WorldWideScience

Sample records for sheared turbulent plasma

  1. Suppression of plasma turbulence during optimised shear configurations in JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conway, G.D.; Borba, D.N.; Alper, B.

    1999-08-01

    Density turbulence suppression is observed in the internal transport barrier (ITB) region of JET discharges with optimised magnetic shear. The suppression occurs in two stages. First, low frequency turbulence is reduced across the plasma core by a toroidal velocity shear generated by intense auxiliary heating. Then when the ITB forms, high frequency turbulence is reduced locally within the steep pressure gradient region of the ITB, consistent with the effects of enhanced E x B poloidal shear. The turbulence suppression is correlated with reduced plasma transport and improved fusion performance. Much effort has been spent in recent years in developing alternative scenarios for operating tokamak fusion reactors. One particular scenario involves reversing or reducing the central magnetic shear to form an internal transport barrier (ITB). The result is reduced plasma core energy transport and enhanced fusion performance. It is believed that ITBs may be formed through a combination of E x B velocity shear and magnetic shear stabilisation of plasma turbulence and instabilities. In this Letter we present results from JET optimised shear discharges showing that turbulence suppression during ITB formation occurs in two stages. First low frequency turbulence is reduced across the plasma core, coinciding with a region of strong toroidal velocity shear; then high frequency turbulence is locally suppressed around the ITB region, consistent with enhanced pressure gradient driven E x B poloidal shear. The measurements were made using a system of X-mode reflectometers consisting of two, dual-channel toroidal correlation reflectometers at 75 GHz (covering plasma outboard edge) and 105 GHz (core and inboard edge), and a 92-96 GHz swept frequency radial correlation reflectometer (plasma core). Reflectometry is a powerful tool for measuring density fluctuations. The highly localised reflection of the microwave beam gives excellent spatial localisation. Measurements can be made

  2. Radially sheared azimuthal flows and turbulent transport in a cylindrical helicon plasma device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tynan, G R; Burin, M J; Holland, C; Antar, G; Diamond, P H

    2004-01-01

    A radially sheared azimuthal flow is observed in a cylindrical helicon plasma device. The shear flow is roughly azimuthally symmetric and contains both time-stationary and slowly varying components. The turbulent radial particle flux is found to peak near the density gradient maximum and vanishes at the shear layer location. The shape of the radial plasma potential profile associated with the azimuthal E x B flow is predicted accurately by theory. The existence of the mean shear flow in a plasma with finite flow damping from ion-neutral collisions and no external momentum input implies the existence of radial angular momentum transport from the turbulent Reynolds-stress

  3. Turbulence in tokamak plasmas. Effect of a radial electric field shear

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Payan, J.

    1994-05-01

    After a review of turbulence and transport phenomena in tokamak plasmas and the radial electric field shear effect in various tokamaks, experimental measurements obtained at Tore Supra by the means of the ALTAIR plasma diagnostic technique, are presented. Electronic drift waves destabilization mechanisms, which are the main features that could describe the experimentally observed microturbulence, are then examined. The effect of a radial electric field shear on electronic drift waves is then introduced, and results with ohmic heating are studied together with relations between turbulence and transport. The possible existence of ionic waves is rejected, and a spectral frequency modelization is presented, based on the existence of an electric field sheared radial profile. The position of the inversion point of this field is calculated for different values of the mean density and the plasma current, and the modelization is applied to the TEXT tokamak. The radial electric field at Tore Supra is then estimated. The effect of the ergodic divertor on turbulence and abnormal transport is then described and the density fluctuation radial profile in presence of the ergodic divertor is modelled. 80 figs., 120 refs

  4. Turbulence in tokamak plasmas. Effect of a radial electric field shear; Turbulence dans les plasmas de tokamaks. Effet d`un cisaillement de champ electrique radial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Payan, J

    1994-05-01

    After a review of turbulence and transport phenomena in tokamak plasmas and the radial electric field shear effect in various tokamaks, experimental measurements obtained at Tore Supra by the means of the ALTAIR plasma diagnostic technique, are presented. Electronic drift waves destabilization mechanisms, which are the main features that could describe the experimentally observed microturbulence, are then examined. The effect of a radial electric field shear on electronic drift waves is then introduced, and results with ohmic heating are studied together with relations between turbulence and transport. The possible existence of ionic waves is rejected, and a spectral frequency modelization is presented, based on the existence of an electric field sheared radial profile. The position of the inversion point of this field is calculated for different values of the mean density and the plasma current, and the modelization is applied to the TEXT tokamak. The radial electric field at Tore Supra is then estimated. The effect of the ergodic divertor on turbulence and abnormal transport is then described and the density fluctuation radial profile in presence of the ergodic divertor is modelled. 80 figs., 120 refs.

  5. Metamorphosis of plasma turbulence-shear-flow dynamics through a transcritical bifurcation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ball, R.; Dewar, R.L.; Sugama, H.

    2002-01-01

    The structural properties of an economical model for a confined plasma turbulence governor are investigated through bifurcation and stability analyses. A close relationship is demonstrated between the underlying bifurcation framework of the model and typical behavior associated with low- to high-confinement transitions such as shear-flow stabilization of turbulence and oscillatory collective action. In particular, the analysis evinces two types of discontinuous transition that are qualitatively distinct. One involves classical hysteresis, governed by viscous dissipation. The other is intrinsically oscillatory and nonhysteretic, and thus provides a model for the so-called dithering transitions that are frequently observed. This metamorphosis, or transformation, of the system dynamics is an important late side-effect of symmetry breaking, which manifests as an unusual nonsymmetric transcritical bifurcation induced by a significant shear-flow drive

  6. Impact of magnetic shear modification on confinement and turbulent fluctuations in LHD plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukuda, T.; Tamura, N.; Ida, K.

