR to a line defined by the electron thermal speed rather than the Alfven speed. For a driven system, the break in this degeneracy implies that a resonance would form at one field line for small k perpendicular and then shift to another as k perpendicular →∞. However for very large ωk perpendicular /V A , Hall term effects lead to a coupling to the whistler mode, which would then transport energy away from the resonant layer. The inclusion of the Hall term also significantly effects the characteristics of the slow mode. This analysis reveals an interesting 'swapping' of the perpendicular root behavior between the slow and Alfven branches.

THE EFFECTS OF WAVE ESCAPE ON FAST MAGNETOSONIC WAVE TURBULENCE IN SOLAR FLARES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pongkitiwanichakul, Peera; Chandran, Benjamin D. G.; Karpen, Judith T.; DeVore, C. Richard

2012-01-01

One of the leading models for electron acceleration in solar flares is stochastic acceleration by weakly turbulent fast magnetosonic waves ( f ast waves ) . In this model, large-scale flows triggered by magnetic reconnection excite large-wavelength fast waves, and fast-wave energy then cascades from large wavelengths to small wavelengths. Electron acceleration by large-wavelength fast waves is weak, and so the model relies on the small-wavelength waves produced by the turbulent cascade. In order for the model to work, the energy cascade time for large-wavelength fast waves must be shorter than the time required for the waves to propagate out of the solar-flare acceleration region. To investigate the effects of wave escape, we solve the wave kinetic equation for fast waves in weak turbulence theory, supplemented with a homogeneous wave-loss term. We find that the amplitude of large-wavelength fast waves must exceed a minimum threshold in order for a significant fraction of the wave energy to cascade to small wavelengths before the waves leave the acceleration region. We evaluate this threshold as a function of the dominant wavelength of the fast waves that are initially excited by reconnection outflows.

Experiments on shear Alfven resonance in a tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prager, S.C.; Witherspoon, F.D.; Kieras, C.E.; Kortbawi, D.; Sprott, J.C.; Tataronis, J.A.

1983-02-01

Detailed observations have been made of the spatial structure of the wave magnetic field. Measurements of the resonance properties such as radial location, wave polarization, resonance width and risetime are all consistent with shear Alfven resonance theory, although several measurements require improvement in resolution. The resonance location agrees with prediction of a fully two-dimensional ideal MHD theory for the Tokapole II device. To complete the identification a frequency scan and careful comparison of the observed resonance with antenna loading will be undertaken

Absorption of fast waves at moderate to high ion cyclotron harmonics on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinsker, R.I.; Porkolab, M.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Luo, Y.; Petty, C.C.; Prater, R.; Choi, M.; Schaffner, D.A.; Baity, F.W.; Fredd, E.; Hosea, J.C.; Harvey, R.W.; Smirnov, A.P.; Murakami, M.; Zeeland, M.A. Van

2006-01-01

The absorption of fast Alfven waves (FW) by ion cyclotron harmonic damping in the range of harmonics from 4th to 8th is studied theoretically and with experiments in the DIII-D tokamak. A formula for linear ion cyclotron absorption on ions with an arbitrary distribution function which is symmetric about the magnetic field is used to estimate the single-pass damping for various cases of experimental interest. It is found that damping on fast ions from neutral beam injection can be significant even at the 8th harmonic if the fast ion beta, the beam injection energy and the background plasma density are high enough and the beam injection geometry is appropriate. The predictions are tested in several L-mode experiments in DIII-D with FW power at 60 MHz and at 116 MHz. It is found that 4th and 5th harmonic absorption of the 60 MHz power on the beam ions can be quite strong, but 8th harmonic absorption of the 116 MHz power appears to be weaker than expected. The linear modelling predicts a strong dependence of the 8th harmonic absorption on the initial pitch-angle of the injected beam, which is not observed in the experiment. Possible explanations of the discrepancy are discussed

Finite amplitude solitary Alfven waves in a low-β plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalita, M.K.; Kalita, B.C.

1985-01-01

Different exact forms of Alfven solitons were found recently in low-beta plasmas by different assumptions. The present paper studies the case of parallel ion inertia and current density. Both super and sub-Alfvenian rarefactive solitons were found to exist depending on the angle of inclination of the propagation vector with the magnetic field. (D.Gy.)

Resistivity effects in non-inductive RF current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves: the case of conventional and small aspect ratio Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1996-01-01

Supplementary non-inductive current drive and heating are necessary to bring Tokamak plasmas into the ignition regime. The resonant excitation of shear Alfven waves (SAW) - in the continuum range (CR) or/and in the discrete global Alfven eigenmode spectrum (GAE's) - represents one potential, suitable method for this purpose. Within the framework of ideal MHD, the current drive (CD) via helicity injection in Tokamak plasmas has been considered by Cuperman et al (1996) and Komoshvili et al. (1996). This work is concerned with the investigation of the non-ideal resistive MHD effects on both the excitation of SAW's (CR's and GAE's) and the generation of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection in Tokamak plasmas. The research covers Tokamak aspect ratios ranging between large value cases (R/a = 10) and the very tight value case (R/ a = 1.2). (authors)

A full wave code for ion cyclotron waves in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brambilla, M.

1996-02-01

The code TORIC solves the finite Larmor radius wave equations in the ion cyclotron frequency range in arbitrary axisymmetric toroidal geometry. The model used describes the compressional and torsional Alfven waves (or, depending on the parallel phase velocity, the kinetic counterpart of the latter), and ion Bernstein waves excited by mode conversion near the first ion cyclotron harmonic. In the ion response the broadening of the absorption regions due to the finite width of the cyclotron resonance of individual ions in toroidal geometry is taken into account. The parallel component of the wave electric field is evaluated on the same footing as the transverse ones; the response of the electrons includes Landau damping, Transit Time damping and the mixed term. The numerical approach uses a spectral representation of the solution in the poloidal angle θ, and cubic finite elements in the radial variable ψ. Great flexibility is provided in the way ion Bernstein waves excited by mode conversion are damped when their wavelength becomes comparable with the ion Larmor radius, in the regularization of Alfven resonances, and in the treatment of the outer plasma layers. As an option, we have also implemented the Order Reduction Algorithm, which provides a particularly fast, yet accurate evaluation of the power deposition profiles in toroidal geometry. Thee present report describes the model and its numerical implementation, and provides the information needed to use the code. A few examples illustrating applications of TORIC are also included. (orig.)

Topics in stability and transport in tokamaks: Dynamic transition to second stability with auxiliary heating; stability of global Alfven waves in an ignited plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.

1988-01-01

The problem of access to the high-beta ballooning second-stability regime by means of auxiliary heating and the problem of the stability of global-shear Alfven waves in an ignited tokamak plasma are theoretically investigated. These two problems are related to the confinement of both the bulk plasma as well as the fusion-product alpha particles an dare fundamentally important to the operation of ignited tokamak plasma. First, a model that incorporates both transport and ballooning mode stability was developed in order to estimate the auxiliary heating power required for tokamak plasma to evolve in time self-consistently into a high-beta, globally self-stabilized equilibrium. The critical heating power needed for access to second stability is found to be proportional to the square root of the anomalous diffusivity induced by the ballooning instability. Next, the full effects of toroidicity are retained in a theoretical description of global-type-shear Alfven modes whose stability can be modified by the fusion-product alpha particles that will present in an ignited tokamak plasma. Toroidicity is found to induce mode coupling and to stabilize the so-called Global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAE)

Spectral dependence, efficiency and localization of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences

1997-04-01

A systematic study of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven eigenmode (GAE) waves is carried out. For illustration, the first radial mode of the discrete resonant GAE spectrum is considered. The following aspects are given special attention: spectral analysis, radial dependence and efficiency - all of these functions of the characteristics of the waves launched by an external, concentric antenna (i.e. wave frequency and poloidal and toroidal wavenumbers). The tokamak plasma is simulated by a current-carrying cylindrical plasma column surrounded by a helical sheet current and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell, with incorporation of equilibrium (simulated) toroidal field, magnetic shear and a relatively large poloidal magnetic field component. Within the framework of low-{beta} MHD model equations and for typical tokamak physical parameters, the following basic results are obtained: (1) in the range of poloidal wavenumbers -3{<=} m {<=} 3 and toroidal wavenumbers -20{<=} n {<=}20, resonant GAE peaks below the Alfven continuum are found; (2) the power absorption (P), current drive (I) and corresponding frequency of the GAE modes depend strongly on the sets of (m,n) values considered; (3) the `net` current drive is positive (i.e. flows in the direction of the equilibrium current j{sub 0z} for m = -1, -2, -3 and -20 {<=} n {<=} -1 as well as for m +1, +2, +3 and n > 10); (4) in the cases m = -1, -2, -3, the efficiency of current drive, I/P, increases with /m/ and I/n/; (5) the radial localization of the current drive in each of the cases considered is determined and tabulated. (Author).

Spectral dependence, efficiency and localization of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.

1997-01-01

A systematic study of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven eigenmode (GAE) waves is carried out. For illustration, the first radial mode of the discrete resonant GAE spectrum is considered. The following aspects are given special attention: spectral analysis, radial dependence and efficiency - all of these functions of the characteristics of the waves launched by an external, concentric antenna (i.e. wave frequency and poloidal and toroidal wavenumbers). The tokamak plasma is simulated by a current-carrying cylindrical plasma column surrounded by a helical sheet current and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell, with incorporation of equilibrium (simulated) toroidal field, magnetic shear and a relatively large poloidal magnetic field component. Within the framework of low-β MHD model equations and for typical tokamak physical parameters, the following basic results are obtained: (1) in the range of poloidal wavenumbers -3≤ m ≤ 3 and toroidal wavenumbers -20≤ n ≤20, resonant GAE peaks below the Alfven continuum are found; (2) the power absorption (P), current drive (I) and corresponding frequency of the GAE modes depend strongly on the sets of (m,n) values considered; (3) the 'net' current drive is positive (i.e. flows in the direction of the equilibrium current j 0z for m = -1, -2, -3 and -20 ≤ n ≤ -1 as well as for m +1, +2, +3 and n > 10; (4) in the cases m = -1, -2, -3, the efficiency of current drive, I/P, increases with /m/ and I/n/; (5) the radial localization of the current drive in each of the cases considered is determined and tabulated. (Author)

Fast wave current drive above the slow wave density limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McWilliams, R.; Sheehan, D.P.; Wolf, N.S.; Edrich, D.

1989-01-01

Fast wave and slow wave current drive near the mean gyrofrequency were compared in the Irvine Torus using distinct phased array antennae of similar principal wavelengths, frequencies, and input powers. The slow wave current drive density limit was measured for 50ω ci ≤ω≤500ω ci and found to agree with trends in tokamaks. Fast wave current drive was observed at densities up to the operating limit of the torus, demonstrably above the slow wave density limit

Fast-ion losses induced by ACs and TAEs in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. García-Muñoz,; Hicks, N.; van Voornveld, R.; Classen, I.G.J.; Bilato, R.; Bobkov, V.; Brambilla, M.; Bruedgam, M.; Fahrbach, H. U.; Igochine, V.; Jaemsae, S.; Maraschek, M.; Sassenberg, K.

2010-01-01

The phase-space of convective and diffusive fast-ion losses induced by shear Alfven eigenmodes has been characterized in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. Time-resolved energy and pitch-angle measurements of fast-ion losses correlated in frequency and phase with toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) and Alfven

Attractors of magnetohydrodynamic flows in an Alfvenic state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunez, Manuel; Sanz, Javier [Departamento de Analisis Matematico, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid (Spain)

1999-08-13

We present a simplified form of the magnetohydrodynamic system which describes the evolution of a plasma where the small-scale velocity and magnetic field are aligned in the form of Alfven waves, such as happens in several turbulent situations. Bounds on the dimension of the global attractor are found, and are shown to be an improvement of the standard ones for the full magnetohydrodynamic equations. (author)

Distinguishing Alfven waves from quasi-static field structures associated with the discrete aurora: Sounding rocket and HILAT satellite measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knudsen, D.J.; Kelley, M.C.; Earle, G.D.; Vickrey, J.F.; Boehm, M.

1990-01-01

The authors present and analyze sounding rocket and HILAT satellite measurements of the low frequency ( 0 in the auroral oval. By examining the time-domain field data it is often difficult to distinguish temporal fluctuations from static structures which are Doppler shifted to a non-zero frequency in the spacecraft frame. However, they show that such a distinction can be made by constructing the impedance function Z(f). Using Z(f) they find agreement with the static field interpretation below about 0.1 Hz in the spacecraft frame, i.e. Z(f) = Σ p -1 where Σ p is the height-integrated Pedersen conductivity of the ionosphere. About 0.1 Hz the authors find Z(f) > Σ p -1 , which they argue to be due to the presence of Alfven waves incident from the magnetosphere and reflecting from the lower ionosphere, forming a standing wave pattern. These waves may represent an electromagnetic coupling mechanism between the auroral acceleration region and the ionosphere

Flare-induced MHD disturbances in the corona--Moreton waves and type II shocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchida, Y.

1972-01-01

The propagation in the corona of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) disturbance possibly emitted at the explosive stage in the initial phase of a flare is considered. The behavior of the MHD fast-mode wavefront, whose source is located at the flare, is calculated by using eiconal-characteristic method in the High Altitude Observatory (HAO) realistic models of coronal magnetic field and density for the days of some particular flare events. It is shown as the result that the peculiar behavior of Moreton' s surface wave and the peculiar appearance in the shape and position of the type II burst sources can be consistently understood by considering the refraction, focussing, and fermation of shocks of MHD fast-mode disturbance in the actual distribution of Alfven velocity in the corona. Based on some comparison of the positions of low-Alfven-velocity regions in the corona with observed positions of type II burst sources, it is proposed that the type II burst sources may be identified with such low-Alfven-velocity regions ''illuminated'' by thus enhanced shocks. (U.S.)

Theory and simulation of discrete kinetic beta induced Alfven eigenmode in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, X; Zonca, F; Chen, L

2010-01-01

It is shown, both analytically and by numerical simulations, that, in the presence of thermal ion kinetic effects, the beta induced Alfven eigenmode (BAE)-shear Alfven wave continuous spectrum can be discretized into radially trapped eigenstates known as kinetic BAE (KBAE). While thermal ion compressibility gives rise to finite BAE accumulation point frequency, the discretization occurs via the finite Larmor radius and finite orbit width effects. Simulations and analytical theories agree both qualitatively and quantitatively. Simulations also demonstrate that KBAE can be readily excited by the finite radial gradients of energetic particles.

Possible evidence for the driving of the winds of hot stars by Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Underhill, A.B.

1983-01-01

Ultraviolet spectra of the supergiants α Cam (09.5 Ia), HD 105056 (ON9.7 Iae), and 15 Sgr (09.7 Lab) are compared, and it is shown that the terminal outflow velocity ν/sub infinity/, of HD 105056 is one-half that of the other two stars even though HD 105056 has the highest effective temperature of the three stars. This anomaly, together with the fact that the observed ν/sub infinity/ values for early-type stars scatter about an empirical correlation between ν/sub infinity/ and log T/sub eff/ by an amount which is larger than the amount which is larger than the amount expected according to the observational errors in determining ν/sub infinity/ and log T/sub eff/, leads to the conclusion that an agent in addition to radiation. Alfven waves, is driving the winds of early-type stars

Turbulence and Waves as Sources for the Solar Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Cranmer, S. R.

2008-05-01

Gene Parker's insights from 50 years ago provided the key causal link between energy deposition in the solar corona and the acceleration of solar wind streams. However, the community is still far from agreement concerning the actual physical processes that give rise to this energy. It is still unknown whether the solar wind is fed by flux tubes that remain open (and are energized by footpoint-driven wavelike fluctuations) or if mass and energy is input more intermittently from closed loops into the open-field regions. No matter the relative importance of reconnections and loop-openings, though, we do know that waves and turbulent motions are present everywhere from the photosphere to the heliosphere, and it is important to determine how they affect the mean state of the plasma. In this presentation, I will give a summary of wave/turbulence models that seem to succeed in explaining the time-steady properties of the corona (and the fast and slow solar wind). The coronal heating and solar wind acceleration in these models comes from anisotropic turbulent cascade, which is driven by the partial reflection of low-frequency Alfven waves propagating along the open magnetic flux tubes. Specifically, a 2D model of coronal holes and streamers at solar minimum reproduces the latitudinal bifurcation of slow and fast streams seen by Ulysses. The radial gradient of the Alfven speed affects where the waves are reflected and damped, and thus whether energy is deposited below or above Parker's critical point. As predicted by earlier studies, a larger coronal expansion factor gives rise to a slower and denser wind, higher temperature at the coronal base, less intense Alfven waves at 1 AU, and correlative trends for commonly measured ratios of ion charge states and FIP-sensitive abundances that are in general agreement with observations. Finally, I will outline the types of future observations that would be most able to test and refine these ideas.

Waves from Propulsion Systems of Fast Ferries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taatø, Søren Haugsted; Aage, Christian; Arnskov, Michael M.

1998-01-01

Waves from fast ferries have become an environmental problem of growing concern to the public. Fast ferries produce not only higher waves than conventional ships but also fundamentally different wave systems when they sail at supercritical speeds. Hitherto, ship waves have been considered as being...... generated by the ship hulls alone. Whereas this assumption may be reasonable for conventional ships with large hulls and limited propulsive power, the situation is different for fast ferries with their smaller hulls and very large installed power. A simple theoretical model and a series of model tests...... on a monohull fast ferry seem to indicate that a substantial part of the wave-making can be directly attributed to the propulsion system itself. Thus, two wave systems are created with different phases, but with similar frequency contents, which means that they merge into one system behind the ship, very...

Hybrid Model of Inhomogeneous Solar Wind Plasma Heating by Alfven Wave Spectrum: Parametric Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Ofman, L.

2010-01-01

Observations of the solar wind plasma at 0.3 AU and beyond show that a turbulent spectrum of magnetic fluctuations is present. Remote sensing observations of the corona indicate that heavy ions are hotter than protons and their temperature is anisotropic (T(sub perpindicular / T(sub parallel) >> 1). We study the heating and the acceleration of multi-ion plasma in the solar wind by a turbulent spectrum of Alfvenic fluctuations using a 2-D hybrid numerical model. In the hybrid model the protons and heavy ions are treated kinetically as particles, while the electrons are included as neutralizing background fluid. This is the first two-dimensional hybrid parametric study of the solar wind plasma that includes an input turbulent wave spectrum guided by observation with inhomogeneous background density. We also investigate the effects of He++ ion beams in the inhomogeneous background plasma density on the heating of the solar wind plasma. The 2-D hybrid model treats parallel and oblique waves, together with cross-field inhomogeneity, self-consistently. We investigate the parametric dependence of the perpendicular heating, and the temperature anisotropy in the H+-He++ solar wind plasma. It was found that the scaling of the magnetic fluctuations power spectrum steepens in the higher-density regions, and the heating is channeled to these regions from the surrounding lower-density plasma due to wave refraction. The model parameters are applicable to the expected solar wind conditions at about 10 solar radii.

EFFECTS OF ALFVEN WAVES ON ELECTRON CYCLOTRON MASER EMISSION IN CORONAL LOOPS AND SOLAR TYPE I RADIO STORMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, G. Q.; Chen, L.; Wu, D. J. [Purple Mountain Observatory, CAS, Nanjing 210008 (China); Yan, Y. H., E-mail: djwu@pmo.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Solar Activity, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Beijing 100012 (China)

2013-06-10

Solar type I radio storms are long-lived radio emissions from the solar atmosphere. It is believed that these type I storms are produced by energetic electrons trapped within a closed magnetic structure and are characterized by a high ordinary (O) mode polarization. However, the microphysical nature of these emissions is still an open problem. Recently, Wu et al. found that Alfven waves (AWs) can significantly influence the basic physics of wave-particle interactions by modifying the resonant condition. Taking the effects of AWs into account, this work investigates electron cyclotron maser emission driven by power-law energetic electrons with a low-energy cutoff distribution, which are trapped in coronal loops by closed solar magnetic fields. The results show that the emission is dominated by the O mode. It is proposed that this O mode emission may possibly be responsible for solar type I radio storms.

Stormtime and Interplanetary Magnetic Field Drivers of Wave and Particle Acceleration Processes in the Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Transition Region

Science.gov (United States)

Hatch, Spencer Mark

The magnetosphere-ionosphere (M-I) transition region is the several thousand-kilometer stretch between the cold, dense and variably resistive region of ionized atmospheric gases beginning tens of kilometers above the terrestrial surface, and the hot, tenuous, and conductive plasmas that interface with the solar wind at higher altitudes. The M-I transition region is therefore the site through which magnetospheric conditions, which are strongly susceptible to solar wind dynamics, are communicated to ionospheric plasmas, and vice versa. We systematically study the influence of geomagnetic storms on energy input, electron precipitation, and ion outflow in the M-I transition region, emphasizing the role of inertial Alfven waves both as a preferred mechanism for dynamic (instead of static) energy transfer and particle acceleration, and as a low-altitude manifestation of high-altitude interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, as observed by the FAST satellite. Via superposed epoch analysis and high-latitude distributions derived as a function of storm phase, we show that storm main and recovery phase correspond to strong modulations of measures of Alfvenic activity in the vicinity of the cusp as well as premidnight. We demonstrate that storm main and recovery phases occur during 30% of the four-year period studied, but together account for more than 65% of global Alfvenic energy deposition and electron precipitation, and more than 70% of the coincident ion outflow. We compare observed interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) control of inertial Alfven wave activity with Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry global MHD simulations predicting that southward IMF conditions lead to generation of Alfvenic power in the magnetotail, and that duskward IMF conditions lead to enhanced prenoon Alfvenic power in the Northern Hemisphere. Observed and predicted prenoon Alfvenic power enhancements contrast with direct-entry precipitation, which is instead enhanced postnoon. This situation

Three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation of linearly polarised Alfven wave dynamics in Arnold-Beltrami-Childress magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsiklauri, D.