    2008-10-01

    For the comprehensive understandings of transport phenomena in toroidal confinement systems and improvement of the predictive capability of burning plasmas in ITER, the impact of magnetic shear has been extensively investigated in the Large Helical Device (LHD) for comparison with tokamaks. Consequently, it was heuristically documented that the pronounced effect of magnetic shear, which has been hitherto considered to be ubiquitous and strongly impacts the core transport in the tokamak experiments, is not quite obvious. Namely, the kinetic profiles respond little under extensive modification of the magnetic shear in the core, although the local transport analysis indicates the sign of improvement in confinement transiently when the magnetic shear is reduced. It was thereby concluded that the magnetic shear in the core strongly influences the MHD activity, but it may only be one of the necessary conditions for the transport reduction, and some other crucial knobs, such as the density gradient or T e /T i ratio, would have to be simultaneously controlled. The low wavenumber turbulence seems to be suppressed under the weak shear, and the turbulent fluctuation intensity behaves in a consistent manner as a whole, following the conventional paradigm accumulated in the negative shear experiments in tokamaks. However, vigorous dynamics of turbulent fluctuations have occasionally been observed under the magnetic shear modification, which respond in much faster time scale than the characteristic time scale for either the magnetic diffusion or the profile evolution. (author)

  7. Quasistationary Plasma Predator-Prey System of Coupled Turbulence, Drive, and Sheared E ×B Flow During High Performance DIII-D Tokamak Discharges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barada, K.; Rhodes, T. L.; Burrell, K. H.; Zeng, L.; Bardóczi, L.; Chen, Xi; Muscatello, C. M.; Peebles, W. A.

    2018-03-01

    A new, long-lived limit cycle oscillation (LCO) regime has been observed in the edge of near zero torque high performance DIII-D tokamak plasma discharges. These LCOs are localized and composed of density turbulence, gradient drives, and E ×B velocity shear damping (E and B are the local radial electric and total magnetic fields). Density turbulence sequentially acts as a predator (via turbulence transport) of profile gradients and a prey (via shear suppression) to the E ×B velocity shear. Reported here for the first time is a unique spatiotemporal variation of the local E ×B velocity, which is found to be essential for the existence of this system. The LCO system is quasistationary, existing from 3 to 12 plasma energy confinement times (˜30 - 900 LCO cycles) limited by hardware constraints. This plasma system appears to contribute strongly to the edge transport in these high performance and transient-free plasmas, as evident from oscillations in transport relevant edge parameters at LCO time scale.

  8. Turbulent transport and shear at the E x B velocity in wall plasma of the TF-2 tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Budaev, V.P.

    1999-01-01

    Turbulence of near-the-wall plasma and potentialities of affecting the turbulence and periphery transport of the TF-2 tokamak by inducing radial electric fields and ergodization of periphery magnetic structure have been investigated, the results are presented. Essential role of the E x B velocity shear in suppression of the turbulence and turbulent transport in periphery has been pointed out. Decrease in transport losses stemming from effect of radial electric fields is brought about suppression of turbulence amplitude, decrease in correlations and decrease in the width of the wave numbers spectrum. Profiles of plasma density, electron temperature, turbulence level, electric fields over entire periphery of discharge change as a result. Ergodization of magnetic structure also results in the change of properties of periphery turbulence and turbulent transport [ru

  9. Effects of ExB velocity shear and magnetic shear on turbulence and transport in magnetic confinement devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burrell, K.H.

    1996-11-01

    One of the scientific success stories of fusion research over the past decade is the development of the ExB shear stabilization model to explain the formation of transport barriers in magnetic confinement devices. This model was originally developed to explain the transport barrier formed at the plasma edge in tokamaks after the L (low) to H (high) transition. This concept has the universality needed to explain the edge transport barriers seen in limiter and divertor tokamaks, stellarators, and mirror machines. More recently, this model has been applied to explain the further confinement improvement from H (high)-mode to VH (very high)-mode seen in some tokamaks, where the edge transport barrier becomes wider. Most recently, this paradigm has been applied to the core transport barriers formed in plasmas with negative or low magnetic shear in the plasma core. These examples of confinement improvement are of considerable physical interest; it is not often that a system self-organizes to a higher energy state with reduced turbulence and transport when an additional source of free energy is applied to it. The transport decrease that is associated with ExB velocity shear effects also has significant practical consequences for fusion research. The fundamental physics involved in transport reduction is the effect of ExB shear on the growth, radial extent and phase correlation of turbulent eddies in the plasma. The same fundamental transport reduction process can be operational in various portions of the plasma because there are a number ways to change the radial electric field Er. An important theme in this area is the synergistic effect of ExB velocity shear and magnetic shear. Although the ExB velocity shear appears to have an effect on broader classes of microturbulence, magnetic shear can mitigate some potentially harmful effects of ExB velocity shear and facilitate turbulence stabilization

  10. EFFECT OF ION ∇ B DRIFT DIRECTION ON TURBULENCE FLOW AND FLOW SHEAR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    FENZI, C; McKEE, G.R; BURRELL, K.H; CARLSTROM, T.N; FONCK, R.J; GROEBNER, R.J

    2003-01-01

    The divertor magnetic geometry has a significant effect on the poloidal flow and resulting flow shear of turbulence in the outer region of L-mode tokamak plasmas, as determined via two-dimensional measurements of density fluctuations with Beam Emission Spectroscopy on DIII-D. Plasmas with similar parameters, except that in one case the ion (del)B drift points towards the divertor X-point (lower single-null, LSN), and in the other case, the ion (del)B drift points away from the divertor X-point (upper single-null, USN), are compared. Inside of r/a=0.9, the turbulence characteristics (amplitude, flow direction, correlation lengths) are similar in both cases, while near r/a=0.92, a dramatic reversal of the poloidal flow of turbulence relative to the core flow direction is observed in plasmas with the ion (del)B drift pointing towards the divertor X-point. No such flow reversal is observed in plasmas with the ion (del)B drift pointing away from the divertor X-point. This poloidal flow reversal results in a significantly larger local shear in the poloidal turbulence flow velocity in plasmas with the ion (del)B drift pointing towards the divertor X-point. Additionally, these plasmas locally exhibit significant dispersion, with two distinct and counter-propagating turbulence modes. Likewise, the radial correlation length of the turbulence is reduced in these plasmas, consistent with biorthogonal decomposition measurements of dominant turbulence structures. The naturally occurring turbulence flow shear in these LSN plasmas may facilitate the LH transition that occurs at an input power of roughly one-half to one-third that of corresponding plasmas with the ion (del)B drift pointing away from the X-point

  11. Plasma turbulence driven by transversely large-scale standing shear Alfvén waves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Nagendra; Rao, Sathyanarayan

    2012-01-01

    Using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we study generation of turbulence consisting of transversely small-scale dispersive Alfvén and electrostatic waves when plasma is driven by a large-scale standing shear Alfvén wave (LS-SAW). The standing wave is set up by reflecting a propagating LS-SAW. The ponderomotive force of the standing wave generates transversely large-scale density modifications consisting of density cavities and enhancements. The drifts of the charged particles driven by the ponderomotive force and those directly caused by the fields of the standing LS-SAW generate non-thermal features in the plasma. Parametric instabilities driven by the inherent plasma nonlinearities associated with the LS-SAW in combination with the non-thermal features generate small-scale electromagnetic and electrostatic waves, yielding a broad frequency spectrum ranging from below the source frequency of the LS-SAW to ion cyclotron and lower hybrid frequencies and beyond. The power spectrum of the turbulence has peaks at distinct perpendicular wave numbers (k ⊥ ) lying in the range d e −1 -6d e −1 , d e being the electron inertial length, suggesting non-local parametric decay from small to large k ⊥ . The turbulence spectrum encompassing both electromagnetic and electrostatic fluctuations is also broadband in parallel wave number (k || ). In a standing-wave supported density cavity, the ratio of the perpendicular electric to magnetic field amplitude is R(k ⊥ ) = |E ⊥ (k ⊥ )/|B ⊥ (k ⊥ )| ≪ V A for k ⊥ d e A is the Alfvén velocity. The characteristic features of the broadband plasma turbulence are compared with those available from satellite observations in space plasmas.

  12. Statistical analysis of the turbulent Reynolds stress and its link to the shear flow generation in a cylindrical laboratory plasma device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Z.; Yu, J. H.; Holland, C.; Xu, M.; Mueller, S. H.; Tynan, G. R.

    2008-01-01

    The statistical properties of the turbulent Reynolds stress arising from collisional drift turbulence in a magnetized plasma column are studied and a physical picture of turbulent driven shear flow generation is discussed. The Reynolds stress peaks near the maximal density gradient region, and is governed by the turbulence amplitude and cross-phase between the turbulent radial and azimuthal velocity fields. The amplitude probability distribution function (PDF) of the turbulent Reynolds stress is non-Gaussian and positively skewed at the density gradient maximum. The turbulent ion-saturation (Isat) current PDF shows that the region where the bursty Isat events are born coincides with the positively skewed non-Gaussian Reynolds stress PDF, which suggests that the bursts of particle transport appear to be associated with bursts of momentum transport as well. At the shear layer the density fluctuation radial correlation length has a strong minimum (∼4-6 mm∼0.5C s /Ω ci , where C s is the ion acoustic speed and Ω ci is the ion gyrofrequency), while the azimuthal turbulence correlation length is nearly constant across the shear layer. The results link the behavior of the Reynolds stress, its statistical properties, generation of bursty radially going azimuthal momentum transport events, and the formation of the large-scale shear layer.

  13. Instabilities, turbulence and transport in a magnetized plasma; Instabilites, turbulence et transport dans un plasma magnetise

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garbet, X

    2001-06-01

    The purpose of this work is to introduce the main processes that occur in a magnetized plasma. During the last 2 decades, the understanding of turbulence has made great progress but analytical formulas and simulations are far to produce reliable predictions. The values of transport coefficients in a tokamak plasma exceed by far those predicted by the theory of collisional transport. This phenomenon is called abnormal transport and might be due to plasma fluctuations. An estimation of turbulent fluxes derived from the levels of fluctuations, is proposed. A flow description of plasma allows the understanding of most micro-instabilities. The ballooning representation deals with instabilities in a toric geometry. 3 factors play an important role to stabilize plasmas: density pinch, magnetic shear and speed shear. The flow model of plasma gives an erroneous value for the stability threshold, this is due to a bad description of the resonant interaction between wave and particle. As for dynamics, flow models can be improved by adding dissipative terms so that the linear response nears the kinetic response. The kinetic approach is more accurate but is complex because of the great number of dimensions involved. (A.C.)