2014-01-01

Previous studies (e.g., Malara et al., Astrophys. J. 533, 523 (2000)) considered small-amplitude Alfven wave (AW) packets in Arnold-Beltrami-Childress (ABC) magnetic field using WKB approximation. They draw a distinction between 2D AW dissipation via phase mixing and 3D AW dissipation via exponentially divergent magnetic field lines. In the former case, AW dissipation time scales as S 1∕3 and in the latter as log(S), where S is the Lundquist number. In this work, linearly polarised Alfven wave dynamics in ABC magnetic field via direct 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulation is studied for the first time. A Gaussian AW pulse with length-scale much shorter than ABC domain length and a harmonic AW with wavelength equal to ABC domain length are studied for four different resistivities. While it is found that AWs dissipate quickly in the ABC field, contrary to an expectation, it is found the AW perturbation energy increases in time. In the case of the harmonic AW, the perturbation energy growth is transient in time, attaining peaks in both velocity and magnetic perturbation energies within timescales much smaller than the resistive time. In the case of the Gaussian AW pulse, the velocity perturbation energy growth is still transient in time, attaining a peak within few resistive times, while magnetic perturbation energy continues to grow. It is also shown that the total magnetic energy decreases in time and this is governed by the resistive evolution of the background ABC magnetic field rather than AW damping. On contrary, when the background magnetic field is uniform, the total magnetic energy decrease is prescribed by AW damping, because there is no resistive evolution of the background. By considering runs with different amplitudes and by analysing the perturbation spectra, possible dynamo action by AW perturbation-induced peristaltic flow and inverse cascade of magnetic energy have been excluded. Therefore, the perturbation energy growth is attributed to

Three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation of linearly polarised Alfven wave dynamics in Arnold-Beltrami-Childress magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsiklauri, D. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS (United Kingdom)

2014-05-15

Previous studies (e.g., Malara et al., Astrophys. J. 533, 523 (2000)) considered small-amplitude Alfven wave (AW) packets in Arnold-Beltrami-Childress (ABC) magnetic field using WKB approximation. They draw a distinction between 2D AW dissipation via phase mixing and 3D AW dissipation via exponentially divergent magnetic field lines. In the former case, AW dissipation time scales as S{sup 1∕3} and in the latter as log(S), where S is the Lundquist number. In this work, linearly polarised Alfven wave dynamics in ABC magnetic field via direct 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulation is studied for the first time. A Gaussian AW pulse with length-scale much shorter than ABC domain length and a harmonic AW with wavelength equal to ABC domain length are studied for four different resistivities. While it is found that AWs dissipate quickly in the ABC field, contrary to an expectation, it is found the AW perturbation energy increases in time. In the case of the harmonic AW, the perturbation energy growth is transient in time, attaining peaks in both velocity and magnetic perturbation energies within timescales much smaller than the resistive time. In the case of the Gaussian AW pulse, the velocity perturbation energy growth is still transient in time, attaining a peak within few resistive times, while magnetic perturbation energy continues to grow. It is also shown that the total magnetic energy decreases in time and this is governed by the resistive evolution of the background ABC magnetic field rather than AW damping. On contrary, when the background magnetic field is uniform, the total magnetic energy decrease is prescribed by AW damping, because there is no resistive evolution of the background. By considering runs with different amplitudes and by analysing the perturbation spectra, possible dynamo action by AW perturbation-induced peristaltic flow and inverse cascade of magnetic energy have been excluded. Therefore, the perturbation energy growth is

Investigation of global Alfven instabilities in TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, K.L.; Paul, S.F.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Nazikian, R.; Park, H.K.; Bell, M.; Bretz, N.L.; Budny, R.; Cheng, C.Z.; Cohen, S.; Hammett, G.W.; Jobes, F.C.; Johnson, L.; Meade, D.M.; Medley, S.S.; Mueller, D.; Nagayama, Y.; Owens, D.K.; Synakowski, E.J.; Roberts, D.R.; Sabbagh, S.

1992-01-01

Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE) were excited by the energetic neutral beam ions tangentially injected into TFTR plasmas at low magnetic field such that the injection velocities were comparable to the Alfven speed. The modes were identified by measurements from Mirnov coils and beam emission spectroscopy (BES). TAE modes appear in bursts whose repetition rate increases with beam power. The neutron emission rate exhibits sawtooth-like behavior and the crashes always coincide with TAE bursts. This indicates ejection of fast ions from the plasma until these modes are stabilized. The dynamics of growth and stabilization was investigated at various plasma current and magnetic field. The results indicate that the instability can effectively clamp the number of energetic ions in the plasma. The observed instability threshold is discussed in the light of recent theories. In addition to these TAE modes, intermittent oscillations at three times the fundamental TAE frequency were observed by Mirnov coils, but no corresponding signal was found in BES. It appears that these high frequency oscillations do not have direct effect on the plasma neutron source strength

The essential theory of fast wave current drive with full wave method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yan; Gong Xueyu; Yang Lei; Yin Chenyan; Yin Lan

2007-01-01

The full wave numerical method is developed for analyzing fast wave current drive in the range of ion cyclotron waves in tokamak plasmas, taking into account finite larmor radius effects and parallel dispersion. the physical model, the dispersion relation on the assumption of Finite Larmor Radius (FLR) effects and the form of full wave be used for computer simulation are developed. All of the work will contribute to further study of fast wave current drive. (authors)

Ion stochastic heating by obliquely propagating magnetosonic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Xinliang; Lu Quanming; Wu Mingyu; Wang Shui

2012-01-01

The ion motions in obliquely propagating Alfven waves with sufficiently large amplitudes have already been studied by Chen et al.[Phys. Plasmas 8, 4713 (2001)], and it was found that the ion motions are stochastic when the wave frequency is at a fraction of the ion gyro-frequency. In this paper, with test particle simulations, we investigate the ion motions in obliquely propagating magnetosonic waves and find that the ion motions also become stochastic when the amplitude of the magnetosonic waves is sufficiently large due to the resonance at sub-cyclotron frequencies. Similar to the Alfven wave, the increase of the propagating angle, wave frequency, and the number of the wave modes can lower the stochastic threshold of the ion motions. However, because the magnetosonic waves become more and more compressive with the increase of the propagating angle, the decrease of the stochastic threshold with the increase of the propagating angle is more obvious in the magnetosonic waves than that in the Alfven waves.

A formula for efficiency of fast wave current drive in fusion devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, S.C.; Harvey, R.W.; Karney, C.F.F.; Mau, T.K.

1992-06-01

Fast wave current drive (FWCD) is a principal candidate for non- inductive current drive schemes in reactors. Major experiments are in progress or planned on DIII-D, JET, and Tore-Supra. A theory for FWCD was presented by two of the authors and collaborators. To minimize computations required in transport simulations, and for analytical understanding, it is very useful to have a concise analytical efficiency formula. Fisch and Karney, and Ehst and Karney have obtained empirical formulae that fits numerical results for the Landau limit and Alfven limit; the latter fits results at 1 i ≤ 2. This paper extends a previous numerical study on FWCD at arbitrary frequencies and Z i . Analytical formulae for FWCD efficiency, valid for all frequencies and Z i , are derived using the adjoint technique in high and low phase velocity regions. A smooth patching between the two regions produces an analytical formula which is accurate for all frequencies, Z i , and phase velocities. Comparison with existing results will be discussed. A corollary of the present calculation is that a low phase velocities and in the Landau limit, the efficiency is the same as that calculated from the Lorentz model collision operator

Fast wave current drive on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

deGrassie, J.S.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.

1995-01-01

The physics of electron heating and current drive with the fast magnetosonic wave has been demonstrated on DIII-D, in reasonable agreement with theoretical modeling. A recently completed upgrade to the fast wave capability should allow full noninductive current drive in steady state advanced confinement discharges and provide some current density profile control for the Advanced Tokamak Program. DIII-D now has three four-strap fast wave antennas and three transmitters, each with nominally 2 MW of generator power. Extensive experiments have been conducted with the first system, at 60 MHz, while the two newer systems have come into operation within the past year. The newer systems are configured for 60 to 120 MHz. The measured FWCD efficiency is found to increase linearly with electron temperature as γ = 0.4 x 10 18 T eo (keV) [A/m 2 W], measured up to central electron temperature over 5 keV. A newly developed technique for determining the internal noninductive current density profile gives efficiencies in agreement with this scaling and profiles consistent with theoretical predictions. Full noninductive current drive at 170 kA was achieved in a discharge prepared by rampdown of the Ohmic current. Modulation of microwave reflectometry signals at the fast wave frequency is being used to investigate fast wave propagation and damping. Additionally, rf pick-up probes on the internal boundary of the vessel provide a comparison with ray tracing codes, with dear evidence for a toroidally directed wave with antenna phasing set for current drive. There is some experimental evidence for fast wave absorption by energetic beam ions at high cyclotron harmonic resonances

On the generation of Alfven wave current drive in low aspect ratio Tokamaks with neoclassical conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1998-01-01

Several low aspect ratio (spherical) Tokamaks (ST's) are now in operation or under construction. These devices would permit cost-effective and attractive embodiment of future fusion reactors: they would provide high β, good confinement and steady state operation at modest field values. Now, a steady state reactor has to be sustained by non-inductively driven currents. Recently, the generation of non-inductive current drive by Alfven waves (AWCD) has been investigated theoretically within the framework of ideal (E p arallel=0) MHD and non-ideal, resistive (E p arallel≠0) MHD; however, in all these cases, the tokamak device consisted of a cylindrical plasma with simulated toroidal effects. Rather encouraging results have been obtained. In this work we further investigate AWCD in ST's as follows: (i) we use consistent equilibrium profiles with neoclassical conductivity corresponding to an ohmic START discharge; (ii) incorporate effects due to neoclassical conductivity in the elements of the resistive MHD dielectric tensor, in the solution of the full (E p arallel≠0) wave equation as well as in the calculation of AWCD; and (iii) carry out a systematic search for antenna parameters optimizing the AWCD. (author)

On the generation of Alfven wave current drive in low aspect ratio Tokamaks with neoclassical conductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv (Israel)

1998-08-01

Several low aspect ratio (spherical) Tokamaks (ST's) are now in operation or under construction. These devices would permit cost-effective and attractive embodiment of future fusion reactors: they would provide high {beta}, good confinement and steady state operation at modest field values. Now, a steady state reactor has to be sustained by non-inductively driven currents. Recently, the generation of non-inductive current drive by Alfven waves (AWCD) has been investigated theoretically within the framework of ideal (E{sub p}arallel=0) MHD and non-ideal, resistive (E{sub p}arallel{ne}0) MHD; however, in all these cases, the tokamak device consisted of a cylindrical plasma with simulated toroidal effects. Rather encouraging results have been obtained. In this work we further investigate AWCD in ST's as follows: (i) we use consistent equilibrium profiles with neoclassical conductivity corresponding to an ohmic START discharge; (ii) incorporate effects due to neoclassical conductivity in the elements of the resistive MHD dielectric tensor, in the solution of the full (E{sub p}arallel{ne}0) wave equation as well as in the calculation of AWCD; and (iii) carry out a systematic search for antenna parameters optimizing the AWCD. (author)

Fast wave current drive in reactor scale tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, D.

1992-01-01

The IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Fast Wave Current Drive in Reactor Scale Tokamaks, hosted by the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Departement de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee (Centres d'Etudes de Cadarache, under the Euratom-CEA Association for fusion) aimed at discussing the physics and the efficiency of non-inductive current drive by fast waves. Relevance to reactor size tokamaks and comparison between theory and experiment were emphasized. The following topics are described in the summary report: (i) theory and modelling of radiofrequency current drive (theory, full wave modelling, ray tracing and Fokker-Planck calculations, helicity injection and ponderomotive effects, and alternative radio-frequency current drive effects), (ii) present experiments, (iii) reactor applications (reactor scenarios including fast wave current drive; and fast wave current drive antennas); (iv) discussion and summary. 32 refs

Predictions and observations of low-shear beta-induced shear Alfven-acoustic eigenmodes in toroidal plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorelenkov, N.N. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University (United States)], E-mail: ngorelen@pppl.gov; Berk, H.L. [IFS, Austin, Texas (United States); Fredrickson, E. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University (United States); Sharapov, S.E. [Euroatom/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire (United States)

2007-10-08

New global MHD eigenmode solutions arising in gaps in the low frequency Alfven-acoustic continuum below the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) frequency have been found numerically and have been used to explain relatively low frequency experimental signals seen in NSTX and JET tokamaks. These global eigenmodes, referred to here as Beta-induced Alfven-Acoustic Eigenmodes (BAAE), exist in the low magnetic safety factor region near the extrema of the Alfven-acoustic continuum. In accordance to the linear dispersion relations, the frequency of these modes shifts as the safety factor, q, decreases. We show that BAAEs can be responsible for observations in JET plasmas at relatively low beta <2% as well as in NSTX plasmas at relatively high-beta >20%. In contrast to the mostly electrostatic character of GAMs the new global modes also contain an electromagnetic (magnetic field line bending) component due to the Alfven coupling, leading to wave phase velocities along the field line that are large compared to the sonic speed. Qualitative agreement between theoretical predictions and observations are found.

The combined toroidicity, ellipticity and triangularity effects on the energy deposition of Alfven modes in pre-heated, low aspect ratio tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuperman, S. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv (Israel); Bruma, C. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv (Israel) and College of Judea and Samaria, 44837 Ariel (Israel)]. E-mail: edycb@post.tau.ac.il; Komoshvili, K. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv (Israel); College of Judea and Samaria, 44837 Ariel (Israel)

2007-03-05

The combined plasma non-uniformity effects on the energy deposition of Alfven waves launched by an external antenna in pre-heated spherical tokamaks are investigated. The following relevant physical processes are here possible: (a) the emergence of gaps in the shear Alfven continuum spectrum and the generation of discrete global Alfven eigenmodes with frequencies inside the gaps; (b) multi-wave interactions, interactions of gaps of the same kind (e.g., toroidicity induced) and of different kinds (toroidicity, ellipticity and triangularity induced) as well as of secondary order gaps arising when a pair of modes is coupled to one or more modes through other coupling parameters; (c) basic wave-plasma interactions as propagation, reflection, mode-conversion, tunneling and deposition. Thus, we solved numerically the full 2D wave equations for the vector and scalar potentials, using a quite general two-fluid resistive tensor-operator, without any geometrical limitations. The results obtained indicate the existence of antenna-launched wave characteristics for which the power is most efficiently coupled in outer regions of plasmas, which is of special interest for low aspect ratio tokamaks, e.g., for the generation of non-inductive current drive as well as for turbulence suppression and transport barriers formation.

On the Generation of Transport Suppression Barriers by Externally Driven Alfven Waves in D-Shaped, Low Aspect Ratio Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.

2003-01-01

We investigate quantitatively the possibility of turbulence suppression through the generation of transport barriers in pre-heated low aspect ratio tokamaks (LARTs) by the sheared electric fields generated by externally driven rf waves in the frequency range ω A ≅ ci (ω A and ω ci are, respectively, Alfven and ion cyclotron frequencies). To this aim the following sequential steps are followed: (1) Solutions of the resistive two-fluid model full wave equation for a realistic LART configuration (D-shape cross-section and aspect ratio, R/a ∼> 1; as well as suitably located low field side, LFS, antenna) upon using a quite general dielectric tensor operator; (2) Calculation of the ponderomotive forces and their magnetic surface averages; (3) Solution of a strongly non-linear differential equation for the quasi-stationary radial electric field, including the particle orbit squeezing effects, based on the results of steps (1) and (2); and (4) Calculation of the radial flow shear, S perpend ; for both banana and potato collisional regimes

Confrontation Doederlein/Alfven

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

In a brief article it is reported that Hannes Alfven has accepted an invitation to take part in the Salzburg Conference. He will participate in the section on 'Nuclear Power and Public Opinion'. It is anticipated that Jan M. Doederlein will be one of Alfven's opponents. The article concludes by presenting a synopsis of the views of the World Council of Churches, which will also take part in the Salzburg Conference. It is the Council's opinion that there are no ethical or religious objections to the exploitation of nuclear power. (JIW)

Reversed shear Alfven eigenmode stabilization by localized electron cyclotron heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Zeeland, M A; Hyatt, A W; Lohr, J; Petty, C C [General Atomics, PO Box 85608 San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States); Heidbrink, W W [University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697 (United States); Nazikian, R; Solomon, W M; Gorelenkov, N N; Kramer, G J [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451 (United States); Austin, M E [University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Berk, H L [Institute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Holcomb, C T; Makowski, M A [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States); McKee, G R [University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726 (United States); Sharapov, S E [Euratom/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Rhodes, T L [University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095 (United States)], E-mail: vanzeeland@fusion.gat.com

2008-03-15

Reversed shear Alfven eigenmode (RSAE) activity in DIII-D is stabilized by electron cyclotron heating (ECH) applied near the minimum of the magnetic safety factor (q{sub min}) in neutral beam heated discharges with reversed-magnetic shear. The degree of RSAE stabilization, fast ion density and the volume averaged neutron production (S{sub n}) are highly dependent on ECH deposition location relative to q{sub min}. While discharges with ECH stabilization of RSAEs have higher S{sub n} and more peaked fast ion profiles than discharges with significant RSAE activity, neutron production remains strongly reduced (up to 60% relative to TRANSP predictions assuming classical fast ion transport) even when RSAEs are stabilized.

Electromagnetic internal gravity waves in the Earth's ionospheric E-layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaladze, T.D.; Tsamalashvili, L.V.; Kaladze, D.T.

2011-01-01

In the Earth's ionospheric E-layer existence of the new waves connecting with the electromagnetic nature of internal gravity waves is shown. They represent the mixture of the ordinary internal gravity waves and the new type of dispersive Alfven waves. -- Highlights: ► Existence of electromagnetic internal gravity waves in the ionospheric E-layer is shown. ► Electromagnetic nature of internal gravity waves is described. ► Appearance of the new dispersive Alfven waves is shown.

Propagation and damping of mode converted ion-Bernstein waves in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ram, A.K.; Bers, A.

1991-01-01

In the heating of tokamak plasmas by waves in the ion-cyclotron range of frequencies, the fast Alfven waves launched at the plasma edge can mode convert to the ion-Bernstein waves (IBW). The propagation and damping of these mode converted waves was studied using a ray tracing code that follows the fast phase and the amplitude of the electromagnetic field along the IBW ray trajectories in a toroidal plasma. A simple analytical model is developed that describes the numerically observed features of propagation and damping of the IBW's. It is found that along the ray trajectory of the IBW there is an upshift of the poloidal mode numbers, which can lead to the electron Landau damping of the wave. This damping is dependent on the strength of the toroidal plasma current. From the properties of the upshift of the poloidal mode numbers, it is concluded that the mode converted ion-Bernstein waves are not suitable candidates for electron current drive

Suppression of Alfven Modes on the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade with Outboard Beam Injection [Suppression of Alfven Modes on the NSTX-U with Outboard Beam Injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredrickson, E. D.; Belova, E. V.; Battaglia, D. J.

2017-01-01

In this paper we present data from experiments on the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade, where it is shown for the first time that small amounts of high pitch-angle beam ions can strongly suppress the counterpropagating global Alfven eigenmodes (GAE). GAE have been implicated in the redistribution of fast ions and modification of the electron power balance in previous experiments on NSTX. The ability to predict the stability of Alfven modes, and developing methods to control them, is important for fusion reactors like the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor, which are heated by a large population of nonthermal, super-Alfvenic ions consisting of fusion generated alpha's and beam ions injected for current profile control. We present a qualitative interpretation of these observations using an analytic model of the Doppler-shifted ion-cyclotron resonance drive responsible for GAE instability which has an important dependence on k(perpendicular to rho L). A quantitative analysis of this data with the HYM stability code predicts both the frequencies and instability of the GAE prior to, and suppression of the GAE after the injection of high pitch-angle beam ions.