  14. Interaction between sheared flows and turbulent transport in magnetized fusion-grade plasmas; Interaction entre ecoulements cisailles et transport turbulent dans les plasmas de fusion magnetique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leconte, M.

    2008-11-15

    The H confinement regime is set when the heating power reaches a threshold value P{sub c} and is linked to the formation of a transport barrier in the edge region of the plasma. Such a barrier is characterized by a high pressure gradient and is submitted to ELM (edge localized mode) instabilities. ELM instabilities trigger violent quasi-periodical ejections of matter and heat that induce quasi-periodical relaxations of the transport barrier called relaxation oscillations. In this work we studied the interaction between sheared flows and turbulence in fusion plasmas. In particular, we studied the complex dynamics of a transport barrier and we show through a simulation that resonant magnetic perturbations could control relaxation oscillations without a significant loss of confinement

  15. Effects of flow shear and Alfven waves on two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Douglas, Jamie; Kim, Eun-jin; Thyagaraja, A.

    2008-01-01

    The suppression of turbulent transport by large scale mean shear flows and uniform magnetic fields is investigated in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven by a small-scale forcing with finite correlation time. By numerical integration the turbulent magnetic diffusivity D T is shown to be significantly quenched, with a scaling D T ∝B -2 Ω 0 -5/4 , which is much more severe than in the case of a short or delta correlated forcing typified by white noise, studied in E. Kim and B. Dubrulle [Phys. Plasmas 8, 813 (2001)]. Here B and Ω 0 are magnetic field strength and flow shear rate, respectively. The forcing with finite correlation time also leads to much stronger suppression of momentum transport through the cancellation of the Reynolds stress by the Maxwell stress with a positive small value of turbulent viscosity, ν T >0. While fluctuating kinetic and magnetic energies are unaffected by the magnetic field just as in the case of a delta correlated forcing, they are much more severely quenched by flow shear than in that of a delta correlated forcing. Underlying physical mechanisms for the reduction of turbulent transport and turbulence level by flow shear and magnetic field are discussed

  16. Turbulence closure: turbulence, waves and the wave-turbulence transition – Part 1: Vanishing mean shear

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Z. Baumert

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper extends a turbulence closure-like model for stably stratified flows into a new dynamic domain in which turbulence is generated by internal gravity waves rather than mean shear. The model turbulent kinetic energy (TKE, K balance, its first equation, incorporates a term for the energy transfer from internal waves to turbulence. This energy source is in addition to the traditional shear production. The second variable of the new two-equation model is the turbulent enstrophy (Ω. Compared to the traditional shear-only case, the Ω-equation is modified to account for the effect of the waves on the turbulence time and space scales. This modification is based on the assumption of a non-zero constant flux Richardson number in the limit of vanishing mean shear when turbulence is produced exclusively by internal waves. This paper is part 1 of a continuing theoretical development. It accounts for mean shear- and internal wave-driven mixing only in the two limits of mean shear and no waves and waves but no mean shear, respectively.

    The new model reproduces the wave-turbulence transition analyzed by D'Asaro and Lien (2000b. At small energy density E of the internal wave field, the turbulent dissipation rate (ε scales like ε~E2. This is what is observed in the deep sea. With increasing E, after the wave-turbulence transition has been passed, the scaling changes to ε~E1. This is observed, for example, in the highly energetic tidal flow near a sill in Knight Inlet. The new model further exhibits a turbulent length scale proportional to the Ozmidov scale, as observed in the ocean, and predicts the ratio between the turbulent Thorpe and Ozmidov length scales well within the range observed in the ocean.

  17. Suppressing Electron Turbulence and Triggering Internal Transport Barriers with Reversed Magnetic Shear in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Jayson Luc

    2011-10-01

    Observations in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) have found electron temperature gradients that greatly exceed the linear threshold for the onset for electron temperature gradient-driven (ETG) turbulence. These discharges, deemed electron internal transport barriers (e-ITBs), coincide with a reversal in the shear of the magnetic field and with a reduction in electron-scale density fluctuations, qualitatively consistent with earlier gyrokinetic predictions. To investigate this phenomenon further, we numerically model electron turbulence in NSTX reversed-shear plasmas using the gyrokinetic turbulence code GYRO. These first-of-a-kind nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of NSTX e-ITBs confirm that reversing the magnetic shear can allow the plasma to reach electron temperature gradients well beyond the critical gradient for the linear onset of instability. This effect is very strong, with the nonlinear threshold for significant transport approaching three times the linear critical gradient in some cases, in contrast with moderate shear cases, which can drive significant ETG turbulence at much lower gradients. In addition to the experimental implications of this upshifted nonlinear critical gradient, we explore the behavior of ETG turbulence during reversed shear discharges. This work is supported by the SciDAC Center for the Study of Plasma Microturbulence, DOE Contract DE-AC02-09CH11466, and used the resources of NCCS at ORNL and NERSC at LBNL. M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000).

  18. A weakened cascade model for turbulence in astrophysical plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howes, G. G.; TenBarge, J. M.; Dorland, W.