ENERGY CONTENT AND PROPAGATION IN TRANSVERSE SOLAR ATMOSPHERIC WAVES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goossens, M.; Van Doorsselaere, T. [Centre for mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Mathematics Department, Celestijnenlaan 200B bus 2400, B-3001 Heverlee (Belgium); Soler, R. [Solar Physics Group, Departament de Fisica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Verth, G., E-mail: tom.vandoorsselaere@wis.kuleuven.be [Solar Physics and Space Plasma Research Centre (SP2RC), School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Hicks Building, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom)

2013-05-10

Recently, a significant amount of transverse wave energy has been estimated propagating along solar atmospheric magnetic fields. However, these estimates have been made with the classic bulk Alfven wave model which assumes a homogeneous plasma. In this paper, the kinetic, magnetic, and total energy densities and the flux of energy are computed for transverse MHD waves in one-dimensional cylindrical flux tube models with a piecewise constant or continuous radial density profile. There are fundamental deviations from the properties for classic bulk Alfven waves. (1) There is no local equipartition between kinetic and magnetic energy. (2) The flux of energy and the velocity of energy transfer have, in addition to a component parallel to the magnetic field, components in the planes normal to the magnetic field. (3) The energy densities and the flux of energy vary spatially, contrary to the case of classic bulk Alfven waves. This last property has the important consequence that the energy flux computed with the well known expression for bulk Alfven waves could overestimate the real flux by a factor in the range 10-50, depending on the flux tube equilibrium properties.

Slow shocks and their transition to fast shocks in the inner solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.C.

1987-01-01

The jump conditions of MHD shocks may be directly calculated as functions of three upstream conditions: the shock Alfven number based on the normal component of the relative shock speed, the shock angle, and the plasma β value. The shock Alfven number is less than 1 for a slow shock and greater than 1 for a fast shock. A traveling, forward shock can be a slow shock in coronal space, where the Alfven speed is of the order of 1000 km/s. The surface of a forward slow shock has a bow-shaped geometry with its nose facing toward the sun. The decrease in the Alfven speed at increasing heliocentric distance causes the shock Alfven number of a forward slow shock to become greater than 1, and the shock eventually evolves from a slow shock into a fast shock. During the transition the shock system consists of a slow shock, a fast shock, and a rotational discontinuity. They intersect along a closed transition line. As the system moves outward from the sun, the area enclosed by the transition line expands, the fast shock grows stronger, and the slow shock becomes weaker. Eventually, the slow shock diminishes, and the entire shock system evolves into a forward fast shock. copyrightAmerican Geophysical Union 1987

Fast wave current drive on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

deGrassie, J.S.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Forest, C.B.; Ikezi, H.; Prater, R.; Baity, F.W.; Callis, R.W.; Cary, W.P.; Chiu, S.C.; Doyle, E.J.; Ferguson, S.W.; Hoffman, D.J.; Jaeger, E.F.; Kim, K.W.; Lee, J.H.; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Murakami, M.; ONeill, R.C.; Porkolab, M.; Rhodes, T.L.; Swain, D.W.

1996-01-01

The physics of electron heating and current drive with the fast magnetosonic wave has been demonstrated on DIII-D, in reasonable agreement with theoretical modeling. A recently completed upgrade to the fast wave capability should allow full noninductive current drive in steady state advanced confinement discharges and provide some current density profile control for the Advanced Tokamak Program. DIII-D now has three four-strap fast wave antennas and three transmitters, each with nominally 2 MW of generator power. Extensive experiments have been conducted with the first system, at 60 MHz, while the two newer systems have come into operation within the past year. The newer systems are configured for 60 to 120 MHz. The measured FWCD efficiency is found to increase linearly with electron temperature as γ=0.4x10 18 T e0 (keV) [A/m 2 W], measured up to central electron temperature over 5 keV. A newly developed technique for determining the internal noninductive current density profile gives efficiencies in agreement with this scaling and profiles consistent with theoretical predictions. Full noninductive current drive at 170 kA was achieved in a discharge prepared by rampdown of the Ohmic current. Modulation of microwave reflectometry signals at the fast wave frequency is being used to investigate fast wave propagation and damping. Additionally, rf pick-up probes on the internal boundary of the vessel provide a comparison with ray tracing codes, with clear evidence for a toroidally directed wave with antenna phasing set for current drive. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Studies on fast wave current drive in the JAERI tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, H.; Yamamoto, T.; Fujii, T.; Kawashima, H.; Tamai, H.; Saigusa, M.; Imai, T.; Hamamatsu, K.; Fukuyama, A.

1991-01-01

Fast wave electron heating experiment (FWEH) on JFT-2M and JT-60 and analysis of fast wave current drive (FWCD) ability on JT-60U are presented. In the JFT-2M, absorption of fast waves have been investigated by using a phased four-loop antenna array. The absorption of the fast waves has been studied for various plasma parameters by using combination of other additional heating methods such as electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and ion cyclotron heating. It is shown that the absorption efficiency estimated from various methods well correlates with one calculated theoretically in single pass damping. Interaction of the fast waves with fast electrons in combination with ECH has been examined through the measurement of non-thermal electron cyclotron emission (ECE). The observed ECE during FWEH is well explained by the theoretical model, which indicates generation of the appreciable energetic fast electrons by the fast waves. New four-loop array antennas have been employed to improve the absorption of unidirectionally-propagating waves. Characteristics of antenna loading resistance can be reproduced by a coupling calculation code. In JT-60, FWEH experiment in combination with lower hybrid current drive was performed. Power absorption efficiency of fast wave is substantially improved in combination with LHCD of relatively low power for both phasing modes. Bulk electron heating is observed with high-k // mode and coupling with fast electron is confirmed in hard X-ray emission with low-k // mode. The results are consistent with theoretical prediction based on 1.D full wave code. Synergetic effects between FWEH and LHCD are found. Coupling calculation indicates that eight-loop antenna is favourable for keeping high directivity in the required N // -range. Current drive efficiency is calculated with 1-D full wave code including trapped particle effects and higher harmonic ion cyclotron damping

Measurements of fast ion spatial dynamics during magnetic activity in the RFP

Science.gov (United States)

Goetz, J. A.; Anderson, J. K.; Bonofiglo, P.; Kim, J.; McConnell, R.; Magee, R. M.

2017-10-01

Fast ions in the RFP are only weakly affected by a stochastic magnetic field and behave nearly classically in concentration too low to excite Alfvenic activity. At high fast ion concentration sourced by H-NBI in 300kA RFP discharges, a substantial drop in core-localized high pitch fast ions is observed during bursts of coupled EPM and IAE (magnetic island-induced Alfven eigenmode) activity (100-200kHz) through neutral particle analysis. Sourcing instead fast deuterium with NBI, the DD fusion products can measure the dynamics of the fast ion density profile. Both a collimated neutron detector and a new 3MeV fusion proton detector loaned by TriAlpha Energy measure the fast ion density profile with 5cm spatial resolution and 100 μs temporal resolution. In D-NBI, the bursting EPM is excited at slightly lower frequency and the IAE activity is nearly absent, likely due to an isotope effect and loss of wave-particle interaction. In these cases, neutral particle analysis shows little change in the core-localized high pitch fast ion content, and the fusion product profile indicates little change in the fast ion density profile, leaving unexplained the mechanism removing EPM drive. We measure a substantial redistribution of the fast ion profile due to strong lower-frequency ( 30kHz) MHD activity that accompanies the current profile relaxation in the RFP. Profile flattening is strongest in low bulk density discharges, which often occur with a total increase in global neutron flux from acceleration of the beam ions. Work supported by US DoE.

Kinetic Alfven waves and electron physics. II. Oblique slow shocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, L.; Winske, D.; Daughton, W.

2007-01-01

One-dimensional (1D) particle-in-cell (PIC; kinetic ions and electrons) and hybrid (kinetic ions; adiabatic and massless fluid electrons) simulations of highly oblique slow shocks (θ Bn =84 deg. and β=0.1) [Yin et al., J. Geophys. Res., 110, A09217 (2005)] have shown that the dissipation from the ions is too weak to form a shock and that kinetic electron physics is required. The PIC simulations also showed that the downstream electron temperature becomes anisotropic (T e parallel )>T e perpendicular ), as observed in slow shocks in space. The electron anisotropy results, in part, from the electron acceleration/heating by parallel electric fields of obliquely propagating kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs) excited by ion-ion streaming, which cannot be modeled accurately in hybrid simulations. In the shock ramp, spiky structures occur in density and electron parallel temperature, where the ion parallel temperature decreases due to the reduction of the ion backstreaming speed. In this paper, KAW and electron physics in oblique slow shocks are further examined under lower electron beta conditions. It is found that as the electron beta is reduced, the resonant interaction between electrons and the wave parallel electric fields shifts to the tail of the electron velocity distribution, providing more efficient parallel heating. As a consequence, for β e =0.02, the electron physics is shown to influence the formation of a θ Bn =75 deg. shock. Electron effects are further enhanced at a more oblique shock angle (θ Bn =84 deg.) when both the growth rate and the range of unstable modes on the KAW branch increase. Small-scale electron and ion phase-space vortices in the shock ramp formed by electron-KAW interactions and the reduction of the ion backstreaming speed, respectively, are observed in the simulations and confirmed in homogeneous geometries in one and two spatial dimensions in the accompanying paper [Yin et al., Phys. Plasmas 14, 062104 (2007)]. Results from this study

Surface wave propagation in steady ideal Hall-magnetohydrodynamic magnetic slabs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miteva, Rossitsa; Zhelyazkov, Ivan; Erdelyi, Robert

2003-01-01

This paper studies the dispersion characteristics of sausage and kink surface waves traveling along a plasma layer within the framework of Hall magnetohydrodynamics in steady state. While in a static plasma slab these waves are Alfven ones (their phase velocities are close to the Alfven speed in the layer); in a slab with steady flows they may become super Alfvenic waves. Moreover, there exist two types of waves: forward and backward ones bearing in mind that the flow velocity defines the positive (forward) direction. As a typical representative of a magnetic slab in steady state here is considered a solar wind flux rope with a finite β plasma flow (typically β∼1).The forward sausage surface mode exhibits an increased dispersion at small wave numbers while the forward kink waves become practically non-dispersive. Both backward propagating sausage and kink surface modes show an increased dispersion for large wave numbers

An Alfven eigenmode similarity experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W W; Fredrickson, E; Gorelenkov, N N; Hyatt, A W; Kramer, G; Luo, Y

2003-01-01

The major radius dependence of Alfven mode stability is studied by creating plasmas with similar minor radius, shape, magnetic field (0.5 T), density (n e ≅3x10 19 m -3 ), electron temperature (1.0 keV) and beam ion population (near-tangential 80 keV deuterium injection) on both NSTX and DIII-D. The major radius of NSTX is half the major radius of DIII-D. The super-Alfvenic beam ions that drive the modes have overlapping values of v f /v A in the two devices. Observed beam-driven instabilities include toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE). The stability threshold for the TAE is similar in the two devices. As expected theoretically, the most unstable toroidal mode number n is larger in DIII-D

On the acceleration of alpha particles in the fast solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomberoff, L.; Hernandez, R.

1992-01-01

Recently, Gomberoff and Elgueta (1991) showed that in a plasma composed of anisotropic protons and alpha particles drifting along an external magnetic field with a small velocity relative to the protons, strong left-hand polarized electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves can be generated. These waves can accelerate the alpha particles to velocities well in excess of the proton bulk velocity. Here the authors assume a more realistic model of the solar wind by considering a double-humped proton distribution. It is shown that the secondary proton beam has no important effects on the ion cyclotron waves for beam densities of the order of those observed in fast solar wind conditions. The fact that the alpha proton drift velocity is modulated by the Alfven velocity remains unexplained

On the Generation of Transport Suppression Barriers by Externally Driven Alfven Waves in D-Shaped, Low Aspect Ratio Tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). School of Physics and Astronomy; Komoshvili, K. [The College of Judea and Samaria, Ariel (Israel)

2003-05-01

We investigate quantitatively the possibility of turbulence suppression through the generation of transport barriers in pre-heated low aspect ratio tokamaks (LARTs) by the sheared electric fields generated by externally driven rf waves in the frequency range {omega}{sub A} {approx_equal} <{omega}{sub ci} ({omega}{sub A} and {omega}{sub ci} are, respectively, Alfven and ion cyclotron frequencies). To this aim the following sequential steps are followed: (1) Solutions of the resistive two-fluid model full wave equation for a realistic LART configuration (D-shape cross-section and aspect ratio, R/a {approx}> 1; as well as suitably located low field side, LFS, antenna) upon using a quite general dielectric tensor operator; (2) Calculation of the ponderomotive forces and their magnetic surface averages; (3) Solution of a strongly non-linear differential equation for the quasi-stationary radial electric field, including the particle orbit squeezing effects, based on the results of steps (1) and (2); and (4) Calculation of the radial flow shear, S{sub perpend}; for both banana and potato collisional regimes.

Kinetic effects on the propagation of surface waves and their relevance to the heating of the solar corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuperus, M.; Heyvaerts, J.

1980-01-01

The MHD oscillations of the Alfven type running along surfaces of discontinuity generate motions in the discontinuity region which come rapidly out of phase. It is shown how the mathematical theory of this phase detuning predicts that surface wave should suffer dissipationless damping. Real damping is actually achieved by viscosity or kinetic effects. When detuning has grown to a large enough level, however, oscillations must be described by kinetic theory. Kinetic Alfven waves differ from perfect MHD Alfven waves in that they are able to propagate across the field. A theory of kinetic type oscillations in a finite thickness boundary is described, which predicts that surface waves generate intense kinetic Alfven waves in this boundary. The subsequent dissipation of these waves may be a powerful heating mechanism [fr

Electromagnetic waves in dusty magnetoplasmas using two-potential theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubia, K.; Jamil, M.; Salimullah, M.

2009-01-01

The low-frequency long wavelength electromagnetic waves, viz., shear Alfven waves in a cold dusty plasma, have been examined employing two-potential theory and plasma fluid model. The presence of the unmagnetized dust particles and magnetized plasma components gives rise to a new ion-dust lower hybrid cutoff frequency for the electromagnetic shear Alfven wave propagation. The importance and relevance of the present work to the space dusty plasma environments are also pointed out.

Fast-ion losses induced by ACs and TAEs in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GarcIa-Munoz, M.; Hicks, N.; Classen, I.G.J.; Bilato, R.; Bobkov, V.; Brambilla, M.; Bruedgam, M.; Fahrbach, H.-U.; Igochine, V.; Maraschek, M.; Sassenberg, K.; Van Voornveld, R.; Jaemsae, S.

2010-01-01

The phase-space of convective and diffusive fast-ion losses induced by shear Alfven eigenmodes has been characterized in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. Time-resolved energy and pitch-angle measurements of fast-ion losses correlated in frequency and phase with toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) and Alfven cascades (ACs) have allowed to identify both loss mechanisms. While single ACs and TAEs eject resonant fast-ions in a convective process, the overlapping of AC and TAE spatial structures leads to a large fast-ion diffusion and loss. The threshold for diffusive fast-ion losses depends on the ion energy (gyroradius). Diffusive fast-ion losses with gyroradius ∼70 mm have been observed with a single TAE for local radial displacements of the magnetic field lines larger than ∼2 mm. Multiple frequency chirping ACs cause an enhancement of the diffusive losses. The ACs and TAEs radial structures have been reconstructed by means of cross-correlation techniques between the fast-ion loss detector and the electron cyclotron emission radiometer.

Magnetic confinement, Alfven wave reflection, and the origins of X-ray and mass-loss 'dividing lines' for late-type giants and supergiants

Science.gov (United States)

Rosner, R.; An, C.-H.; Musielak, Z. E.; Moore, R. L.; Suess, S. T.

1991-01-01

A simple qualitative model for the origin of the coronal and mass-loss dividing lines separating late-type giants and supergiants with and without hot, X-ray-emitting corona, and with and without significant mass loss is discussed. The basic physical effects considered are the necessity of magnetic confinement for hot coronal material on the surface of such stars and the large reflection efficiency for Alfven waves in cool exponential atmospheres. The model assumes that the magnetic field geometry of these stars changes across the observed 'dividing lines' from being mostly closed on the high effective temperature side to being mostly open on the low effective temperature side.

On the nature of electromagnetic waves in the vicinity of auroral archs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volokitin, A.S.; Mordovskaya, V.G.

1988-01-01

Excitation of kinetic Alfven waves by longitudinal current in the vicinity of auroral arcs is considered in the framework of quasilinear theory. It is shown that experimentally observed low-frequency electromagnetic waves with f<2Hz frequency in the vicinity of uniform auroral arcs represent the Alfven waves, excited at altitudes of three Earth radii and above by longitudinal electric current

Wave driven magnetic reconnection in the Taylor problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzpatrick, Richard; Bhattacharjee, Amitava; Ma Zhiwei; Linde, Timur

2003-01-01

An improved Laplace transform theory is developed in order to investigate the initial response of a stable slab plasma equilibrium enclosed by conducting walls to a suddenly applied wall perturbation in the so-called Taylor problem. The novel feature of this theory is that it does not employ asymptotic matching. If the wall perturbation is switched on slowly compared to the Alfven time then the plasma response eventually asymptotes to that predicted by conventional asymptotic matching theory. However, at early times there is a compressible Alfven wave driven contribution to the magnetic reconnection rate which is not captured by asymptotic matching theory, and leads to a significant increase in the reconnection rate. If the wall perturbation is switched on rapidly compared to the Alfven time then strongly localized compressible Alfven wave-pulses are generated which bounce backward and forward between the walls many times. Each instance these wave-pulses cross the resonant surface they generate a transient surge in the reconnection rate. The maximum pulse driven reconnection rate can be much larger than that predicted by conventional asymptotic matching theory

On generation of Alfvenic-like fluctuations by drift wave-zonal flow system in large plasma device experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horton, W.; Correa, C.; Chagelishvili, G. D.; Avsarkisov, V. S.; Lominadze, J. G.; Perez, J. C.; Kim, J.-H.; Carter, T. A.

2009-01-01

According to recent experiments, magnetically confined fusion plasmas with ''drift wave-zonal flow turbulence'' (DW-ZF) give rise to broadband electromagnetic waves. Sharapov et al. [Europhysics Conference Abstracts, 35th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics, Hersonissos, 2008, edited by P. Lalousis and S. Moustaizis (European Physical Society, Switzerland, 2008), Vol. 32D, p. 4.071] reported an abrupt change in the magnetic turbulence during L-H transitions in Joint European Torus [P. H. Rebut and B. E. Keen, Fusion Technol. 11, 13 (1987)] plasmas. A broad spectrum of Alfvenic-like (electromagnetic) fluctuations appears from ExB flow driven turbulence in experiments on the large plasma device (LAPD) [W. Gekelman et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)] facility at UCLA. Evidence of the existence of magnetic fluctuations in the shear flow region in the experiments is shown. We present one possible theoretical explanation of the generation of electromagnetic fluctuations in DW-ZF systems for an example of LAPD experiments. The method used is based on generalizing results on shear flow phenomena from the hydrodynamics community. In the 1990s, it was realized that fluctuation modes of spectrally stable nonuniform (sheared) flows are non-normal. That is, the linear operators of the flows modal analysis are non-normal and the corresponding eigenmodes are not orthogonal. The non-normality results in linear transient growth with bursts of the perturbations and the mode coupling, which causes the generation of electromagnetic waves from the drift wave-shear flow system. We consider shear flow that mimics tokamak zonal flow. We show that the transient growth substantially exceeds the growth of the classical dissipative trapped-particle instability of the system.

Excitation of Alfvenic instabilities in spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClements, K.G.; Appel, L.C.; Hole, M.J.; Thyagaraja, A.

2003-01-01

Understanding energetic particle confinement in spherical tokamak (STs) is important for optimising the design of ST power plants, and provides a testbed for theoretical modelling under conditions of strong toroidicity and shaping, and high beta. MHD analysis of some recent beam-heated discharges in the MAST ST indicates that high frequency modes observed in these discharges can be identified as toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes (TAEs) and elliptical Alfven Eigenmodes (EAEs). It is possible that such modes could strongly enhance fusion alpha-particle transport in an ST power plant. Computations of TAE growth rates for one particular MAST discharge, made using the HAGIS guiding centre code and benchmarked against analytical estimates, indicate strong drive by sub-Alfvenic neutral beam ions. HAGIS computations using higher mode amplitudes than those observed indicate that whereas co-passing beam ions provide the bulk of he TAE drive, counter-passing ions provide the dominant component of TAE-induced particle losses. Axisymmetric Alfvenic mode activity has been detected during ohmic discharges in MAST. These observations are shown by computational modelling to be consistent with the excitation of global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAEs) with n=0 and low m, driven impulsively by low frequency MHD. (author)

Magnetospheric pulsations: Models and observations of compressional waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Xiaoming.

1989-01-01

The first part of the dissertation models ultralow frequency (ULF) waves in a simplified geometry in order to understand the physics of the mode coupling between the compressional and shear Alfven waves in an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma. Wave mode coupling occurs when a field line resonant frequency (defined by the shear Alfven mode) matches the global mode frequency (defined by the compressional mode). Large wave amplitudes occur near the resonant field line. Although the wave amplitude of the global mode is small away from resonant field lines, significant wave energy is stored in the wave mode due to its large scale nature. It serves as a reservoir to continuously feed energy to resonant field lines. This mechanism may explain why some field line resonances can last for times longer than that predicted from the ionospheric Joule dissipation. A nonmonotonic Alfven velocity divides the magnetosphere into two or more cavities by the local maxima of the Alfven velocity. The global mode is typically localized in one of the cavities except at some preferred frequencies, the global mode can extend through more than one cavity. This may explain ULF wave excitations in the low latitude magnetosphere. The second part of the dissertation is devoted to study compressional waves in the outer magnetosphere using magnetic field and plasma data. Statistical information on the distribution of compressional Pc 5 waves in the outer magnetosphere is obtained. Large amplitude, long period compressional Pc 5 pulsations are found very common near the magnetic equator. They are polarized mainly in a meridian plane with comparable compressional and transverse amplitudes. Close correlation between compressional wave amplitude and plasma β is also found. Several case studies show that compressional waves are quenched in the region where β < 1

Propagation of thermal and hydromagnetic waves in an ionizing-recombining hydrogen plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Sigalotti, Leonardo G.; Sira, Eloy; Rendon, Otto; Tremola, Ciro; Mendoza-Briceno, Cesar A.

2004-01-01

The propagation of thermal and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in a heat-conducting, hydrogen plasma, threaded by an external uniform magnetic field (B) and in which photoionization and photorecombination [H + +e - H+hν(χ)] processes are progressing, is investigated here using linear analysis. The resulting dispersion equation is solved analytically for varied strength (β<<1 and ∼1) and orientation of the magnetic field, where β denotes the ratio of plasma to magnetic pressures. Application of this model to the interstellar medium shows that heat conduction governs the propagation of thermal waves only at relatively high frequencies regardless of the plasma temperature, strength, and orientation of the magnetic field. When the direction of wave propagation is held perpendicular to B (i.e., k perpendicular B), the magnetosonic phase velocity is closely Alfvenic for β<<1, while for β∼1 both the hydrostatic and magnetic pressures determine the wave velocity. As long as k parallel B, the fast (transverse) magnetosonic wave becomes an Alfven wave for all frequencies independent of the plasma temperature and field strength, while the slow (longitudinal) magnetosonic wave becomes a pure sound wave. Amplification of thermal and MHD waves always occur at low frequencies and preferentially at temperatures for which the plasma is either weakly or partially ionized. Compared to previous analysis for the same hydrogen plasma model with B=0, the presence of the magnetic field makes the functional dependence of the physical quantities span a longer range of frequencies, which becomes progressively longer as the field strength is increased

Nonlinear Electromagnetic Waves and Spherical Arc-Polarized Waves in Space Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Tsurutani, B.; Ho, Christian M.; Arballo, John K.; Lakhina, Gurbax S.; Glassmeier, Karl-Heinz; Neubauer, Fritz M.

1997-01-01

We review observations of nonlinear plasma waves detected by interplanetary spacecraft. For this paper we will focus primarily on the phase-steepened properties of such waves. Plasma waves at comet Giacobini-Zinner measured by the International Cometary Explorer (ICE), at comets Halley and Grigg-Skjellerup measured by Giotto, and interplanetary Alfven waves measured by Ulysses, will be discussed and intercompared.

Measurement of the ion temperature by analysing the neutral particles in TCA (Tokamak Chauffage Alfven)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chambrier, A. de; Heym, A.; Hofmann, F.; Joye, B.; Keller, R.; Lietti, A.; Lister, J.B.; Pochelon, A.; Simm, W.

1983-01-01

The aim of the TCA project is to investigate the heating effects of resonant absorption of Alfven waves in a Tokamak plasma. In TCA, the ion temperature increases linearly with the heating. Depending on the conditions, the ion temperature rises from 150 eV to 225 eV. (Auth./G.T.H.)

Global marginal stability of TAEs in the presence of fast ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villard, L.; Brunner, S.; Vaclavik, J.

1994-09-01

The global stability of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) in the presence of fast ions in realistic tokamak fusion-grade plasmas is analyzed with a global, perturbative approach. Volume averaged fast particle betas for marginal stability are obtained and analyzed for a wide range of plasma parameters such as the fast ion radial density profile width, the ratio of birth velocity to the Alfven velocity on axis and the bulk plasma beta. The different stability behaviour of two types of TAEs ('internal' or 'external') is evidenced. (author) 19 figs., 22 refs

Frequency chirpings in Alfven continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ge; Berk, Herb; Breizman, Boris; Zheng, Linjin

2017-10-01

We have used a self-consistent mapping technique to describe both the nonlinear wave-energetic particle resonant interaction and its spatial mode structure that depends upon the resonant energetic particle pressure. At the threshold for the onset of the energetic particle mode (EPM), strong chirping emerges in the lower continuum close to the TAE gap and then, driven by strong continuum damping, chirps rapidly to lower frequencies in the Alfven continuum. An adiabatic theory was developed that accurately replicated the results from the simulation where the nonlinearity was only due to the EPM resonant particles. The results show that the EPM-trapped particles have their action conserved during the time of rapid chirping. This adiabaticity enabled wave trapped particles to be confined within their separatrix, and produce even larger resonant structures, that can produce a large amplitude mode far from linearly predicted frequencies. In the present work we describe the effect of additional MHD nonlinearity to this calculation. We studied how the zonal flow component and its nonlinear feedback to the fundamental frequency and found that the MHD nonlinearity doesn't significantly alter the frequency chirping response that is predicted by the calculation that neglects the MHD nonlinearity.

STEREO OBSERVATIONS OF FAST MAGNETOSONIC WAVES IN THE EXTENDED SOLAR CORONA ASSOCIATED WITH EIT/EUV WAVES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Ryun-Young; Ofman, Leon; Kramar, Maxim; Olmedo, Oscar; Davila, Joseph M.; Thompson, Barbara J.; Cho, Kyung-Suk

2013-01-01

We report white-light observations of a fast magnetosonic wave associated with a coronal mass ejection observed by STEREO/SECCHI/COR1 inner coronagraphs on 2011 August 4. The wave front is observed in the form of density compression passing through various coronal regions such as quiet/active corona, coronal holes, and streamers. Together with measured electron densities determined with STEREO COR1 and Extreme UltraViolet Imager (EUVI) data, we use our kinematic measurements of the wave front to calculate coronal magnetic fields and find that the measured speeds are consistent with characteristic fast magnetosonic speeds in the corona. In addition, the wave front turns out to be the upper coronal counterpart of the EIT wave observed by STEREO EUVI traveling against the solar coronal disk; moreover, stationary fronts of the EIT wave are found to be located at the footpoints of deflected streamers and boundaries of coronal holes, after the wave front in the upper solar corona passes through open magnetic field lines in the streamers. Our findings suggest that the observed EIT wave should be in fact a fast magnetosonic shock/wave traveling in the inhomogeneous solar corona, as part of the fast magnetosonic wave propagating in the extended solar corona.

Coupling to the fast wave via a phased waveguide array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, L.; McWilliams, R.; Glanz, J.; Motley, R.W.

1984-03-01

A dielectric-loaded waveguide array has been used to launch fast waves into a plasma in which ω/sup pi/ < ω << ω/sub pe/ approx. ω/sub ce/. The wave propagates when accessibility and cutoff requirements are satisfied. Reflection coefficients as low as 1% have been measured. Use of the fast wave for steady-state current drive is suggested

Coupling to the fast wave via a phased waveguide array

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olson, L.; McWilliams, R.; Glanz, J.; Motley, R.W.

1984-03-01

A dielectric-loaded waveguide array has been used to launch fast waves into a plasma in which ..omega../sup pi/ < ..omega.. << ..omega../sub pe/ approx. ..omega../sub ce/. The wave propagates when accessibility and cutoff requirements are satisfied. Reflection coefficients as low as 1% have been measured. Use of the fast wave for steady-state current drive is suggested.

Waves and discontinuities in relativistic and anisotropic magnetohydrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cissoko, Mahdy

1975-01-01

This work is devoted to the relativistic study of a non-dissipative anisotropic fluid diagram of infinite conductivity. Such a fluid diagram is constructed in part one. Starting from a macroscopic viewpoint a hydrothermodynamic study of the fluid diagram considered is carried out and the fundamental differential system of anisotropic magnetohydrodynamics is deduced. Part two concerns the study of characteristic varieties and propagation of waves for a polytropic anisotropic fluid diagram. Three types of characteristic varieties are revealed: entropy waves (or material waves), magnetosonic waves and Alfven waves. The propagation rates of Alfven and magnetosonic waves are situated with respect to each other. The study of wave cones showed up on the one hand certain special features of wave propagation in anisotropic magnetohydrodynamics and on the other hand the hyperbolic nature of differential operators associated with the various waves [fr

Observations of neutral beam and ICRF tail ion losses due to Alfven modes in TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darrow, D.S.; Zweben, S.J.; Chang, Z.

1996-04-01

Fast ion losses resulting from MHD modes at the Alfven frequency, such as the TAE, have been observed in TFTR. The modes have been driven both by neutral beam ions, at low B T , and by H-minority ICRF tail ions at higher B T . The measurements indicate that the loss rate varies linearly with the mode amplitude, and that the fast ion losses during the mode activity can be significant, e.g. up to 10% of the input power is lost in the worst case

Lagrangian analysis of nonlinear wave-wave interactions in bounded plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, A.R.

1979-01-01

In a weakly turbulent nonlinear wave-supporting medium, one of the important nonlinear processes which may occur is resonant three-wave interaction. Whitham's averaged Lagrangian method provides a general formulation of wave evolution laws which is easily adapted to nonlinear dispersive media. In this thesis, the strength of nonlinear interactions between three coherent, axisymmetric, low frequency, magnetohydrodynamic (Alfven) waves propagating in resonance along a cold cylindrical magnetized plasma column is calculated. Both a uniform and a parabolic density distribution have been considered. To account for a non-zero plasma temperature, pressure effects have been included. Distinctive features of the work are the use of cylindrical geometry, the presence of a finite rather than an infinite axial magnetic field, the treatment of a parabolic density distribution, and the inclusion of both ion and electron contributions in all expressions. Two astrophysical applications of the presented theory have been considered. In the first, the possibility of resonant three-wave coupling between geomagnetic micropulsations, which propagate as Alfven or magnetosonic waves along the Earth's magnetic field lines, has been investigated. The second case is the theory of energy transport through the solar chromosphere by upward propagating magnetohydrodynamic waves, which may then couple to heavily damped waves in the corona, causing the observed excess heating in that region

Four-dimensional integral equations for the MHD diffraction waves in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexandrova, A.A.; Khizhnyak, N.A.

2000-01-01

The superficial analysis of the boundary-value nonstationary problem for Alfven wave has shown the principal possibility of using the method of evolutionary integral equations of non-stationary macroscopic electrodynamical in a case of MHD description of waves in plasma. With the importance of strict mathematical solutions obtained for simple model problems that is the diffraction of one separately taken Alfven wave is that it can be the basis for construction of the approximate solutions of more complex boundary-value problems

Nonlinear Evolution of Observed Fast Streams in the Solar Wind - Micro-instabilities and Energy Exchange between Protons and Alpha Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Maneva, Y. G.; Poedts, S.

2017-12-01

Non-thermal kinetic components such as deformed velocity distributions, temperature anisotropies and relative drifts between the multiple ion populations are frequently observed features in the collisionless fast solar wind streams near the Earth whose origin is still to be better understood. Some of the traditional models consider the formation of the temperature anisotropies through the effect of the solar wind expansion, while others assume in situ heating and particle acceleration by local fluctuations, such as plasma waves, or by spacial structures, such as advected or locally generated current sheets. In this study we consider the evolution of initial ion temperature anisotropies and relative drifts in the presence of plasma oscillations, such as ion-cyclotron and kinetic Alfven waves. We perform 2.5D hybrid simulations to study the evolution of observed fast solar wind plasma parcels, including the development of the plasma micro-instabilities, the field-particle correlations and the energy transfer between the multiple ion species. We consider two distinct cases of highly anisotropic and quickly drifting protons which excite ion-cyclotron waves and of moderately anisotropic slower protons, which co-exist with kinetic Alfven waves. The alpha particles for both cases are slightly anisotropic in the beginning and remain anisotropic throughout the simulation time. Both the imposed magnetic fluctuations and the initial differential streaming decrease in time for both cases, while the minor ions are getting heated. Finally we study the effects of the solar wind expansion and discuss its implications for the nonlinear evolution of the system.

Recent Developments in High-Harmonic Fast Wave Physics in NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LeBlanc, B.P.; Bell, R.E.; Bonoli, P.; Harvey, R.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Hosea, J.C.; Kaye, S.M.; Liu, D.; Maingi, R.; Medley, S.S.; Ono, M.; Podesta, M.; Phillips, C.K.; Ryan, P.M.; Roquemore, A.L.; Taylor, G.; Wilson, J.R.

2010-01-01

Understanding the interaction between ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) fast waves and the fast-ions created by neutral beam injection (NBI) is critical for future devices such as ITER, which rely on a combination ICRF and NBI. Experiments in NSTX which use 30 MHz High-Harmonic Fast-Wave (HHFW) ICRF and NBI heating show a competition between electron heating via Landau damping and transit-time magnetic pumping, and radio-frequency wave acceleration of NBI generated fast ions. Understanding and mitigating some of the power loss mechanisms outside the last closed flux surface (LCFS) has resulted in improved HHFW heating inside the LCFS. Nevertheless a significant fraction of the HHFW power is diverted away from the enclosed plasma. Part of this power is observed locally on the divertor. Experimental observations point toward the radio-frequency (RF) excitation of surface waves, which disperse wave power outside the LCFS, as a leading loss mechanism. Lithium coatings lower the density at the antenna, thereby moving the critical density for perpendicular fast-wave propagation away from the antenna and surrounding material surfaces. Visible and infrared imaging reveal flows of RF power along open field lines into the divertor region. In L-mode -- low average NBI power -- conditions, the fast-ion D-alpha (FIDA) diagnostic measures a near doubling and broadening of the density profile of the upper energetic level of the fast ions concurrent with the presence of HHFW power launched with k// = -8m-1. We are able to heat NBI-induced H-mode plasmas with HHFW. The captured power is expected to be split between absorption by the electrons and absorption by the fast ions, based on TORIC calculation. In the case discussed here the Te increases over the whole profile when ∼2MW of HHFW power with antenna k// = 13m-1 is applied after the H-mode transition. But somewhat unexpectedly fast-ion diagnostics do not observe a change between the HHFW heated NBI discharge and the

High-efficiency toroidal current drive using low-phase-velocity kinetic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puri, S.

1991-09-01

A method for obtaining efficient current drive in Tokamaks using low-phase-velocity (v ρ = ω/K parallel ∝ 0.1v te ) kinetic Alfen wave is proposed. The wave momentum, imparted primarily to the trapped electrons by Landau damping, is stored as the canonical angular momentum via the Ware pinch. In steady state, collisions restore the pinched electrons to their original phase-space configuration, in the process releasing the stored canonical angular momentum to the background ions and electrons in proportion to the respective collision frequencies. Despite the loss of a part of the original impulse to the plasma ions, well over half the wave momentum is ultimately delivered to the bulk-plasma electrons, resulting in an efficient current drive. A normalized current-drive efficiency γ = R 0 20 > I/P ∝ 2 would be feasible using the subthermal kinetic-Alfen-wave current drive in a Tokamak of reactor parameters. Optimum antenna loading conditions are described. The problem of accessibility is discussed. In an elongated, high-β plasma with a density dependence n e ∝ (1-ρ 2 ) Χn , accessibility is restricted to ρ > or approx. 3/(4A Χn ), where A is the aspect ratio. For current drive at still lower values of ρ, operation in conjunction with fast-wave current drive is suggested. (orig.)

Linear wave propagation in a hot axisymmetric toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaun, A.

1995-03-01

Kinetic effects on the propagation of the Alfven wave are studied for the first time in a toroidal plasma relevant for experiments. This requires the resolution of a set of coupled partial differential equations whose coefficients depend locally on the plasma parameters. For this purpose, a numerical wave propagation code called PENN has been developed using either a bilinear or a bicubic Hermite finite element discretization. It solves Maxwell's equations in toroidal geometry, with a dielectric tensor operator that takes into account the linear response of the plasma. Two different models have been implemented and can be used comparatively to describe the same physical case: the first treats the plasma as resistive fluids and gives results which are in good agreement with toroidal fluid codes. The second is a kinetic model and takes into account the finite size of the Larmor radii; it has successfully been tested against a kinetic plasma model in cylindrical geometry. New results have been obtained when studying kinetic effects in toroidal geometry. Two different conversion mechanisms to the kinetic Alfven wave have been described: one occurs at toroidally coupled resonant surfaces and is the kinetic counterpart of the fluid models' resonance absorption. The other has no such correspondence and results directly from the toroidal coupling between the kinetic Alfven wave and the global wavefield. An analysis of a heating scenario suggests that it might be difficult to heat a plasma with Alfven waves up to temperatures that are relevant for a tokamak reactor. Kinetic effects are studied for three types of global Alfven modes (GAE, TAE, BAE) and a new class of kinetic eigenmodes is described which appear inside the fluid gap: it could be related to recent observations in the JET (Joint European Torus) tokamak. (author) 56 figs., 6 tabs., 58 refs

Linear wave propagation in a hot axisymmetric toroidal plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaun, A [Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne (Switzerland). Centre de Recherche en Physique des Plasma (CRPP)

1995-03-01

Kinetic effects on the propagation of the Alfven wave are studied for the first time in a toroidal plasma relevant for experiments. This requires the resolution of a set of coupled partial differential equations whose coefficients depend locally on the plasma parameters. For this purpose, a numerical wave propagation code called PENN has been developed using either a bilinear or a bicubic Hermite finite element discretization. It solves Maxwell`s equations in toroidal geometry, with a dielectric tensor operator that takes into account the linear response of the plasma. Two different models have been implemented and can be used comparatively to describe the same physical case: the first treats the plasma as resistive fluids and gives results which are in good agreement with toroidal fluid codes. The second is a kinetic model and takes into account the finite size of the Larmor radii; it has successfully been tested against a kinetic plasma model in cylindrical geometry. New results have been obtained when studying kinetic effects in toroidal geometry. Two different conversion mechanisms to the kinetic Alfven wave have been described: one occurs at toroidally coupled resonant surfaces and is the kinetic counterpart of the fluid models` resonance absorption. The other has no such correspondence and results directly from the toroidal coupling between the kinetic Alfven wave and the global wavefield. An analysis of a heating scenario suggests that it might be difficult to heat a plasma with Alfven waves up to temperatures that are relevant for a tokamak reactor. Kinetic effects are studied for three types of global Alfven modes (GAE, TAE, BAE) and a new class of kinetic eigenmodes is described which appear inside the fluid gap: it could be related to recent observations in the JET (Joint European Torus) tokamak. (author) 56 figs., 6 tabs., 58 refs.

Low-n shear Alfven spectra in axisymmetric toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.; Chance, M.S.

1985-11-01

In toroidal plasmas, the toroidal magnetic field is nonuniform over a magnetic surface and causes coupling of different poloidal harmonics. It is shown both analytically and numerically that the toroidicity not only breaks up the shear Alfven continuous spectrum, but also creates new, discrete, toroidicity-induced shear Alfven eigenmodes with frequencies inside the continuum gaps. Potential applications of the low-n toroidicity-induced shear Alfven eigenmodes on plasma heating and instabilities are addressed. 17 refs., 4 figs

Fast waves near the lower hybrid frequency. Final contract report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McWilliams, R.

1984-01-01

The main function of this contract has been to advance the theory of fast waves near the lower hybrid frequency. Special emphasis was to be given to aspects which would assist experimentalists in planning and performing experiments to test the feasibility of using the fast wave for plasma heating and current drive. Evanescent and propagating conditions for the wave were to be determined. Possible antennas for launching the waves were to be determined. Coupling coefficients of the waves into the plasma were to be found. The results were to be applied to present day and reactor grade plasma parameters

Full wave simulations of fast wave mode conversion and lower hybrid wave propagation in tokamaks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wright, J.C.; Bonoli, P.T.; Brambilla, M.

2004-01-01

Fast wave (FW) studies of mode conversion (MC) processes at the ion-ion hybrid layer in toroidal plasmas must capture the disparate scales of the FW and mode converted ion Bernstein and ion cyclotron waves. Correct modeling of the MC layer requires resolving wavelengths on the order of k...

Radio Spectral Imaging of Reflective MHD Waves during the Impulsive Phase of a Solar Flare

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, S.; Chen, B.; Reeves, K.

2017-12-01

We report a new type of coherent radio bursts observed by the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in 1-2 GHz during the impulsive phase of a two-ribbon flare on 2014 November 1, which we interpret as MHD waves reflected near the footpoint of flaring loops. In the dynamic spectrum, this burst starts with a positive frequency drift toward higher frequencies until it slows down near its highest-frequency boundary. Then it turns over and drifts toward lower frequencies. The frequency drift rate in its descending and ascending branch is between 50-150 MHz/s, which is much slower than type III radio bursts associated with fast electron beams but close to the well-known intermediate drift bursts, or fiber bursts, which are usually attributed to propagating whistler or Alfvenic waves. Thanks to VLA's unique capability of imaging with spectrometer-like temporal and spectral resolution (50 ms and 2 MHz), we are able to obtain an image of the radio source at every time and frequency in the dynamic spectrum where the burst is present and trace its spatial evolution. From the imaging results, we find that the radio source firstly moves downward toward one of the flaring ribbons before it "bounces off" at the lowest height (corresponding to the turnover frequency in the dynamic spectrum) and moves upward again. The measured speed in projection is at the order of 1-2 Mm/s, which is characteristic of Alfvenic or fast-mode MHD waves in the low corona. We conclude that the radio burst is emitted by trapped nonthermal electrons in the flaring loop carried along by a large-scale MHD wave. The waves are probably launched during the eruption of a magnetic flux rope in the flare impulsive phase.