    2011-01-01

    A refined cascade model for kinetic turbulence in weakly collisional astrophysical plasmas is presented that includes both the transition between weak and strong turbulence and the effect of nonlocal interactions on the nonlinear transfer of energy. The model describes the transition between weak and strong MHD turbulence and the complementary transition from strong kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) turbulence to weak dissipating KAW turbulence, a new regime of weak turbulence in which the effects of shearing by large scale motions and kinetic dissipation play an important role. The inclusion of the effect of nonlocal motions on the nonlinear energy cascade rate in the dissipation range, specifically the shearing by large-scale motions, is proposed to explain the nearly power-law energy spectra observed in the dissipation range of both kinetic numerical simulations and solar wind observations.

  19. Impact of E × B flow shear on turbulence and resulting power fall-off width in H-mode plasmas in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Q. Q., E-mail: yangqq@ipp.ac.cn; Zhong, F. C., E-mail: gsxu@ipp.ac.cn, E-mail: fczhong@dhu.edu.cn; Jia, M. N. [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Xu, G. S., E-mail: gsxu@ipp.ac.cn, E-mail: fczhong@dhu.edu.cn; Wang, L.; Wang, H. Q.; Chen, R.; Yan, N.; Liu, S. C.; Chen, L.; Li, Y. L.; Liu, J. B. [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)

    2015-06-15

    The power fall-off width in the H-mode scrape-off layer (SOL) in tokamaks shows a strong inverse dependence on the plasma current, which was noticed by both previous multi-machine scaling work [T. Eich et al., Nucl. Fusion 53, 093031 (2013)] and more recent work [L. Wang et al., Nucl. Fusion 54, 114002 (2014)] on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. To understand the underlying physics, probe measurements of three H-mode discharges with different plasma currents have been studied in this work. The results suggest that a higher plasma current is accompanied by a stronger E×B shear and a shorter radial correlation length of turbulence in the SOL, thus resulting in a narrower power fall-off width. A simple model has also been applied to demonstrate the suppression effect of E×B shear on turbulence in the SOL and shows relatively good agreement with the experimental observations.

  20. Structure of parallel-velocity-shear-driven mode in toroidal plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, J.Q.; Xu, W.B.; Zhang, Y.Z.; Horton, W.

    1998-01-01

    It is shown that the Fourier-ballooning representation is appropriate for the study of short-wavelength drift-like perturbation in toroidal plasmas with a parallel velocity shear (PVS). The radial structure of the mode driven by a PVS is investigated in a torus. The Reynolds stress created by PVS turbulence, and proposed as one of the sources for a sheared poloidal plasma rotation, is analyzed. It is demonstrated that a finite ion temperature may strongly enhance the Reynolds stress creation ability from PVS-driven turbulence. The correlation of this observation with the requirement that ion heating power be higher than a threshold value for the formation of an internal transport barrier is discussed. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

  1. Transport barriers with and without shear flows in a magnetized plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinell, Julio J.

    2014-01-01

    Different ways of producing a transport barrier in a toroidal magnetized plasma are discussed and the properties of the barriers are analyzed. The first mechanism is associated with the presence of a sheared plasma flow that is present in a limited region of the plasma, which creates a zonal flow. In contrast to the usual paradigm stating that the sheared flow reduces the turbulence correlation length and leads to suppression of the fluctuation driven transport in the region of highest shear, it is shown that from the perspective of chaotic transport of plasma particles in the fluctuation fields, the transport barrier is formed in the region of zero shear and it can be destroyed when the fluctuation level is high enough. It is also shown that finite gyroradius effects modify the dynamics and introduces new conditions for barrier formation. The second mechanism considers a method in which radio-frequency waves injected into the plasma can stabilize the drift waves and therefore the anomalous transport is reduced, creating a barrier. This process does not involve the presence of sheared flows and depends only on the effect of the RF wave field on the drift waves. The stabilizing effect in this case is due to the nonlinear ponderomotive force which acts in a way that offsets the pressure gradient destabilization. Finally, a mechanism based on the ponderomotive force of RF waves is described which produces poloidal plasma rotation around the resonant surface due to the asymmetry of induced transport; it creates a transport barrier by shear flow stabilization of turbulence

  2. Recent results on analytical plasma turbulence theory: Realizability, intermittency, submarginal turbulence, and self-organized criticality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krommes, J.A.

    2000-01-01

    Recent results and future challenges in the systematic analytical description of plasma turbulence are described. First, the importance of statistical realizability is stressed, and the development and successes of the Realizable Markovian Closure are briefly reviewed. Next, submarginal turbulence (linearly stable but nonlinearly self-sustained fluctuations) is considered and the relevance of nonlinear instability in neutral-fluid shear flows to submarginal turbulence in magnetized plasmas is discussed. For the Hasegawa-Wakatani equations, a self-consistency loop that leads to steady-state vortex regeneration in the presence of dissipation is demonstrated and a partial unification of recent work of Drake (for plasmas) and of Waleffe (for neutral fluids) is given. Brief remarks are made on the difficulties facing a quantitatively accurate statistical description of submarginal turbulence. Finally, possible connections between intermittency, submarginal turbulence, and self-organized criticality (SOC) are considered and outstanding questions are identified

  3. Instabilities, turbulence and transport in a magnetized plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garbet, X.