Alfven eigenmodes in shear reversed plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breizman, B.N.; Berk, H.L.; Pekker, M.S.; Sharapov, S.E.; Hawkes, N.C.; Borba, D.N.; Pinches, S.D.

2003-01-01

Experiments on JT-60U and JET have shown that plasma configurations with shear reversal are prone to the excitation of unusual Alfven Eigenmodes by energetic particles. These modes emerge outside the TAE frequency gap, where one might expect them to be strongly damped. The modes often appear in bunches and they exhibit a quasi-periodic pattern of predominantly upward frequency sweeping (Alfven Cascades) as the safety factor q changes in time. This work presents a theory that explains the key features of the observed unusual modes including their connection to TAE's as well as the modifications of TAE's themselves near the shear reversal point. The developed theory has been incorporated into a reduced numerical model and verified with full geometry codes. JET experimental data on Alfven spectroscopy have been simulated to infer the mode numbers and the evolution of q min in the discharge. This analysis confirms the values of q that characterize the internal transport barrier triggering in reversed shear plasmas. (author)

60 MHz fast wave current drive experiment for DIII-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mayberry, M.J.; Chiu, S.C.; Porkolab, M.; Chan, V.; Freeman, R.; Harvey, R.; Pinsker, R. (General Atomics, San Diego, CA (USA))

1989-07-01

The DIII-D facility provides an opportunity to test fast wave current drive appoach. Efficient FWCD is achieved by direct electron absorption due to Landa damping and transit time magnetic pumping. To avoid competing damping mechamisms we seek to maximize the single-pass asorption of the fast waves by electrons. (AIP)

Current drive by asymmetrical heating in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gahl, J.M.

1986-01-01

This report describes the first experimental observation of current generation by asymmetrical heating of ions. A unidirectional fast Alfven wave launched by a slow-wave antenna inside the Texas Tech Tokamak, asymmetrically heated the ions. Measurements of the asymmetry of the toroidal plasma current with probes at the top and bottom of the toroidal plasma column confirmed the current generation indirectly. Current generation, obtained in a one-species, hydrogen plasma, is a phenomenon which had not been predicted previously. Calculations of the dispersion relation for the fast Alfven wave near the fundamental cyclotron resonance in a one-species, hydrogen plasma, using warm plasma theory, support the experimental results

MHD waves, reconnection, and plasma transport at the dayside magnetopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, J.R.; Cheng, C.Z.

1996-01-01

The magnetic field of the Earth creates a huge cavity in the solar wind known as the magnetosphere. The transition region between the solar wind plasma and magnetosphere plasma is of substantial interest because many magnetospheric processes are governed by the transport of particles, momentum and energy across that boundary. At this boundary, the magnetopause, there is an abrupt decrease in plasma bulk flow, density and pressure, and large increase in temperature and magnetic field. Throughout this region the plasmas is large. Large amplitude compressional waves are nearly always found in the region just outside of the magnetopause. These waves are either intrinsic solar wind fluctuations or they may be global mirror modes which are generated in a localized region of large pressure anisotropy just outside the magnetopause. The substantial background gradients observed at the magnetopause strongly couple the compressional waves with kinetic Alfven waves near the Alfven resonance location, leading to substantial particle transport. Moreover, for a sheared background magnetic field, as is found at times of southward interplanetary magnetic field, the mode converted kinetic Alfven waves can propagate to the location where k parallel = 0 and generate islands in phase space. We present a solution of the kinetic-MHD wave equations for the magnetic field structure based on a realistic steady state profile which includes: a sheared magnetic field; magnetic curvature; and gradients in the background density, pressure and magnetic field. We incorporate wave-particle resonance interactions for electrons and ions to obtain the dissipation. The background magnetic Keld curvature and gradient give rise to drifts which alter the resonance condition for the various particle species (ω - k circ V d - k parallel v parallel ) and reduces the Landau damping of the kinetic Alfven wave, allowing it to propagate to the k parallel = 0 location

Plasma Turbulence Suppression and Transport Barrier Formation by Externally Driven RF Waves in Spherical Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.C.; Komoshvili, K.

2002-01-01

Turbulent transport of heat and particles is the principle obstacle confronting controlled fusion today. Thus, we investigate quantitatively the suppression of turbulence and formation of transport barriers in spherical tokamaks by sheared electric fields generated by externally driven radio-frequency (RF) waves, in the frequency range o)A n o] < o)ci (e)A and o)ci are the Alfven and ion cyclotron frequencies). This investigation consists of the solution of the full-wave equation for a spherical tokamak in the presence of externally driven fast waves and the evaluation of the power dissipation by the mode-converted Alfven waves. This in turn, provides a radial flow shear responsible for the suppression of plasma turbulence. Thus, a strongly non-linear equation for the radial sheared electric field is solved, the turbulent transport suppression rate is evaluated and compared with the ion temperature gradient (ITG) instability increment. For illustration, the case of START-like device (Sykes 2000) is treated. Thus, (i) the exact D-shape cross-section is considered; (ii) additional kinetic (including Landau damping) and particle trapping effects are added to the resistive two-fluid dielectric tensor operator; (iii) a finite extension antenna located on the low-field-side of the plasma is considered; (iv) a rigorous 2.5 finite elements numerical code (Sewell 1993) is used; and (v) the turbulence and transport barrier generated as a result of wave-plasma interaction is evaluated

Fast Magnetosonic Waves Observed by Van Allen Probes: Testing Local Wave Excitation Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Min, Kyungguk; Liu, Kaijun; Wang, Xueyi; Chen, Lunjin; Denton, Richard E.

2018-01-01

Linear Vlasov theory and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations for electromagnetic fluctuations in a homogeneous, magnetized, and collisionless plasma are used to investigate a fast magnetosonic wave event observed by the Van Allen Probes. The fluctuating magnetic field observed exhibits a series of spectral peaks at harmonics of the proton cyclotron frequency Ωp and has a dominant compressional component, which can be classified as fast magnetosonic waves. Furthermore, the simultaneously observed proton phase space density exhibits positive slopes in the perpendicular velocity space, ∂fp/∂v⊥>0, which can be a source for these waves. Linear theory analyses and PIC simulations use plasma and field parameters measured in situ except that the modeled proton distribution is modified to have larger ∂fp/∂v⊥ under the assumption that the observed distribution corresponds to a marginally stable state when the distribution has already been scattered by the excited waves. The results show that the positive slope is the source of the proton cyclotron harmonic waves at propagation quasi-perpendicular to the background magnetic field, and as a result of interactions with the excited waves the evolving proton distribution progresses approximately toward the observed distribution.

Drift-Alfven waves induced optical emission fluctuations in Aditya tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manchanda, R.; Ghosh, J.; Chattopadhyay, P. K.; Chowdhuri, M. B.; Banerjee, Santanu; Ramasubramanian, N.; Patel, Ketan M.; Kumar, Vinay; Vasu, P.; Tanna, R. L.; Paradkar, B.; Gupta, C. N.; Bhatt, S. B.; Raju, D.; Jha, R.; Atrey, P. K.; Joisa, S.; Rao, C. V. S.; Saxena, Y. C.

2010-01-01

In Aditya tokamak [S. B. Bhatt et al. Indian J. Pure Appl. Phys. 27, 710 (1989)], an increase in the H α and C 2+ intensity fluctuations from the edge region is observed with an increase in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activity. Very small fluctuation amplitudes of H α and C 2+ intensity are observed in discharges where there is no MHD activity compared to the discharges with MHD activity. These fluctuations in the H α and C 2+ , measured by optical filter--photomultiplier tube combination--are modulated by Mirnov oscillations having a dominant peak with a common frequency ∼7-10 kHz. Further investigation reveals the presence of strong coherent fluctuations in density and floating potential at same frequency as well. These observations indicate the existence of a nonelectrostatic instability, which may be based on the coupled mode of the drift mode and the Alfven mode. The coherent density fluctuations give rise to the experimentally observed coherent H α and C 2+ intensity fluctuations.

Second harmonic ion cylotron resonance heating by the fast magnetosonic wave on the PLT tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, H.R. Jr.

1984-01-01

Second harmonic ion cyclotron resonance heating by the fast magnetosonic wave, and the propagation of the fast wave from the fundamental of the ion cyclotron frequency to its second harmonic was investigated in a hydrogen plasma on the PLT tokamak. The theory of fast magnetosonic wave propagation was extended to include the effects of density gradients, plasma current, and impurity ion species. The damping of the fast wave at the second harmonic is calculated, where the theory has been extended to include the full radial dependence of the fast wave fields. Power deposition profiles and eigenmode Q's are calculated using this theory. The effects of the interaction between the ion Bernstein wave and the fast magnetosonic wave are calculated, and enhanced fast wave damping is predicted. The antenna loading is calculated including the effects of overlap of the fast wave eigenmodes. During the second harmonic heating experiments, the antenna loading was characterized as a function of the plasma parameters, and efficient coupling of the RF power to the plasma at high density was observed. At very low densities, fast wave eigenmodes were identified on PLT, and their Q's are measured. Eigenmodes with different toroidal directions of propagation were observed to exhibit large splitting in density due to the plasma current. Efficient bulk heating, with centrally peaked profiles, is observed at the second harmonic, and a tail, which decreases monotonically with energy, is observed on the ion distribution

Parasitic excitation of ion Bernstein waves from a Faraday shielded fast wave loop antenna

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skiff, F.; Ono, M.; Colestock, P.; Wong, K.L.

1984-12-01

Parasitic excitation of ion Bernstein waves is observed from a Faraday shielded fast wave loop antenna in the ion cyclotron frequency range. Local analysis of the Vlasov-Maxwell equations demonstrates the role of plasma density gradient in the coupling process. The effects of plasma density and of parallel wave number on the excitation process are investigated

Fast wave current drive on ITER in the presence of energetic alphas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mau, T.K.

1989-01-01

The impact of energetic alpha particle wave absorption on the range of frequencies for efficient fast wave current drive in an ITER-like fusion reactor core is investigated. The energetic alpha damping decrement is calculated, using an exact slowing down distribution function, and compared to electron and fuel ion damping over a wide range of frequencies. A combination of strong alpha damping and edge electron absorption in the higher ion harmonic regime limits efficient core fast wave current drive to the lower harmonics (1=2.3). However, high frequency fast waves may be employed to generate current in the outer plasma region. 11 refs., 7 figs

The Potential for Ambient Plasma Wave Propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Gilland, James H.; Williams, George J.

2016-01-01

A truly robust space exploration program will need to make use of in-situ resources as much as possible to make the endeavor affordable. Most space propulsion concepts are saddled with one fundamental burden; the propellant needed to produce momentum. The most advanced propulsion systems currently in use utilize electric and/or magnetic fields to accelerate ionized propellant. However, significant planetary exploration missions in the coming decades, such as the now canceled Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, are restricted by propellant mass and propulsion system lifetimes, using even the most optimistic projections of performance. These electric propulsion vehicles are inherently limited in flexibility at their final destination, due to propulsion system wear, propellant requirements, and the relatively low acceleration of the vehicle. A few concepts are able to utilize the environment around them to produce thrust: Solar or magnetic sails and, with certain restrictions, electrodynamic tethers. These concepts focus primarily on using the solar wind or ambient magnetic fields to generate thrust. Technically immature, quasi-propellantless alternatives lack either the sensitivity or the power to provide significant maneuvering. An additional resource to be considered is the ambient plasma and magnetic fields in solar and planetary magnetospheres. These environments, such as those around the Sun or Jupiter, have been shown to host a variety of plasma waves. Plasma wave propulsion takes advantage of an observed astrophysical and terrestrial phenomenon: Alfven waves. These are waves that propagate in the plasma and magnetic fields around and between planets and stars. The generation of Alfven waves in ambient magnetic and plasma fields to generate thrust is proposed as a truly propellantless propulsion system which may enable an entirely new matrix of exploration missions. Alfven waves are well known, transverse electromagnetic waves that propagate in magnetized plasmas at

Alfv?nic Instabilities and Fast Ion Transport in the DIII-D Tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Zeeland, M; Heidbrink, W; Nazikian, R; Austin, M; Berk, H; Gorelenkov, N; Holcomb, C; Kramer, G; Lohr, J; Luo, Y; Makowski, M; McKee, G; Petty, C; Prater, R; Solomon, W; White, R

2008-10-14

Neutral beam injection into reversed magnetic shear DIII-D plasmas produces a variety of Alfvenic activity including Toroidicity and Ellipticity induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE/EAE, respectively) and Reversed Shear Alfven Eigenmodes (RSAE) as well as their spatial coupling. These modes are typically studied during the discharge current ramp phase when incomplete current penetration results in a high central safety factor and strong drive due to multiple higher order resonances. During this same time period Fast-Ion D{sub {alpha}} (FIDA) spectroscopy shows that the central fast ion profile is flattened, the degree of which depends on the Alfven eigenmode amplitude. Interestingly, localized electron cyclotron heating (ECH) near the mode location stabilizes RSAE activity and results in significantly improved fast ion confinement relative to discharges with ECH deposition on axis. In these discharges, RSAE activity is suppressed when ECH is deposited near the radius of the shear reversal point and enhanced with deposition near the axis. To simulate the observed neutral beam ion redistribution, NOVA calculations of the 3D eigenmode structures are matched with experimental measurements and used in combination with the ORBIT guiding center following code. For fixed frequency eigenmodes, it is found that ORBIT calculations cannot explain the observed beam ion transport with experimentally measured mode amplitudes. Possible explanations are considered including recent simulation results incorporating eigenmodes with time dependent frequencies.

KINETIC THEORY OF PLASMA WAVES: Part II: Homogeneous Plasma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westerhof, E.

2010-01-01

The theory of electromagnetic waves in a homogeneous plasma is reviewed. The linear response of the plasma to the waves is obtained in the form of the dielectric tensor. Waves ranging from the low frequency Alfven to the high frequency electron cyclotron waves are discussed in the limit of the cold

Kinetic theory of plasma waves: Part II homogeneous plasma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westerhof, E.

2000-01-01

The theory of electromagnetic waves in a homogeneous plasma is reviewed. The linear response of the plasma to the waves is obtained in the form of the dielectric tensor. Waves ranging from the low frequency Alfven to the high frequency electron cyclotron waves are discussed in the limit of the cold

Kinetic theory of plasma waves - Part II: Homogeneous plasma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westerhof, E.

2008-01-01

The theory of electromagnetic waves in a homogeneous plasma is reviewed. The linear response of the plasma to the waves is obtained in the form of the dielectric tensor. Waves ranging from the low frequency Alfven to the high frequency electron cyclotron waves axe discussed in the limit of the cold

Current drive with fast waves, electron cyclotron waves, and neutral injection in the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.

1993-01-01

Current drive experiments have been performed on the DIII-D tokamak using fast waves, electron cyclotron waves, and neutral injection. Fast wave experiments were performed using a 4-strap antenna with 1 MW of power at 60 MHz. These experiments showed effective heating of electrons, with a global heating efficiency equivalent to that of neutral injection even when the single pass damping was calculated to be as small as 5%. The damping was probably due to the effect of multiple passes of the wave through the plasma. Fast wave current drive experiments were performed with a toroidally directional phasing of the antenna straps. Currents driven by fast wave current drive (FWCD) in the direction of the main plasma current of up to 100 kA were found, not including a calculated 40 kA of bootstrap current. Experiments with FWCD in the counter current direction showed little current drive. In both cases, changes in the sawtooth behavior and the internal inductance qualitatively support the measurement of FWCD. Experiments on electron cyclotron current drive have shown that 100 kA of current can be driven by 1 MW of power at 60 GHz. Calculations with a Fokker-Planck code show that electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) can be well predicted when the effects of electron trapping and of the residual electric field are included. Experiments on driving current with neutral injection showed that effective current drive could be obtained and discharges with full current drive were demonstrated. Interestingly, all of these methods of current drive had about the same efficiency. (Author)

Simulation study of energetic ion transport due to Alfven eigenmodes in LHD plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Yasushi; Nakajima, Noriyoshi; Osakabe, Masaki; Yamamoto, Satoshi; Spong, Donald A.

2008-01-01

The creation of holes and clumps in an energetic ion energy spectrum associated with Alfven eigenmodes was examined using the neutral particle analyzer (NPA) on the LHD shot no.47645. The difference in slowing-down times between the holes and clumps suggested that the energetic ions were transported over 10% of the plasma minor radius. The spatial profile and frequency of the Alfven eigenmodes were analyzed with the AE3D code. The phase space structures of the energetic ions on the NPA line-of-sight were investigated with Poincare plots, where an oscillating Alfven eigenmode was employed for earth plot. The phase space regions trapped by the Alfven eigenmodes appeared as islands in the Poincare plots. The radial width of the islands corresponded to the transport distance of the energetic ions. Since island width depends on Alfven eigenmode amplitude, it was found that Alfven eigenmodes with amplitude δB r /B - 10 -3 transported energetic ions over 10% of the minor radius. (author)

Nonlinear gyrokinetic equations for low-frequency electromagnetic waves in general plasma equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frieman, E.A.; Chen, L.

1981-10-01

A nonlinear gyrokinetic formalism for low-frequency (less than the cyclotron frequency) microscopic electromagnetic perturbations in general magnetic field configurations is developed. The nonlinear equations thus derived are valid in the strong-turbulence regime and contain effects due to finite Larmor radius, plasma inhomogeneities, and magentic field geometries. The specific case of axisymmetric tokamaks is then considered, and a model nonlinear equation is derived for electrostatic drift waves. Also, applying the formalism to the shear Alfven wave heating sceme, it is found that nonlinear ion Landau damping of kinetic shear-Alfven waves is modified, both qualitatively and quantitatively, by the diamagnetic drift effects. In particular, wave energy is found to cascade in wavenumber instead of frequency

Current drive with fast waves, electron cyclotron waves, and neutral injection in the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Chiu, S.C.; deGrassie, J.S.; Harvey, R.W.; Ikel, H.; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Luce, T.C.; James, R.A.; Porkolab, M.; Baity, F.W.; Goulding, R.H.; Hoffmann, D.J.; Kawashima, H.; Trukhin, V.

1992-09-01

Current drive experiments have been performed on the DIII-D tokamak using fast waves, electron cyclotron waves, and neutral injection. Fast wave experiments were performed using a 4-strap antenna with 1 MW of power at 60 MHz. These experiments showed effective heating of electrons, with a global heating efficiency equivalent to that of neutral injection even when the single pass damping was calculated to be as small as 5%. The damping was probably due to the effect of multiple passes of the wave through the plasma. Fast wave current drive experiments were performed with a toroidally directional phasing of the antenna straps. Currents driven by fast wave current drive (FWCD) in the direction of the main plasma current of up to 100 kA were found, not including a calculated 40 kA of bootstrap current. Experiments with FWCD in the counter current direction showed little current drive. In both cases, changes in the sawtooth behavior and the internal inductance qualitatively support the measurement of FWCD. Experiments on electron cyclotron current drive have shown that 100 kA of current can be driven by 1 MW of power at 60 GHz. Calculations with a Fokker-Planck code show that electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) can be well predicted when the effects of electron trapping and of the residual electric field are included. Experiments on driving current with neutral injection showed that effective current drive could be obtained and discharges with full current drive were demonstrated. Interestingly, all of these methods of current drive had about the same efficiency, 0.015 x 10 20 MA/MW/m 2

Fast wave current drive in neutral beam heated plasmas on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Forest, C.B.; Pinsker, R.I.

1997-04-01

The physics of non-inductive current drive and current profile control using the fast magnetosonic wave has been demonstrated on the DIII-D tokamak. In non-sawtoothing discharges formed by neutral beam injection (NBI), the radial profile of the fast wave current drive (FWCD) was determined by the response of the loop voltage profile to co, counter, and symmetric antenna phasings, and was found to be in good agreement with theoretical models. The application of counter FWCD increased the magnetic shear reversal of the plasma and delayed the onset of sawteeth, compared to co FWCD. The partial absorption of fast waves by energetic beam ions at high harmonics of the ion cyclotron frequency was also evident from a build up of fast particle pressure near the magnetic axis and a correlated increase in the neutron rate. The anomalous fast particle pressure and neutron rate increased with increasing NBI power and peaked when a harmonic of the deuterium cyclotron frequency passed through the center of the plasma. The experimental FWCD efficiency was highest at 2 T where the interaction between the fast waves and the beam ions was weakest; as the magnetic field strength was lowered, the FWCD efficiency decreased to approximately half of the maximum theoretical value

Beta-induced Alfven-acoustic Eigenmodes in NSTX and DIII-D Driven by Beam Ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.; Van Zeeland, M.A.; Berk, H.L.; Crocker, N.A.; Darrow, D.; Fredrickson, E.; Fu, G.-Y.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Menard, J.; Nazikian, R.

2009-01-01

Kinetic theory and experimental observations of a special class of energetic particle driven instabilities called here Beta-induced Alfven-Acoustic Eigenmodes (BAAE) are reported confirming previous results [N.N. Gorelenkov H.L. Berk, N.A. Crocker et. al. Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 49 B371 (2007)] The kinetic theory is based on the ballooning dispersion relation where the drift frequency effects are retained. BAAE gaps are recovered in kinetic theory. It is shown that the observed certain low-frequency instabilities on DIII-D [J.L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42 614 (2002)] and National Spherical Torus Experiment [M. Ono, S.M. Kaye, Y.-K M. Peng et. al., Nucl. Fusion 40 3Y 557 (2000)] are consistent with their identification as BAAEs. BAAEs deteriorated the fast ion confinement in DIII-D and can have a similar effect in next-step fusion plasmas, especially if excited together with multiple global Toroidicity-induced shear Alfven Eigenmode (TAE) instabilities. BAAEs can also be used to diagnose safety factor profiles, a technique known as magnetohydrodynamic spectroscopy

Beta-induced Alfven-acousti Eigenmodes in NSTX and DIII-D Driven by Beam Ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorelenkov, N. N.; Van Zeeland, M. A.; Berk, H. L.; Crocker, N. A.; Darrow, D.; Fredrickson, E.; Fu, G. Y.; Heidbrink, W. W.; Menard, J.; Nazikian, R.

2009-03-06

Kinetic theory and experimental observations of a special class of energetic particle driven instabilities called here Beta-induced Alfven-Acoustic Eigenmodes (BAAE) are reported confirming previous results [N.N. Gorelenkov H.L. Berk, N.A. Crocker et. al. Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 49 B371 (2007)] The kinetic theory is based on the ballooning dispersion relation where the drift frequency effects are retained. BAAE gaps are recovered in kinetic theory. It is shown that the observed certain low-frequency instabilities on DIII-D [J.L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42 614 (2002)] and National Spherical Torus Experiment [M. Ono, S.M. Kaye, Y.-K M. Peng et. al., Nucl. Fusion 40 3Y 557 (2000)] are consistent with their identification as BAAEs. BAAEs deteriorated the fast ion confinement in DIII-D and can have a similar effect in next-step fusion plasmas, especially if excited together with multiple global Toroidicity-induced shear Alfven Eigenmode (TAE) instabilities. BAAEs can also be used to diagnose safety factor profiles, a technique known as magnetohydrodynamic spectroscopy.

Resonant interaction of energetic ions with Alfven-like perturbations in stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karulin, N.; Wobig, H.

1994-04-01

The modification of passing guiding center orbits of 3.5 MeV alpha particles and 45 keV protons in the presence of global Alfven eigenmodes (GAE's) is studied in modular advanced stellarators. It is found that if resonances between particles and waves occur, drift surfaces form a set of island structures. The mode numbers of the perturbations, which are dangerous for the energetic particle confinement, are discussed for two particular stellarators (Helias reactor and Wendelstein 7-AS). The perturbation amplitudes corresponding to the onset of orbit stochasticity are studied numerically. The coefficient of the collisionless stochastic diffusion is estimated using the island width derived analytically. (orig.)

Evolution of Eigenmodes of the Mhd-Waveguide in the Outer Magnetosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Chuiko, Daniil

EVOLUTION OF EIGENMODES OF THE MHD-WAVEGUIDE IN THE OUTER MAGNETOSPHERE Mazur V.A., Chuiko D.A. Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics, Irkutsk, Russia. Geomagnetic field and plasma inhomogeneties in the outer equatorial part of the magnetosphere al-lows for existence of a channel with low Alfven speeds, which spans from the nose to the far flanks of the magnetosphere, in the morning as well as in the evening sectors. This channel plays a role of a waveguide for fast magnetosonic waves. When an eigenmode travels along the waveguide (i.e. in the azimuthal direction) it undergoes certain evolution. The parameters of the waveguide are changing along the way of wave’s propagation and the eigenmode “adapts” to these parameters. Conditions of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability are changing due to the increment in the solar wind speed along the magnetopause. The conditions of the solar wind hydromagnetic waves penetration to the magnetosphere are changing due to the same increment. As such, the process of the penetration turns to overreflection regime, which abruptly increases the pump level of the magnetospheric waveguide. There is an Alfven resonance deep within the magnetosphere, which corresponds to the propagation of the fast mode along the waveguide. Oscillation energy dissipation takes place in the vicinity of the Alfven resonance. Alfven resonance is a standing Alfven wave along the magnetic field lines, so it reaches the ionosphere and the Earth surface, when the fast modes of the waveguide, localized in the low Alfven speed channel cannot be observed on Earth. The evolution of the waveguide oscillation propagating from the nose to the far tail is theoretically investigated in this work with consideration of all aforementioned effects. The spatial structure var-iation character, spectral composition and amplitude along the waveguide are found.

Non-linear Dynamics Of Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes On The National Spherical Torus Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Podesta, M; Crocker, N A; Fredrickson, E D; Gorelenkov, N N; Heidbrink, W W; Kubota, S; LeBlanc, B P

2011-04-26

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX, [M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)]) routinely operates with neutral beam injection as the primary system for heating and current drive. The resulting fast ion population is super-Alfv enic, with velocities 1 < vfast=vAlfven < 5. This provides a strong drive for toroidicity-induced Alfv en eigenmodes (TAEs). As the discharge evolves, the fast ion population builds up and TAEs exhibit increasing bursts in amplitude and down-chirps in frequency, which eventually lead to a so-called TAE avalanche. Avalanches cause large (≤ 30%) fast ion losses over ~ 1 ms, as inferred from the neutron rate. The increased fast ion losses correlate with a stronger activity in the TAE band. In addition, it is shown that a n = 1 mode with frequency well below the TAE gap appears in the Fourier spectrum of magnetic fluctuations as a result of non-linear mode coupling between TAEs during avalanche events. The non-linear coupling between modes, which leads to enhanced fast ion transport during avalanches, is investigated.

Experimentally determined profiles of fast wave current drive on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forest, C.B.; Petty, C.C.; Baity, F.W.; Chiu, S.C.; deGrassie, J.S.; Groebner, R.J.; Ikezi, H.; Jaeger, E.F.; Kupfer, K.; Murakami, M.; Pinsker, R.I.; Prater, R.; Rice, B.W.; Wade, M.R.; Whyte, D.G.

1996-01-01

Profiles of non-inductive current driven by fast waves have been determined for reversed-shear DIII-D discharges. Both the current profile and toroidal electric field profile are determined from time sequences of equilibrium reconstructions [C. B. Forest et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2224 (1994)]. Using this information, the measured current profile has been separated into inductive and non-inductive portions. By comparing similar discharges with co and counter antenna phasings and similar fast wave power, the portion of the total non-inductive current driven by fast waves was determined. The experimentally determined profiles of FWCD are in general agreement with theoretical predictions. Specifically, 135 kA was driven by 1.4 MW of rf power with a profile peaked inside ρ=2. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Low-frequency current drive and helicity injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, V.S.; Miller, R.L.; Ohkawa, T.

1990-01-01

For ω much-lt Ω i , where Ω i is the ion cyclotron frequency, circularly polarized waves can drive current far exceeding the current resulting from linearly polarized waves. Further, the efficiency can be independent of plasma density. In some cases, this circular polarization may be interpreted in terms of helicity injection. For tokamak applications, where the wavenumber in the toroidal direction is a real quantity, wave helicity is injected only with finite E z waves, where z is the direction of the static magnetic field. The Alfven waves are possible current drive candidates but, in the cylindrical model considered, the compressional wave is weakly damped because E z =0, while the shear Alfven wave is totally absorbed at the surface because of finite E z . A mixture of the two modes is shown to drive an oscillatory surface current even though the efficiency is high and independent of density. A more promising current drive candidate is a fast wave that propagates to the plasma interior and is damped by the minority cyclotron resonance. Near the minority mode conversion region, the fast wave is left-handed circularly polarized and it has a small but finite E z component at high electron temperatures. The current drive efficiency, although not as high as that of the Alfven wave, is still good and independent of density, making it attractive for fusion reactors

Turbulence Scattering of High Harmonic Fast Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

M. Ono; J. Hosea; B. LeBlanc; J. Menard; C.K. Phillips; R. Wilson; P. Ryan; D. Swain; J. Wilgen; S. Kubota; and T.K. Mau

2001-01-01

Effect of scattering of high-harmonic fast-magnetosonic waves (HHFW) by low-frequency plasma turbulence is investigated. Due to the similarity of the wavelength of HHFW to that of the expected low-frequency turbulence in the plasma edge region, the scattering of HHFW can become significant under some conditions. The scattering probability increases with the launched wave parallel-phase-velocity as the location of the wave cut-off layer shifts toward the lower density edge. The scattering probability can be reduced significantly with higher edge plasma temperature, steeper edge density gradient, and magnetic field. The theoretical model could explain some of the HHFW heating observations on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX)

Spectral Effects on Fast Wave Core Heating and Current Drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, C.K.; Bell, R.E.; Berry, L.A.; Bonoli, P.T.; Harvey, R.W.; Hosea, J.C.; Jaeger, E.F.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Ryan, P.M.; Taylor, G.; Valeo, E.J.; Wilson, J.R.; Wright, J.C.; Yuh, H. and the NSTX Team

2009-01-01

Recent results obtained with high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating and current drive (CD) on NSTX strongly support the hypothesis that the onset of perpendicular fast wave propagation right at or very near the launcher is a primary cause for a reduction in core heating efficiency at long wavelengths that is also observed in ICRF heating experiments in numerous tokamaks. A dramatic increase in core heating efficiency was first achieved in NSTX L-mode helium majority plasmas when the onset for perpendicular wave propagation was moved away from the antenna and nearby vessel structures. Efficient core heating in deuterium majority L mode and H mode discharges, in which the edge density is typically higher than in comparable helium majority plasmas, was then accomplished by reducing the edge density in front of the launcher with lithium conditioning and avoiding operational points prone to instabilities. These results indicate that careful tailoring of the edge density profiles in ITER should be considered to limit rf power losses to the antenna and plasma facing materials. Finally, in plasmas with reduced rf power losses in the edge regions, the first direct measurements of high harmonic fast wave current drive were obtained with the motional Stark effect (MSE) diagnostic. The location and radial dependence of HHFW CD measured by MSE are in reasonable agreement with predictions from both full wave and ray tracing simulations

Solitons and nonlinear waves in space plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stasiewicz, K.

2005-01-01

Recent measurements made on the ESA/NASA Cluster mission to the Earth's magnetosphere have provided first detailed measurements of magnetosonic solitons in space. The solitons represent localized enhancements of the magnetic field by a factor of 2-10, or depressions down to 10% of the ambient field. The magnetic field signatures are associated with density depressions/enhancements A two-fluid model of nonlinear electron and ion inertial waves in anisotropic plasmas explains the main properties of these structures. It is shown that warm plasmas support four types of nonlinear waves, which correspond to four linear modes: Alfvenic, magnetosonic, sound, and electron inertial waves. Each of these nonlinear modes has slow and fast versions. It is shown by direct integration that the exponential growth rate of nonlinear modes is balanced by the ion and electron dispersion leading to solutions in the form of trains of solitons or cnoidal waves. By using a novel technique of phase portraits it is shown how the dispersive properties of electron and ion inertial waves change at the transition between warm and hot plasmas, and how trains of solitons ('' mirror modes '') are produced in a hot, anisotropic plasma. The applicability of the model is illustrated with data from Cluster spacecraft. (author)

A new formulation of theta pinch implosions - a collisionless wave model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsui, K.H.

Previous work in theta pinch implosions is characterized by anomalous resistivity owing its origin to plasma instabilities. A diametrically opposite collisionless model is proposed here that consists of an inhomogeneous wave equation. The electron velocities are solved by guiding center approximation. This model offers qualitative explanations to various effects like experimental Alfven scaling law, Alfven penetration time, sheath thickness, shock formation, shock width, piston thickness, Alfven Mach number. Although collision is not essential, the plasma has an apparent resistivity with an effective collision frequency of roughly the same as those anomalous ones used in turbulent model. (Author) [pt

Excitation of global Alfven Eigenmodes by RF heating in JET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kerner, W; Borba, D; Gormezano, C; Huysmans, G; Porcelli, F; Start, D [Commission of the European Communities, Abingdon (United Kingdom). JET Joint Undertaking; Fasoli, A [Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne (Switzerland). Centre de Recherche en Physique des Plasma (CRPP); Sharapov, S [Kurchatov Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1994-07-01

The alpha-particle confinement of future D-T experiments at JET can be severely degraded by Global Alfven Eigenmodes (AE). Scenarios for the excitation of Alfven Eigenmodes in usual (e.g. D-D) plasmas are proposed, which provide a MHD diagnostic and allow the study of the transport of super-Alfvenic ions. Active studies with separate control of TAE amplitude and energetic particle destabilization, measuring the plasma response, give more information than passive studies, in particular concerning the damping mechanisms. The TAE excitation can be achieved by means of the saddle coil and the ICRH antenna. The experimental method is introduced together with a theoretical model for RF excitation. (authors). 6 refs., 3 figs.

Nuclear Burning Wave Modular Fast Reactor Concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kodochigov, N.G.; Sukharev, Yu.P.

2014-01-01

The necessity to provide nuclear power industry, comparable in a scope with power industry based on a traditional fuel, inspired studies of an open-cycle fast reactor aimed at: - solution of the problem of fuel provision by implementing the highest breeding characteristics of new fissile materials of raw isotopes in a fast reactor and applying accumulated fissile isotopes in the same reactor, independently on a spent fuel reprocessing rate in the external fuel cycle; - application of natural or depleted uranium for makeup fuel, which, with no spent fuel reprocessing, forms the most favorable non-proliferation conditions; - application of inherent properties of the core and reactor for safety provision. The present report, based on previously published papers, gives the theoretical backgrounds of the concept of the reactor with a nuclear burning wave, in which an enriched-fuel core (driver) is replaced by a blanket, and basic conditions for nuclear burning wave initiating and keeping are shown. (author)

Fast surface waves in an ideal Hall-magnetohydrodynamic plasma slab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhelyazkov, I.; Debosscher, A.; Goossens, M.

1996-01-01

The propagation of fast sausage and kink magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) surface waves in an ideal magnetized plasma slab is studied taking into account the Hall term in the generalized Ohm close-quote s law. It is found that the Hall effect modifies the dispersion characteristics of MHD surface modes when the Hall term scaling length is not negligible (less than, but comparable to the slab thickness). The dispersion relations for both modes have been derived for parallel propagation (along the ambient equilibrium magnetic field lines).The Hall term imposes some limits on the possible wave number range. It turns out that the space distribution of almost all perturbed quantities in sausage and kink surface waves with Hall effect is rather complicated as compared to that of usual fast MHD surface waves. The applicability to solar wind aspects of the results obtained, is briefly discussed. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Development of a spatially uniform fast ionization wave in a large-volume discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zatsepin, D.V.; Starikovskaya, S.M.; Starikovskii, A.Yu.

1998-01-01

A study is made of a high-voltage nanosecond breakdown in the form of a fast ionization wave produced in a large-volume (401) discharge chamber. The propagation speed of the wave front and the integral energy deposition in a plasma are measured for various regimes of the air discharge at pressures of 10 -2 -4 Torr. A high degree of both the spatial uniformity of the discharge and the reproducibility of the discharge parameters is obtained. The possibility of the development of a fast ionization wave in an electrodeless system is demonstrated. A transition of the breakdown occurring in the form of a fast ionization wave into the streamer breakdown is observed. It is shown that such discharges are promising for technological applications

Geometry of fast magnetosonic rays, wavefronts and shock waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Núñez, Manuel, E-mail: mnjmhd@am.uva.es

2016-11-25

Fast magnetosonic waves in a two-dimensional plasma are studied in the geometrical optics approximation. The geometry of rays and wavefronts influences decisively the formation and ulterior evolution of shock waves. It is shown that the curvature of the curve where rays start and the angle between rays and wavefronts are the main parameters governing a wide variety of possible outcomes. - Highlights: • Magnetosonic waves are studied in a genuinely multidimensional setting. • Curvature and the angle between rays and wavefronts are the main parameters. • Shock waves may exist or not, depending on initial conditions. • Both velocity and shape of those waves present a large variety of possible outcomes.

Mode conversion of fast Alfvacute en waves at the ion endash ion hybrid resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ram, A.K.; Bers, A.; Schultz, S.D.; Fuchs, V.

1996-01-01

Substantial radio-frequency power in the ion-cyclotron range of frequencies can be effectively coupled to a tokamak plasma from poloidal current strap antennas at the plasma edge. If there exists an ion endash ion hybrid resonance inside the plasma, then some of the power from the antenna, delivered into the plasma by fast Alfvacute en waves, can be mode converted to ion-Bernstein waves. In tokamak confinement fields the mode-converted ion-Bernstein waves can damp effectively and locally on electrons [A. K. Ram and A. Bers, Phys. Fluids B 3, 1059 (1991)]. The usual mode-conversion analysis that studies the propagation of fast Alfvacute en waves in the immediate vicinity of the ion endash ion hybrid resonance is extended to include the propagation and reflection of the fast Alfvacute en waves on the high magnetic-field side of the ion endash ion hybrid resonance. It is shown that there exist plasma conditions for which the entire fast Alfvacute en wave power incident on the ion endash ion hybrid resonance can be converted to ion-Bernstein waves. In this extended analysis of the mode conversion process, the fast Alfvacute en waves can be envisioned as being coupled to an internal plasma resonator. This resonator extends from the low magnetic-field cutoff near the ion endash ion hybrid resonance to the high magnetic-field cutoff. The condition for 100% mode conversion corresponds to a critical coupling of the fast Alfvacute en waves to this internal resonator. As an example, the appropriate plasma conditions for 100% mode conversion are determined for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [R. Majeski et al., Proceedings of the 11th Topical Conference on RF Power in Plasmas, Palm Springs (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1995), Vol. 355, p. 63] experimental parameters. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Geometrical and profile effects on toroidicity and ellipticity induced Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villard, L.; Fu, G.Y.

1992-04-01

The wave structures, eigenfrequencies and damping rates of toroidicity and ellipticity induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE, EAE) of low toroidal mode numbers (n) are calculated in various axisymmetric ideal MHD equilibria with the global wave finite element code LION. The importance of safety factor (q) and density (ρ) profiles on continuum damping rates is analysed. For realistic profiles several continuum gaps exist in the plasma discharge. Frequency misalignment of these gaps yields continuum damping rates γ/ω of the order of a few percent. Finite β pol lowers the TAE eigenfrequency. For β values below the Troyon limit the TAE enters the continuum and can thus be stabilized. Finite elongation allows the EAE to exist but triangularity can have a stabilizing effect through coupling to the continuum. The localization of TAE and EAE eigenfunctions is found to increase with the shear and with n. Therefore large shear, through enhanced Landau and collisional damping, is a stabilizing factor for TAE and EAE modes. (author) 16 figs., 28 refs

Peculiarities of destabilization of Alfven modes by energetic ions in stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lutsenko, V.V.; Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Yakovenko, Yu.V.; Fesenyuk, O.P.; Weller, A.; Werner, A.; Wobig, H.

2003-01-01

Alfven Eigenmodes (AE) associated with the breaking of the axial symmetry in stellarators are considered. Specific calculations are carried out for the Helias reactor HSR4/18. An explanation of the temporal evolution of Alfvenic activity observed in experiments on W7-AS is suggested. (author)

Impulsive Alfven coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, R.V.; Watanabe, K.; Sato, T.; Watanabe, T.H.

1994-04-01

Basic properties of the impulsive Alfven interaction between the magnetosphere and ionosphere have been studied by means of a three-dimensional self-consistent simulation of the coupled magnetosphere and ionosphere system. It is found that the duration time of an impulsive perturbation at the magnetospheric equator, the latitudinal distribution of the Alfven propagation time along the field lines, and the ratio between the magnetospheric impedance and the ionospheric resistance is the main key factors that determine the propagation dynamics and the ionospheric responses for an impulsive MHD perturbation in the magnetosphere. (author)

Hamiltonian analysis of fast wave current drive in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becoulet, A; Fraboulet, D; Giruzzi, G; Moreau, D; Saoutic, B [Association Euratom-CEA, Centre d` Etudes de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France). Dept. de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee; Chinardet, J [CISI Ingenierie, Centre d` Etudes de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

1993-12-01

The Hamiltonian formalism is used to analyze the direct resonant interaction between the fast magnetosonic wave and the electrons in a tokamak plasma. The intrinsic stochasticity of the electron phase space trajectories is derived, and together with extrinsic de-correlation processes, assesses the validity of the quasilinear approximation for the kinetic studies of fast wave current drive (FWCD). A full-wave resolution of the Maxwell-Vlasov set of equations provides the exact pattern of the wave fields in a complete tokamak geometry, for a realistic antenna spectrum. The local quasilinear diffusion tensor is derived from the wave fields, and is used for a computation of the driven current and deposited power profiles, the current drive efficiency, including possible non-linear effects in the kinetic equation. Several applications of FWCD on existing and future machines are given, as well as results concerning combination of FWCD with other non inductive current drive methods. An analytical expression for the current drive efficiency is given in the high single-pass absorption regimes. (authors). 20 figs., 1 tab., 26 refs.

Hamiltonian analysis of fast wave current drive in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becoulet, A.; Fraboulet, D.; Giruzzi, G.; Moreau, D.; Saoutic, B.