    2001-06-01

    The purpose of this work is to introduce the main processes that occur in a magnetized plasma. During the last 2 decades, the understanding of turbulence has made great progress but analytical formulas and simulations are far to produce reliable predictions. The values of transport coefficients in a tokamak plasma exceed by far those predicted by the theory of collisional transport. This phenomenon is called abnormal transport and might be due to plasma fluctuations. An estimation of turbulent fluxes derived from the levels of fluctuations, is proposed. A flow description of plasma allows the understanding of most micro-instabilities. The ballooning representation deals with instabilities in a toric geometry. 3 factors play an important role to stabilize plasmas: density pinch, magnetic shear and speed shear. The flow model of plasma gives an erroneous value for the stability threshold, this is due to a bad description of the resonant interaction between wave and particle. As for dynamics, flow models can be improved by adding dissipative terms so that the linear response nears the kinetic response. The kinetic approach is more accurate but is complex because of the great number of dimensions involved. (A.C.)

  4. Bifurcation and Metamorphosis of Plasma Turbulence-Shear Flow Dynamics: the Path to the Top of the Hill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ball, R.; Dewar, R.L.; Sugama, H.

    2003-01-01

    The structural properties of an economical model for a confined plasma turbulence governor are investigated through bifurcation and stability analyses. Two types of discontinuous low to high confinement transition are found. One involves classical hysteresis, governed by viscous dissipation. The other is intrinsically oscillatory and non-hysteretic, and thus provides a model for observed 'dithering' transitions. This metamorphosis of the system dynamics is an important late side-effect of symmetry-breaking, which manifests as an unusual non-symmetric transcritical bifurcation induced by a significant shear flow drive

  5. E x B shearing rate in quasi-symmetric plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hahm, T.S.

    1997-01-01

    The suppression of turbulence by the E x B shear is studied in systems with quasi-symmetry using the nonlinear analysis of eddy decorrelation previously utilized in finite aspect ratio tokamak plasmas. The analytically derived E x B shearing rate which contains the relevant geometric dependence can be used for quantitative assessment of the fluctuation suppression in stellarators with quasi-symmetry

  6. The acceleration and propagation of energetic particles in turbulent cosmic plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achterberg, A.

    1981-01-01

    This thesis concentrates on the acceleration and propagation of energetic particles in turbulent cosmic plasmas. The stochastic acceleration of relativistic electrons by long-wavelength weak magnetohydrodynamic turbulence is considered and a model is discussed that allows the determination of both the electron energy spectrum and the wavenumber spectrum of the magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in a consistent way. The question of second phase acceleration in large solar flares and the precise form of the force exerted on the background plasma when Alfven waves are generated by fast particles are considered. The energy balance in the shock wave acceleration, the propagation of energetic particles in a high β plasma (β>10 2 ) and sheared flow as a possible source of plasma turbulence for a magnetized plasma with field-aligned flow, are discussed. (Auth./C.F.)

  7. Trapped Electron Mode Turbulence Driven Intrinsic Rotation in Tokamak Plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, W.X.; Hahm, T.S.; Ethier, S.; Zakharov, L.E.

    2011-01-01

    Recent progress from global gyrokinetic simulations in understanding the origin of intrinsic rotation in toroidal plasmas is reported with emphasis on electron thermal transport dominated regimes. The turbulence driven intrinsic torque associated with nonlinear residual stress generation by the fluctuation intensity and the intensity gradient in the presence of zonal flow shear induced asymmetry in the parallel wavenumber spectrum is shown to scale close to linearly with plasma gradients and the inverse of the plasma current. These results qualitatively reproduce empirical scalings of intrinsic rotation observed in various experiments. The origin of current scaling is found to be due to enhanced kll symmetry breaking induced by the increased radial variation of the safety factor as the current decreases. The physics origin for the linear dependence of intrinsic torque on pressure gradient is that both turbulence intensity and the zonal flow shear, which are two key ingredients for driving residual stress, increase with the strength of turbulence drive, which is R0/LTe and R0/Lne for the trapped electron mode.

  8. Investigation of turbulent structures in the edge of magnetized plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nold, Bernhard

    2012-01-01

    Rising energy cost and progressing climate change will exacerbate existing and give birth to new conflicts. Energy savings and the development of new technologies can counteract the reasons for these conflicts. Beside renewable energy sources, nuclear fusion can help to meet this challenge. To build future fusion power plants smaller and more efficient, the magnetic confinement must be improved and the load on plasma facing components reduced. To this end, better understanding is required of turbulent transport processes in magnetized plasmas. Within the frame of the present work, the properties and dynamics of turbulent density structures (''blobs'') have been investigated, as well as their interaction with shear flows. Langmuir-probe measurements have been conducted in the tokamak ASDEX Upgrade and in the stellarator TJ-K, and compared with GEMR plasma turbulence simulations. It has been shown, that blobs are generated at the last closed flux surface (LCFS) of ASDEX Upgrade. They propagate perpendicular to the magnetic field lines in the radial and poloidal directions. The poloidal E x B-drift depends on the radial variation of the plasma potential. The latter is given by the electron temperature profile in front of the electrically conducting wall. Experimental results show, that this can lead to a shear layer inside the scrape-off layer (SOL) of a divertor tokamak due to inhomogeneous connection lengths to the wall. Blobs can hardly cross such a shear layer unchanged. This investigation shows how blobs can exchange particles and energy across a shear layer without changing their shapes and velocities substantially. However, the dynamics of the structures are different between both sides of the shear layer. Parallel drift-wave dynamics are dominant on the plasma core side, i.e. density and potential of the blobs are in phase. Outside of the shear layer, the interchange mechanism dominates due to shorter parallel connection lengths to the wall. The poloidal

  9. Turbulence studies in tokamak boundary plasmas with realistic divertor geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, X.Q.; Cohen, R.H.; Porter, G.D.; Rognlien, T.; Ryutov, D.D.; Myra, J.R.; D'Ippolito, D.A.; Moyer, R.; Groebner, R.J.