1993-12-01

The Hamiltonian formalism is used to analyze the direct resonant interaction between the fast magnetosonic wave and the electrons in a tokamak plasma. The intrinsic stochasticity of the electron phase space trajectories is derived, and together with extrinsic de-correlation processes, assesses the validity of the quasilinear approximation for the kinetic studies of fast wave current drive (FWCD). A full-wave resolution of the Maxwell-Vlasov set of equations provides the exact pattern of the wave fields in a complete tokamak geometry, for a realistic antenna spectrum. The local quasilinear diffusion tensor is derived from the wave fields, and is used for a computation of the driven current and deposited power profiles, the current drive efficiency, including possible non-linear effects in the kinetic equation. Several applications of FWCD on existing and future machines are given, as well as results concerning combination of FWCD with other non inductive current drive methods. An analytical expression for the current drive efficiency is given in the high single-pass absorption regimes. (authors). 20 figs., 1 tab., 26 refs

Microstructure of the interplanetary magnetic field near 4 and 5 AU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, G.D.

1980-01-01

Seventy-two days of vector magnetic field measurements from Pioneer 10 and 11 are analyzed for information about magnetic field fluctuations in the quiet solar wind near 4 and 5 AU. Calculated as functions of frequency over the range 4 x 10 -5 to 9 x 10 -3 Hz, directional properties of magnetic field fluctuations are presented and are discussed with reference to theoretical predictions for MHD plane waves. The distributions of maximum variance directions computed from approx. =500 spectral matrices for each spacecraft are peaked along the normal to the plane of the minimum variance direction and the mean magnetic field. This orientation is expected for a planar, small-amplitude Alfven wave with a minimum variance direction close to the wave vector. Noting also that magnetic fluctuations tend to conserve field magnitude, as is required for Alfvenic fluctuations, we infer that single small-amplitude Alfven waves are occasionally present in the temporal and frequency bands analyzed. However, statistics of the relative spatial orientations of the mean field and the minimum and maximum variance directions permit that waves with wave vectors not well approximated by the minimum variance direction, Alfven wave ensembles, finite-amplitude waves, and nonplanar fluctuations may also be present. Assuming that the minimum variance direction approximates the wave vector when a small-amplitude wave is present, we note that (1) among those data in which the field fluctuations behave in accord with theoretical predictions for single, planar, small-amplitude MHD waves, observations suggest the predominance of the Alfven mode over the fast and slow modes and (2) there is a general lack of observational support for theoretical models of outward propagating plane Alfven waves of solar origin

Fast wave evanescence in filamentary boundary plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myra, J. R.

2014-01-01

Radio frequency waves for heating and current drive of plasmas in tokamaks and other magnetic confinement devices must first traverse the scrape-off-layer (SOL) before they can be put to their intended use. The SOL plasma is strongly turbulent and intermittent in space and time. These turbulent properties of the SOL, which are not routinely taken into account in wave propagation codes, can have an important effect on the coupling of waves through an evanescent SOL or edge plasma region. The effective scale length for fast wave (FW) evanescence in the presence of short-scale field-aligned filamentary plasma turbulence is addressed in this paper. It is shown that although the FW wavelength or evanescent scale length is long compared with the dimensions of the turbulence, the FW does not simply average over the turbulent density; rather, the average is over the exponentiation rate. Implications for practical situations are discussed

A fast method for linear waves based on geometrical optics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stolk, C.C.

2009-01-01

We develop a fast method for solving the one-dimensional wave equation based on geometrical optics. From geometrical optics (e.g., Fourier integral operator theory or WKB approximation) it is known that high-frequency waves split into forward and backward propagating parts, each propagating with the

Effects of a longitudinal magnetic field on current pulses and fast ionization-wave structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asinovskii, E.I.; Lagar'kov, A.N.; Markovets, V.V.; Rutkevich, I.M.; Ul'yanov, A.M.; Filyugin, I.V.

1988-01-01

A longitudinal magnetic field affects the fast ionization-wave structure in a discharge tube surrounded by a metal screen. The field does not alter the wave speed, but the current amplitude is increased. This is explained from a theory for fast-wave propagation in a cylindrical guide containing an axial field. Numerical solutions have been obtained for the stationary nonlinear waves, which are compared with measurements. A theoretical study has been made on the ionization-wave features for large values of the Hall parameter

Fast wave current drive technology development at ORNL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baity, F.W.; Batchelor, D.B.; Goulding, R.H.; Hoffman, D.J.; Jaeger, E.F.; Ryan, P.M.; deGrassie, J.S.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Prater, R.

1993-01-01

The technology required for fast wave current drive (FWCD) systems is discussed. Experiments are underway on DIII-D, JET, and elsewhere. Antennas for FWCD draw heavily upon the experience gained in the design of ICRF heating systems with the additional requirement of launching a directional wave spectrum. Through collaborations with DIII-D, JET, and Tore Supra rapid progress is being made in the demonstration of the physics and technology of FWCD needed for TPX and ITER

Fast wave current drive technology development at ORNL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baity, F.W.; Batchelor, D.B.; Goulding, R.H.

1994-01-01

The technology required for fast wave current drive (FWCD) systems is discussed. Experiments are underway on DIII-D, JET, and elsewhere. Antennas for FWCD draw heavily upon the experience gained in the design of ICRF heating systems with the additional requirement of launching a directional wave spectrum. Through collaborations with DIII-D, JET, and Tore Supra rapid progress is being made in the demonstration of the physics and technology of FWCD needed for TPX and ITER. (author)

Generation of sheet currents by high frequency fast MHD waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Núñez, Manuel, E-mail: mnjmhd@am.uva.es

2016-07-01

The evolution of fast magnetosonic waves of high frequency propagating into an axisymmetric equilibrium plasma is studied. By using the methods of weakly nonlinear geometrical optics, it is shown that the perturbation travels in the equatorial plane while satisfying a transport equation which enables us to predict the time and location of formation of shock waves. For plasmas of large magnetic Prandtl number, this would result into the creation of sheet currents which may give rise to magnetic reconnection and destruction of the original equilibrium. - Highlights: • Regular solutions of quasilinear hyperbolic systems may evolve into shocks. • The shock location is found for high frequency fast MHD waves. • The result is applied to static axisymmetric equilibria. • The previous process may lead to the formation of sheet currents and destruction of the equilibrium.

Population of vibrational levels of carbon dioxide by cylindrical fast ionization wave

KAUST Repository

Levko, Dmitry

2017-09-08

The population of vibrational levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) by a cylindrical fast ionization wave is analyzed using a one-dimensional Particle-in-Cell Monte Carlo collisions model. The model takes into account the inelastic electron-neutral collisions as well as the super-elastic collisions between electrons and excited species. We observe an efficient population of only the first two levels of the symmetric and asymmetric vibrational modes of CO2 by means of a fast ionization wave. The excitation of other higher vibrational modes by the fast ionization wave is inefficient. Additionally, we observe a strong influence of the secondary electron emission on the population of vibrational states of CO2. This effect is associated with the kinetics of high energy electrons generated in the cathode sheath.

Global Alfven Eigenmodes in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turnbull, A.D.; Chu, M.S.; Strait, E.J.; Lao, L.L.; Greene, J.M.; Taylor, T.S.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Duong, H.; Chance, M.S.

1992-06-01

Global Alfven modes, such as the Toroidicity-Induced Alfven Eigenmode (TAE), pose a serious threat for strongly-heated tokamaks since they can result in saturation of the achievable beam β at moderate levels and they may also cause serious α-particle losses in future ignited devices. The DIII-D tokamak has a unique capability for study of the resonant excitation of these instabilities by energetic beam ions. TAE modes have now been observed in DIII-D over a wide range of operating conditions, including both circular cross-section and elongated (κ ∼ 1.8) discharges. Equilibrium reconstructions of several representative discharges, using all available external magnetic and internal profile data, have been done and analyzed in detail. The computed real mode frequencies of the TAE modes are in good agreement with the experimentally observed mode frequencies and differ significantly from the estimated kinetic ballooning mode frequencies. The TAE calculations include coupling to the Alfven and acoustic continuum branches of the MHD spectrum and generally indicate that the simplified circular cross-section, large aspect-ratio assumptions made in analytic calculations are poor approximations to the actual TAE mode structures. In particular, the global TAE modes are almost always coupled to one or more continuum branches by toroidicity, poloidal shaping, and finite β effects. Estimates of the various resonant excitation and damping mechanisms, including continuum damping, have been made and the total is found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental threshold

Fast Breakdown as Coronal/Ionization Waves?

Science.gov (United States)

Krehbiel, P. R.; Petersen, D.; da Silva, C. L.

2017-12-01

Studies of high-power narrow bipolar events (NBEs) have shown they are produced by a newly-recognized breakdown process called fast positive breakdown (FPB, Rison et al., 2016, doi:10.1038/ncomms10721). The breakdown was inferred to be produced by a system of positive streamers that propagate at high speed ( ˜3-6 x 107 m/s) due to occurring in a localized region of strong electric field. The polarity of the breakdown was determined from broadband interferometer (INTF) observations of the propagation direction of its VHF radiation, which was downward into the main negative charge region of a normally-electrified storm. Subsequent INTF observations being conducted in at Kennedy Space Center in Florida have shown a much greater incidence of NBEs than in New Mexico. Among the larger dataset have been clear-cut instances of some NBEs being produced by upward breakdown that would be of negative polarity. The speed and behavior of the negative breakdown is the same as that of the fast positive, leading to it being termed fast negative breakdown (FNB). The similarity (not too mention its occurrence) is surprising, given the fact that negative streamers and breakdown develops much differently than that of positive breakdown. The question is how this happens. In this study, we compare fast breakdown characteristics to well-known streamer properties as inferred from laboratory experiments and theoretical analysis. Additionally, we begin to explore the possibility that both polarities of fast breakdown are produced by what may be called coronal or ionization waves, in which the enhanced electric field produced by streamer or coronal breakdown of either polarity propagates away from the advancing front at the speed of light into a medium that is in a metastable condition of being at the threshold of hydrometeor-mediated corona onset or other ionization processes. The wave would develop at a faster speed than the streamer breakdown that gives rise to it, and thus would be

Multi-scale analysis of compressible fluctuations in the solar wind

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, Owen W.; Escoubet, C. Philippe [ESA/ESTEC SCI-S, Noordwijk (Netherlands); Narita, Yasuhito [Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz (Austria). Space Research Inst.

2018-04-01

Compressible plasma turbulence is investigated in the fast solar wind at proton kinetic scales by the combined use of electron density and magnetic field measurements. Both the scale-dependent cross-correlation (CC) and the reduced magnetic helicity (σ{sub m}) are used in tandem to determine the properties of the compressible fluctuations at proton kinetic scales. At inertial scales the turbulence is hypothesised to contain a mixture of Alfvenic and slow waves, characterised by weak magnetic helicity and anti-correlation between magnetic field strength B and electron density n{sub e}. At proton kinetic scales the observations suggest that the fluctuations have stronger positive magnetic helicities as well as strong anti-correlations within the frequency range studied. These results are interpreted as being characteristic of either counter-propagating kinetic Alfven wave packets or a mixture of anti-sunward kinetic Alfven waves along with a component of kinetic slow waves.

Generation of compressible modes in MHD turbulence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Jungyeon [Chungnam National Univ., Daejeon (Korea); Lazarian, A. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2005-05-01

Astrophysical turbulence is magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) in nature. We discuss fundamental properties of MHD turbulence and in particular the generation of compressible MHD waves by Alfvenic turbulence and show that this process is inefficient. This allows us to study the evolution of different types of MHD perturbations separately. We describe how to separate MHD fluctuations into three distinct families: Alfven, slow, and fast modes. We find that the degree of suppression of slow and fast modes production by Alfvenic turbulence depends on the strength of the mean field. We review the scaling relations of the modes in strong MHD turbulence. We show that Alfven modes in compressible regime exhibit scalings and anisotropy similar to those in incompressible regime. Slow modes passively mimic Alfven modes. However, fast modes exhibit isotropy and a scaling similar to that of acoustic turbulence both in high and low {beta} plasmas. We show that our findings entail important consequences for star formation theories, cosmic ray propagation, dust dynamics, and gamma ray bursts. We anticipate many more applications of the new insight to MHD turbulence and expect more revisions of the existing paradigms of astrophysical processes as the field matures. (orig.)

MHD-Vlasov simulation of the toroidal Alfven eigenmode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Sato, T.; Watanabe, K.; Watanabe, T.H.; Horiuchi, R.

1994-11-01

A new simulation method has been developed to investigate the excitation and saturation processes of toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAE modes). The background plasma is described by a full-MHD fluid model, while the kinetic evolution of energetic alpha particles is followed by the drift kinetic equation. The magnetic fluctuation of n = 2 mode develops and saturates at the level of 1.8x10 -3 of the equilibrium field when the initial beta of alpha particles is 2% at the magnetic axis. After saturation, the TAE mode amplitude shows an oscillatory behavior with a frequency corresponding to the bounce frequency of the alpha particles trapped by the TEA mode. The decrease of the power transfer rate from the alpha particles to the TAE mode, which is due to the trapped particle effect of a finite-amplitude wave, causes the saturation. From the linear growth rate the saturation level can be estimated. (author)

Strongly nonlinear evolution of low-frequency wave packets in a dispersive plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Vasquez, Bernard J.

1993-01-01

The evolution of strongly nonlinear, strongly modulated wave packets is investigated in a dispersive plasma using a hybrid numerical code. These wave packets have amplitudes exceeding the strength of the external magnetic field, along which they propagate. Alfven (left helicity) wave packets show strong steepening for p Schrodinger (DNLS) equation.

Theory of semicollisional kinetic Alfven modes in sheared magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahm, T.S.; Chen, L.

1985-02-01

The spectra of the semicollisional kinetic Alfven modes in a sheared slab geometry are investigated, including the effects of finite ion Larmor radius and diamagnetic drift frequencies. The eigenfrequencies of the damped modes are derived analytically via asymptotic analyses. In particular, as one reduces the resistivity, we find that, due to finite ion Larmor radius effects, the damped mode frequencies asymptotically approach finite real values corresponding to the end points of the kinetic Alfven continuum

Dispersive Evolution of Nonlinear Fast Magnetoacoustic Wave Trains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pascoe, D. J.; Goddard, C. R.; Nakariakov, V. M., E-mail: D.J.Pascoe@warwick.ac.uk [Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

2017-10-01

Quasi-periodic rapidly propagating wave trains are frequently observed in extreme ultraviolet observations of the solar corona, or are inferred by the quasi-periodic modulation of radio emission. The dispersive nature of fast magnetohydrodynamic waves in coronal structures provides a robust mechanism to explain the detected quasi-periodic patterns. We perform 2D numerical simulations of impulsively generated wave trains in coronal plasma slabs and investigate how the behavior of the trapped and leaky components depend on the properties of the initial perturbation. For large amplitude compressive perturbations, the geometrical dispersion associated with the waveguide suppresses the nonlinear steepening for the trapped wave train. The wave train formed by the leaky components does not experience dispersion once it leaves the waveguide and so can steepen and form shocks. The mechanism we consider can lead to the formation of multiple shock fronts by a single, large amplitude, impulsive event and so can account for quasi-periodic features observed in radio spectra.

A Fast GPU-accelerated Mixed-precision Strategy for Fully NonlinearWater Wave Computations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glimberg, Stefan Lemvig; Engsig-Karup, Allan Peter; Madsen, Morten G.

2011-01-01

We present performance results of a mixed-precision strategy developed to improve a recently developed massively parallel GPU-accelerated tool for fast and scalable simulation of unsteady fully nonlinear free surface water waves over uneven depths (Engsig-Karup et.al. 2011). The underlying wave......-preconditioned defect correction method. The improved strategy improves the performance by exploiting architectural features of modern GPUs for mixed precision computations and is tested in a recently developed generic library for fast prototyping of PDE solvers. The new wave tool is applicable to solve and analyze...

Simultaneous realization of slow and fast acoustic waves using a fractal structure of Koch curve.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Jin; Fan, Li; Zhang, Shu-Yi; Zhang, Hui; Yu, Wei-Wei

2018-01-24

An acoustic metamaterial based on a fractal structure, the Koch curve, is designed to simultaneously realize slow and fast acoustic waves. Owing to the multiple transmitting paths in the structure resembling the Koch curve, the acoustic waves travelling along different paths interfere with each other. Therefore, slow waves are created on the basis of the resonance of a Koch-curve-shaped loop, and meanwhile, fast waves even with negative group velocities are obtained due to the destructive interference of two acoustic waves with opposite phases. Thus, the transmission of acoustic wave can be freely manipulated with the Koch-curve shaped structure.

Computing the damping and destabilization of global Alfven waves in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerner, W.; Keegan, B.; Goedbloed, J.P.; Huysmans, G.T.A.

1991-01-01

The role of ideal MHD in magnetic fusion is in the first place to discover magnetic geometries with favourable equilibrium and stability properties. Non-ideal effects cause slower and weaker instabilities leading to enhanced transport and often to violent disruptions. MHD spectroscopy, i.e. the identification of ideal and dissipative MHD modes for the purpose of diagnosing tokamaks and optimising their stability properties, requires a numerical tool which accurately calculates the dissipative MHD spectra for measured equilibria. The new spectral code CASTOR (Complex Alfven Spectrum for TORoidal Plasmas), together with the equilibrium solver HELENA, provides such a tool. In CASTOR, the fluid variables ρ, v, T, and b are discretized by means of a combination of cubic Hermite and quadratic finite elements for the radial direction and Fourier modes for the poloidal coordinate. The equilibrium in non-orthogonal flux coordinates ψ, θ, φ with straight field lines is computed using isoparametric bicubic Hermite elements, resulting in a very accurate representation of the metric elements. Finally, for analysis of JET discharges the equilibrium solver HELENA is interfaced with the equilibrium identification code IDENTC(D). (author) 5 refs., 5 figs

Parabolic approximation method for fast magnetosonic wave propagation in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, C.K.; Perkins, F.W.; Hwang, D.Q.

1985-07-01

Fast magnetosonic wave propagation in a cylindrical tokamak model is studied using a parabolic approximation method in which poloidal variations of the wave field are considered weak in comparison to the radial variations. Diffraction effects, which are ignored by ray tracing mthods, are included self-consistently using the parabolic method since continuous representations for the wave electromagnetic fields are computed directly. Numerical results are presented which illustrate the cylindrical convergence of the launched waves into a diffraction-limited focal spot on the cyclotron absorption layer near the magnetic axis for a wide range of plasma confinement parameters

Non-linear modulation of short wavelength compressional Alfven eigenmodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fredrickson, E. D.; Gorelenkov, N. N.; Podesta, M.; Gerhardt, S. P.; Bell, R. E.; Diallo, A.; LeBlanc, B. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Bortolon, A. [University of California, Irvine, California 92697 (United States); Crocker, N. A. [University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States); Levinton, F. M.; Yuh, H. [Nova Photonics, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

2013-04-15

Most Alfvenic activity in the frequency range between toroidal Alfven eigenmodes and roughly one half of the ion cyclotron frequency on National Spherical Torus eXperiment [Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)], that is, approximately 0.3 MHz up to Almost-Equal-To 1.2 MHz, are modes propagating counter to the neutral beam ions. These have been modeled as Compressional and Global Alfven Eigenmodes (CAE and GAE) and are excited through a Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonance with the beam ions. There is also a class of co-propagating modes at higher frequency than the counter-propagating CAE and GAE. These modes have been identified as CAE, and are seen mostly in the company of a low frequency, n = 1 kink-like mode. In this paper, we present measurements of the spectrum of these high frequency CAE (hfCAE) and their mode structure. We compare those measurements to a simple model of CAE and present a predator-prey type model of the curious non-linear coupling of the hfCAE and the low frequency kink-like mode.

MHD induced fast-ion losses on ASDEX Upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GarcIa-Munoz, M.; Fahrbach, H.-U.; Bobkov, V.; Bruedgam, M.; Guenter, S.; Igochine, V.; Lauber, Ph.; Mantsinen, M.J.; Maraschek, M.; Poli, E.; Sassenberg, K.; Tardini, G.; Zohm, H.; Pinches, S.D.; Gobbin, M.; Marrelli, L.; Martin, P.; Piovesan, P.

2009-01-01

A detailed knowledge of the interplay between MHD instabilities and energetic particles has been gained from direct measurements of fast-ion losses (FILs). Time-resolved energy and pitch angle measurements of FIL caused by neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) and toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) have been obtained using a scintillator based FIL detector. The study of FIL due to TAEs has revealed the existence of a new core-localized MHD fluctuation, the Sierpes mode. The Sierpes mode is a non-pure Alfvenic fluctuation which appears in the acoustic branch, dominating the transport of fast-ions in ICRF heated discharges. The internal structure of both TAEs and Sierpes mode has been reconstructed by means of highly resolved multichord soft x-ray measurements. A spatial overlapping of their eigenfunctions leads to a FIL coupling, showing the strong influence that a core-localized fast-ion driven MHD instability may have on the fast-ion transport. We have identified the FIL mechanisms due to NTMs as well as due to TAEs. Drift islands formed by fast-ions in particle phase space are responsible for the loss of NBI fast-ions due to NTMs. In ICRF heated plasmas, a resonance condition fulfilled by the characteristic trapped fast-ion orbit frequencies leads to a phase matching between fast-ion orbit and NTM or TAE magnetic fluctuation. The banana tips of a resonant trapped fast-ion bounce radially due to an E x B drift in the TAE case. The NTM radial bounce of the fast-ion banana tips is caused by the radial component of the perturbed magnetic field lines.