    2001-01-01

    Results are presented from the 3D nonlocal electromagnetic turbulence code BOUT and the linearized shooting code BAL for studies of turbulence in tokamak boundary plasmas and its relationship to the L-H transition, in a realistic divertor plasma geometry. The key results include: (1) the identification of the dominant resistive X-point mode in divertor geometry and (2) turbulence suppression in the L-H transition by shear in the ExB drift speed, ion diamagnetism and nite polarization. Based on the simulation results, a parameterization of the transport is given that includes the dependence on the relevant physical parameters. (author)

  10. Turbulence studies in tokamak boundary plasmas with realistic divertor geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, X.Q.; Cohen, R.H.; Por, G.D. ter; Rognlien, T.D.; Ryutov, D.D.; Myra, J.R.; D'Ippolito, D.A.; Moyer, R.; Groebner, R.J.

    1999-01-01

    Results are presented from the 3D nonlocal electromagnetic turbulence code BOUT and the linearized shooting code BAL for studies of turbulence in tokamak boundary plasmas and its relationship to the L-H transition, in a realistic divertor plasma geometry. The key results include: (1) the identification of the dominant resistive X-point mode in divertor geometry and (2) turbulence suppression in the L-H transition by shear in the E x B drift speed, ion diamagnetism and finite polarization. Based on the simulation results, a parameterization of the transport is given that includes the dependence on the relevant physical parameters. (author)

  11. Intrinsic torque reversals induced by magnetic shear effects on the turbulence spectrum in tokamak plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu, Z. X.; Tynan, G. [Center for Energy Research and Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); Center for Momentum Transport and Flow Organization and Center for Astrophysics and Space Science, University of California, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); Wang, W. X.; Ethier, S. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (United States); Diamond, P. H. [Center for Momentum Transport and Flow Organization and Center for Astrophysics and Space Science, University of California, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); Gao, C.; Rice, J. [Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

    2015-05-15

    Intrinsic torque, which can be generated by turbulent stresses, can induce toroidal rotation in a tokamak plasma at rest without direct momentum injection. Reversals in intrinsic torque have been inferred from the observation of toroidal velocity changes in recent lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) experiments. This work focuses on understanding the cause of LHCD-induced intrinsic torque reversal using gyrokinetic simulations and theoretical analyses. A new mechanism for the intrinsic torque reversal linked to magnetic shear (s{sup ^}) effects on the turbulence spectrum is identified. This reversal is a consequence of the ballooning structure at weak s{sup ^}. Based on realistic profiles from the Alcator C-Mod LHCD experiments, simulations demonstrate that the intrinsic torque reverses for weak s{sup ^} discharges and that the value of s{sup ^}{sub crit} is consistent with the experimental results s{sup ^}{sub crit}{sup exp}≈0.2∼0.3 [Rice et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 125003 (2013)]. The consideration of this intrinsic torque feature in our work is important for the understanding of rotation profile generation at weak s{sup ^} and its consequent impact on macro-instability stabilization and micro-turbulence reduction, which is crucial for ITER. It is also relevant to internal transport barrier formation at negative or weakly positive s{sup ^}.

  12. Plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horton, W.

    1998-07-01

    The origin of plasma turbulence from currents and spatial gradients in plasmas is described and shown to lead to the dominant transport mechanism in many plasma regimes. A wide variety of turbulent transport mechanism exists in plasmas. In this survey the authors summarize some of the universally observed plasma transport rates

  13. Observation of the L-H confinement bifurcation triggered by a turbulence-driven shear flow in a tokamak plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Z; McKee, G R; Fonck, R; Gohil, P; Groebner, R J; Osborne, T H

    2014-03-28

    Comprehensive 2D turbulence and eddy flow velocity measurements on DIII-D demonstrate a rapidly increasing turbulence-driven shear flow that develops ∼100  μs prior to the low-confinement (L mode) to high-confinement (H mode) transition and appears to trigger it. These changes are localized to a narrow layer 1-2 cm inside the magnetic boundary. Increasing heating power increases the Reynolds stress, the energy transfer from turbulence to the poloidal flow, and the edge flow shearing rate that then exceeds the decorrelation rate, suppressing turbulence and triggering the transition.

  14. Numerical and Theoretical Studies of Turbulence and Transport with E x B Shear Flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krommes, J.A.; Chance, M.S.; Hahm, T.S.; Lin, Z.

    1999-01-01

    This paper reports: (1) substantial transport reduction by turbulence-driven E x B flows observed in 3D nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of microturbulence in magnetically-confined toroidal plasmas; (2) analytical derivation of the effective shearing rate for the time-dependent E x B flow; (3) interpretation of experimental data using linear gyrokinetic microinstability rotation models of E x B shear; and (4) other developments in gyrokinetic theory and simulation

  15. Momentum-energy transport from turbulence driven by parallel flow shear

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, J.Q.; Horton, W.; Bengtson, R.D.; Li, G.X.