Surface wave propagation in an ideal Hall-magnetohydrodynamic plasma jet in flowing environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sikka, Himanshu; Kumar, Nagendra; Zhelyazkov, Ivan

2004-01-01

The behavior of the Hall-magnetohydrodynamic (Hall-MHD) sausage and kink waves is studied in the presence of steady flow. The influence of the flow both inside and outside the plasma slab is taken into account. The plasma in the environment is considered to be cold and moves with the different flow velocity outside the slab. In the limit of parallel propagation, dispersion relation is derived to discuss the propagation of both the modes. Numerical results for the propagation characteristics are obtained for different Alfvenic Mach number ratios inside and outside the slab. It is found that the dispersion curves for both surface modes, namely, the sausage and kink ones in cold plasma show complexities in their behavior in terms of multivalued portions of the curves. These multivalued portions correspond to the different normalized phase velocities for the same value of Alfvenic Mach number. In contrast to the conventional MHD surface waves which are assumed to be pure surface waves or pseudosurface waves, surface waves are obtained which are bulk waves for very small dimensionless wave numbers, then turn to leaky waves and finally transform to pure surface waves for values of dimensionless wave number greater than one

Numerical calculation of high frequency fast wave current drive in a reactor grade tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushigusa, Kenkichi; Hamamatsu, Kiyotaka

1988-02-01

A fast wave current drive with a high frequency is estimated for a reactor grade tokamak by the ray tracing and the quasi-linear Fokker-Planck calculations with an assumption of single path absorption. The fast wave can drive RF current with the drive efficiency of η CD = n-bar e (10 19 m -3 )I RC (A)R(m)/P RF (W) ∼ 3.0 when the wave frequency is selected to be f/f ci > 7. A sharp wave spectrum and a ph|| >/υ Te ∼ 3.0 are required to obtain a good efficiency. A center peaked RF current profile can be formed with an appropriate wave spectrum even in the high temperature plasma. (author)

Mode structure and continuum damping of high-n toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenbluth, M.N.; Berk, H.L.; Van Dam, J.W.; Lindberg, D.M.

1992-02-01

An asymptotic theory is described for calculating the mode structure and continuum damping of short wave-length toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAE). The formalism somewhat resembles the treatment used for describing low-frequency toroidal modes with singular structure at a rational surface, where an inner solution, which for the TAE mode has toroidal coupling, is matched to an outer toroidally uncoupled solution. A three-term recursion relation among coupled poloidal harmonic amplitudes is obtained, whose solution gives the structure of the global wavefunction and the complex eigenfrequency, including continuum damping. Both analytic and numerical solutions are presented. The magnitude of the damping is essential for determining the thresholds for instability driven by the spatial gradients of energetic particles (e.g., neutral beam-injected ions or fusion-product alpha particles) contained in a tokamak plasma

Kinetic Alfven Waves and the Depletion of the Thermal Population in Extragalactic Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Jafelice, L. C.; Opher, R.

1990-11-01

evident that both problems are intimately related to one another. Jafe- lice and Opher (1987a)(Astrophys. Space Sci. 137, 303)showed that an abundant generation of kinetic Alfven waves (KAw) within EJ and ERS is expected. In the present work we study the chain of processes: a) KAW accelerate thermal electrons along the background magnetic field producing suprathermal runaway electrons; b) which generate Langmuir waves and c) which in turn further accelerate a fraction of the runaway electrons to moderately relativistic energies. We show that assuming that there is no other source of a thermal population but the original one, the above sequence of processes can account for the consumption of thermal electrons in a time scale the source lifetime. Key o : GALAXIES-JETS - HYDROMAGNETICS

Why fast solar wind originates from slowly expanding coronal flux tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.M.; Sheeley, N.R. Jr.

1991-01-01

Empirical studies indicate that the solar wind speed at earth is inversely correlated with the divergence rate of the coronal magnetic field. It is shown that this result is consistent with simple wind acceleration models involving Alfven waves, provided that the wave energy flux at the coronal base is taken to be roughly constant within open field regions. 9 refs

Azimuthal propagation and frequency characteristic of compressional Pc 5 waves observed at geostationary orbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, K.; Higbie, P.R.; Baker, D.N.

1985-01-01

Energetic particle data from the 1977-007 and 1979-053 satellites and magnetic field data from the GOES 2 and 3 satellites have been used to study eight compressional Pc 5 wave events observed at geostationary orbit during 1979. All the events occurred on the dayside, and most of them were observed during the recovery phase of a geomagnetic storm. By using the data from two of the satellites which were close to each other, we measured the azimuthal phase velocity V/sub phi/ and azimuthal wave number m for selected intervals. For all these intervals the waves propagated westward in the spacecraft frame, and we obtained Vertical Bar V/sub phi/ Vertical Bar = 4--14 km/s and Vertical Bar m Vertical Bar = 40--120. In addition, harmonics of a local standing Alfven wave were often present simultaneously with a compressional Pc 5 wave. The frequency of the compressional wave was typically 25% of that of the second harmonic of the Alfven wave. These observed features are discussed in the light of existing theories of instabilities in the ring current plasma

Effect of discrete RF spectrum on fast wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okazaki, Takashi; Yoshioka, Ken; Sugihara, Masayoshi

1987-08-01

Effect of discrete RF spectrum has been studied for the fast wave current drive with the ion cyclotron range of frequency. Driven current and power densities decrease in this spectrum than in the continuous spectrum. However, there is a possibility to have the mechanism which allows electrons outside the resonance region to interact with the fast wave, taking into account the electron trapping by discrete RF spectrum. In the case of neglecting the electron trapping effect, driven current and power densities decrease up to 0.6 - 0.8 of those which are obtained for the continuous spectrum for the FER (Fusion Experimental Reactor). However, their driven current and power densities can be almost doubled in their magnitude for the discrete spectrum by taking into account the trapping effect. (author)

Full-wave simulations of current profiles for fast magnetosonic wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitrieva, M.V.; Eriksson, L.-G.; Gambier, D.J.

1992-12-01

Numerical simulations of current drive in tokamaks by fast waves (FWCD) have been performed in the range of the ion cyclotron and at lower frequencies via 3-Dimensional numerical code ICTOR. Trapped particles effects were taken into account in the calculation of the fast wave current drive efficiency and the bootstrap current generation. The global efficiency of FWCD if found to be γ∼ 0.1 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for the Joint European Torus tokamak (JET) parameters at a central electron temperature of ∼ 10 kev. The efficiency of FWCD for reactor-like plasmas is found to be γ∼0.3 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for ∼ 100% of FWCD and γ∼ 1 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for FWCD and ∼ 65% of bootstrap in a total current of ∼ 25MA at a 25kev central temperature with a density of ∼10 20 m -3 and major radius R ∼ 8m. Non-inductive current density profiles are studied. Broad FWCD current profiles are obtained for flat reactor temperature and density profiles with bootstrap current concentrated at the plasma edge. The possibility of a steady-state reactor on full wave (FW) with a large fraction of bootstrap current is discussed. It appears to be impractical to rely on such an external current driven (CD) scheme for a reactor as long a γ is less than 2 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 . (Author)

FWCD (fast wave current drive) and ECCD (electron cyclotron current drive) experiments on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.; Austin, M.; Baity, F.W.

1994-01-01

Fast wave current drive and electron cyclotron current drive experiments have been performed on the DIII-D tokamak as part of the advanced tokamak program. The goal of this program is to develop techniques for controlling the profile of the current density in order to access regimes of improved confinement and stability. The experiments on fast wave current drive used a four strap antenna with 90deg phasing between straps. A decoupler was used to help maintain the phasing, and feedback control of the plasma position was used to keep the resistive loading constant. RF pickup loops demonstrate that the directivity of the antenna is as expected. Plasma currents up to 0.18 MA were driven by 1.5 MW of fast wave power. Electron cyclotron current drive experiments at 60 GHz have shown 0.1 MA of plasma current driven by 1 MW of power. New fast wave and electron cyclotron heating systems are in development for DIII-D, so that the goals of the advanced tokamak program can be carried out. (author)

Potentiality of fast wave current drive in non-maxwellian plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, D.; O'Brien, M.R.; Cox, M.; Start, D.F.H.

1987-06-01

After a short analysis of the available experimental data on pure fast wave electron current drive we propose a theoretical scaling law for the wave absorption through combined electron Landau damping and transit time magnetic pumping. We then present the result of a fully relativistic calculation which we apply to a bi-Maxwellian electron distribution function and conclude on the requirements to be fulfilled by the energetic tail for obtaining significant damping in Tore-Supra

Bootstrap and fast wave current drive for tokamak reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehst, D.A.

1991-09-01

Using the multi-species neoclassical treatment of Hirshman and Sigmar we study steady state bootstrap equilibria with seed currents provided by low frequency (ICRF) fast waves and with additional surface current density driven by lower hybrid waves. This study applies to reactor plasmas of arbitrary aspect ratio. IN one limit the bootstrap component can supply nearly the total equilibrium current with minimal driving power ( o = 18 MA needs P FW = 15 MW, P LH = 75 MW). A computational survey of bootstrap fraction and current drive efficiency is presented. 11 refs., 8 figs

Alfven Spectroscopy for Advanced Scenarios on JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharapov, S. E.

2007-01-01

Advanced tokamak scenarios on JET exhibit outstanding quality fusion-grade plasmas, with internal transport barriers (ITBs) capable of supporting gradients ∇ T i ≅ 150 keV/m (with T i (0)≅ 40 keV), and with ) q(r) -profiles ranging from monotonic to deep shear reversal, including the limiting case of toroidal current holes. It was found experimentally, that in reversed shear JET discharges the ITB start from so-called ITB triggering events, which are seen as increases in electron temperature within, e.g. r/a ≤ 0.4 by Δ T e /T e ∼ 10-30%. If main heating power is applied at this time, an ITB is formed easily. Without an extra-heating power the improved confinement effect is lost in about 100 msec. Here, we investigate the magnetic field topology at the time of the ITB triggering events in JET plasmas. Alfven spectroscopy based on discrete spectrum of Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) excited by ICRH-accelerated and/or NBI-produced energetic ions is used for determining the evolution of the q(r)- profiles. Recently developed interferometry diagnostics of AEs significantly extended time resolution and sensitivity of Alfven spectroscopy on JET and made it possible to perform the ITB triggering event studies with a high accuracy. The ITB triggering events are found to occur when q m in (t) passes values q m ininteger (majority of the cases), q m in= half-integer, and when q(r=0)--∞ (current hole is triggered). This experimental data is compared to the idensity of rational surfaces transport theory. (Author)

A gyrokinetic calculation of transmission and reflection of the fast wave in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lashmore-Davies, C.N.; Fuchs, V.; Dendy, R.O.

1993-01-01

A full-wave equation has been obtained from the gyrokinetic theory for the fast wave traversing a minority cyclotron resonance [Phys. Fluids B 4, 493 (1992)] with the aid of the fast wave approximation [Phys. Fluids 31, 1614 (1988)]. This theory describes the transmission, reflection, and absorption of the fast wave for arbitrary values of the parallel wave number. For oblique propagation the absorption is due to both ion cyclotron damping by minority ions and mode conversion to the ion Bernstein wave. The results for a 3 He minority in a D plasma indicate that for perpendicular propagation and minority temperatures of a few keV the power lost by the fast wave is all mode converted whereas for minority temperatures ∼100 keV∼30% of the incident power is dissipated by the minority ions due to the gyrokinetic correction. The gyrokinetic correction also results in a significant reduction in the reflection coefficient for low field side incidence when k zLB approx-lt 1 and the minority and hybrid resonances overlap

Compact toroids with Alfvenic flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhehui; Tang, X.Z.

2004-01-01

The Chandrasekhar equilibria form a class of stationary ideal magnetohydrodynamics equilibria stabilized by magnetic-field-aligned Alfvenic flows. Analytic solutions of the Chandrasekhar equilibria are explicitly constructed for both field-reversed configurations and spheromaks. Favorable confinement property of nested closed flux surfaces and the ideal magnetohydrodynamic stability of the compact toroids are of interest for both magnetic trapping of high energy electrons in astrophysics and confinement of high temperature plasmas in laboratory

Launching fast waves in large devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacquinot, J.; Bhatnagar, V.P.; Kaye, A.; Brown, T.

1994-01-01

Design features of JET A2-antennae including that of remote location of ceramic are outlined. These antennae are being installed in preparation for the new divertor phase of JET that will commence in 1994. The experience of antenna design gained at JET is carried forward to present an outline in blanket/shield design of an antenna for launching fast waves in ITER for heating and current drive. Further, a new wide band antenna the so called 'violin antenna' is presented that features high plasma coupling resistance in selected bands in the 20-85 MHz frequency range. (author)

Hamiltonian study of the response of a tokamak plasma to the ion cyclotron heating wave: minor heating and current generation by the fast wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becoulet, A.

1990-06-01

The role of additional Heatings, such as the Ion Cyclotron Heating, is to raise magnetic fusion plasmas to higher temperatures, to satisfy the ignition condition. The understanding of the wave absorption mechanisms by the plasma first requires a precise description of the particle individual trajectories. The Hamiltonian mechanics, through action-angle variables, allows this description, and makes the computation of the wave-particle interaction easier. We then derive a quantitative evaluation of the intrinsic stochasticity for ionic trajectories perturbated by the fast wave. This stochasticity, combinated to the collisional effects, gives the validity domain for a quasilinear approximation of the evolution equation. This equation is then written under a variational formulation, and solved semi-analytically. Results conclude to the importance of the Hamiltonian chaos in the formation of the deeply anisotropic distribution tails, encountered in minority heating scenarios. Direct interaction of the electrons and the fast wave is similarly analysed. The influence of the various parameters (wave spectrum, magnetic configuration, frequency,...) is then examined in order to optimize this scenario of fast wave current drive in tokamaks [fr

Experimental observations of surface electrostatic wave on KT-5B tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Shiyao; Han Shensheng

1991-01-01

Shear Alfven waves have been successfully excited in KT-5B small tokamak by means of the one turn longitudinal loop antenna located in the shadow area. The measured antenna loadings show their rich structure, and the loadings are also found to be sensitive to the plasma current. Preliminary evidence of surface electrostatic wave was observed

Effects of nonresonant hot ions with large orbits on Alfven cascades and on magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharapov, S.E.; Mikhailovskii, A.B.; Huysmans, G.T.A.

2004-01-01

The effects of nonresonating hot ions on the spectrum of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves and instabilities in tokamaks are studied in the limit when the width of the hot ion drift orbits is much larger than the radial scale length of the MHD perturbations. Due to the large magnetic drift velocities the hot ions cannot contribute to the MHD perturbations directly, but two main effects of the hot ions, the hot-ion density-dependent effect and the hot-ion pressure-dependent effect, influence the MHD perturbations indirectly. The physics of both effects is elucidated and it is shown that both these effects can be described in MHD approach. A new code, MISHKA-H (MISHKA including the hot-ion indirect effects), is developed as an extension of the ideal MHD code MISHKA-D [Huysmans et al., Phys. Plasmas 8, 4292 (2002)]. Analytical benchmarks for this code are given. Results of the MISHKA-H code on Alfven spectrum in a shear-reversed discharges with ion-cyclotron resonance frequency (ICRF) heating are presented. Modeling of Alfven cascades and their transition into toroidal Alfven eigenmodes in shear-reversed tokamak equilibrium is considered. The hot-ion effect on the unstable branch of the MHD spectrum is studied for the test case of an n=1 ideal MHD internal kink mode, which is relevant to short-period sawteeth in low-density plasmas observed in Joint European Torus (JET) [Rebut et al., Proceedings of the 10th International Conference, Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion, London (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1985), Vol. I, p. 11] experiments with high-power ICRF heating

Full-wave calculation of fast-wave current drive in tokamaks including kparallel upshifts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeger, E.F.; Batchelor, D.B.

1991-01-01

Numerical calculations of fast-wave current drive (FWCD) efficiency have generally been of two types: ray tracing or global wave calculations. Ray tracing shows that the projection of the wave number (k parallel) along the magnetic field can vary greatly over a ray trajectory, particularly when the launch point is above or below the equatorial plane. As the wave penetrates toward the center of the plasma, k parallel increases, causing a decrease in the parallel phase speed and a corresponding decrease in the current drive efficiency, γ. But the assumptions of geometrical optics, namely short wavelength and strong single-pass absorption, are not greatly applicable in FWCD scenarios. Eigenmode structure, which is ignored in ray tracing, can play an important role in determining electric field strength and Landau damping rates. In such cases, a full-wave or global solution for the wave fields is desirable. In full-wave calculations such as ORION k parallel appear as a differential operator (rvec B·∇) in the argument of the plasma dispersion function. Since this leads to a differential system of infinite order, such codes of necessity assume k parallel ∼ k var-phi = const, where k var-phi is the toroidal wave number. Thus, it is not possible to correctly include effects of the poloidal magnetic field on k parallel. The problem can be alleviated by expressing the electric field as a superposition of poloidal modes, in which case k parallel is purely algebraic. This paper describes a new full-wave calculation, Poloidal Ion Cyclotron Expansion Solution, which uses poloidal and toroidal mode expansions to solve the wave equation in general flux coordinates. The calculation includes a full solution for E parallel and uses a reduced-order form of the plasma conductivity tensor to eliminate numerical problems associated with resolution of the very short wavelength ion Bernstein wave

Numerical and analytic models of spontaneous frequency sweeping for energetic particle-driven Alfven eigenmodes

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ge; Berk, H. L.

2011-10-01

The frequency chirping signal arising from spontaneous a toroidial Alfven eigenmode (TAE) excited by energetic particles is studied for both numerical and analytic models. The time-dependent numerical model is based on the 1D Vlasov equation. We use a sophisticated tracking method to lock onto the resonant structure to enable the chirping frequency to be nearly constant in the calculation frame. The accuracy of the adiabatic approximation is tested during the simulation which justifies the appropriateness of our analytic model. The analytic model uses the adiabatic approximation which allows us to solve the wave evolution equation in frequency space. Then, the resonant interactions between energetic particles and TAE yield predictions for the chirping rate, wave frequency and amplitudes vs. time. Here, an adiabatic invariant J is defined on the separatrix of a chirping mode to determine the region of confinement of the wave trapped distribution function. We examine the asymptotic behavior of the chirping signal for its long time evolution and find agreement in essential features with the results of the simulation. Work supported by Department of Energy contract DE-FC02-08ER54988.

Alfven Spectroscopy for Advanced Scenarios on JET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharapov, S. E.

2007-07-01

Advanced tokamak scenarios on JET exhibit outstanding quality fusion-grade plasmas, with internal transport barriers (ITBs) capable of supporting gradients {nabla} T{sub i}{approx_equal} 150 keV/m (with T{sub i}(0){approx_equal} 40 keV), and with q(r)-profiles ranging from monotonic to deep shear reversal, including the limiting case of toroidal current holes. It was found experimentally, that in reversed shear JET discharges the ITB start from so-called ITB triggering events, which are seen as increases in electron temperature within, e.g. r/a {<=} 0.4 by {delta} T{sub e}/T{sub e}{approx} 10-30%. If main heating power is applied at this time, an ITB is formed easily. Without an extra-heating power the improved confinement effect is lost in about 100 msec. Here, we investigate the magnetic field topology at the time of the ITB triggering events in JET plasmas. Alfven spectroscopy based on discrete spectrum of Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) excited by ICRH-accelerated and/or NBI-produced energetic ions is used for determining the evolution of the q(r)- profiles. Recently developed interferometry diagnostics of AEs significantly extended time resolution and sensitivity of Alfven spectroscopy on JET and made it possible to perform the ITB triggering event studies with a high accuracy. The ITB triggering events are found to occur when q{sub min} (t) passes values q{sub min} integer (majority of the cases), q{sub min}= half-integer, and when q(r=0)--infinity (current hole is triggered). This experimental data is compared to the density of rational surfaces transport theory. (Author)

Calculation of coupling to slow and fast waves in the LHRF from phased waveguide arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinsker, R.I.; Duvall, R.E.; Fortgang, C.M.; Colestock, P.L.

1986-04-01

A previously reported algorithm for solving the problem of coupling electromagnetic energy in the LHRF from a phased array of identical rectangular waveguides to a plane-stratified, magnetized cold plasma is numerically implemented. The resulting computer codes are sufficiently general to allow for an arbitrary number of waveguides with finite dimensions in both poloidal and toroidal directions, and are thus capable of computing coupling to both slow and fast waves in the plasma. Some of the details of the implementation and the extension of the algorithm to allow study of the Fourier spectrum of slow and fast waves launched by the array are discussed. Good agreement is found with previously reported, less general work for the slow wave launching case. The effect of phasing multirow arrays in the poloidal direction is studied, and an asymmetry between phasing 'up' and 'down' is found that persists in the case where the plasma adjacent to the array is uniform. A 4 x 3 array designed to launch fast waves of high phase velocity is studied. By using the optimal poloidal phasing, low reflection coefficients (absolute value of R 2 less than or equal to 20%) are found under some not unrealistic edge plasma conditions, but most of the input power is trapped in the outermost layer of the plasma. Implications of our results for fast wave current drive experiments are discussed