    1994-04-01

    The low frequency E x B turbulence driven by the shear in the mass flow velocity parallel to the magnetic field is studied using the fluid theory in a slab configuration with magnetic shear. Ion temperature gradient effects are taken into account. The eigenfunctions of the linear instability are asymmetric about the mode rational surfaces. Quasilinear Reynolds stress induced by such asymmetric fluctuations produces momentum and energy transport across the magnetic field. Analytic formulas for the parallel and perpendicular Reynolds stress, viscosity and energy transport coefficients are given. Experimental observations of the parallel and poloidal plasma flows on TEXT-U are presented and compared with the theoretical models

  16. Electromagnetic transport components and sheared flows in drift-Alfven turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naulin, V.

    2003-01-01

    Results from three-dimensional numerical simulations of drift-Alfven turbulence in a toroidal geometry with sheared magnetic field are presented. The simulations show a relation between self-generated poloidal shear flows and magnetic field perturbations. For large values of the plasma beta we ob...... with a folded Gaussian, while the PDFs of the spatially averaged transport are in good agreement with an extreme value distribution. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics....... related to magnetic flutter is proposed. The characteristics of the ExB flux are investigated using probability density distribution functions (PDFs). Although they are not Gaussian, no signs of algebraic tails in the PDFs are observed. The PDFs of the pointwise transport are found to agree well...

  17. Plasma Turbulence General Topics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kadomtsev, B. B. [Nuclear Energy Institute, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow, USSR (Russian Federation)

    1965-06-15

    It is known that under experimental conditions plasma often shows chaotic motion. Such motion, when many degrees of freedom are excited to levels considerably above the thermal level, will be called turbulent. The properties of turbulent plasma in many respects differ from the properties of laminar plasma. It can be said that the appearance of various anomalies in plasma behaviour indicates the presence of turbulence in plasma. In order to verify directly the presence of turbulent motion in plasma we must, however, measure the fluctuation of some microscopic parameters in plasma.

  18. Local transport barrier formation and relaxation in reverse-shear plasmas on the TFTR tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Synakowski, E.J.; Beer, M.A.

    1997-02-01

    The roles of turbulence stabilization by sheared E x B flow and Shafranov-shift gradients are examined for TFTR. Enhanced Reverse-Shear plasmas. Both effects in combination provide the basis of a positive-feedback model that predicts reinforced turbulence suppression with increasing pressure gradient. Local fluctuation behavior at the onset of ERS confinement is consistent with this framework. The power required for transitions into the ERS regime are lower when high power neutral beams are applied earlier in the current profile evolution, consistent with the suggestion that both effects play a role. Separation of the roles of E x B and Shafranov shift effects was performed by varying the E x B shear through changes in the toroidal velocity with nearly-steady-state pressure profiles. Transport and fluctuation levels increase only when E x B shearing rates are driven below a critical value that is comparable to the fastest linear growth rates of the dominant instabilities. While a turbulence suppression criterion that involves the ratio of shearing to linear growth rates is in accord with many of these results, the existence of hidden dependencies of the criterion is suggested in experiments where the toroidal field was varied. The forward transition into the ERS regime has also been examined in strongly rotating plasmas. The power threshold is higher with unidirectional injection than with balanced injection

  19. Prediction of turbulent shear layers in turbomachines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradshaw, P.

    1974-01-01

    The characteristics of turbulent shear layers in turbomachines are compared with the turbulent boundary layers on airfoils. Seven different aspects are examined. The limits of boundary layer theory are investigated. Boundary layer prediction methods are applied to analysis of the flow in turbomachines.

  20. Sheared-flow induced confinement transition in a linear magnetized plasma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, S.; Heidbrink, W. W.; Boehmer, H.; McWilliams, R.; Carter, T. A.; Vincena, S.; Friedman, B.; Schaffner, D.

    2012-01-01

    A magnetized plasma cylinder (12 cm in diameter) is induced by an annular shape obstacle at the Large Plasma Device [W. Gekelman, H. Pfister, Z. Lucky, J. Bamber, D. Leneman, and J. Maggs, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)]. Sheared azimuthal flow is driven at the edge of the plasma cylinder through edge biasing. Strong fluctuations of density and potential (δn /n~eδφ/kTe~0.5) are observed at the plasma edge, accompanied by a large density gradient (Ln=|∇lnn |-1~2cm) and shearing rate (γ ~300kHz). Edge turbulence and cross-field transport are modified by changing the bias voltage (Vbias) on the obstacle and the axial magnetic field (Bz) strength. In cases with low Vbias and large Bz, improved plasma confinement is observed, along with steeper edge density gradients. The radially sheared flow induced by E ×B drift dramatically changes the cross-phase between density and potential fluctuations, which causes the wave-induced particle flux to reverse its direction across the shear layer. In cases with higher bias voltage or smaller Bz, large radial transport and rapid depletion of the central plasma density are observed. Two-dimensional cross-correlation measurement shows that a mode with azimuthal mode number m =1 and large radial correlation length dominates the outward transport in these cases. Linear analysis based on a two-fluid Braginskii model suggests that the fluctuations are driven by both density gradient (drift wave like) and flow shear (Kelvin-Helmholtz like) at the plasma edge.

  1. Sheared-flow induced confinement transition in a linear magnetized plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, S.; Heidbrink, W. W.; Boehmer, H.; McWilliams, R.; Carter, T. A.; Vincena, S.; Friedman, B.; Schaffner, D.

    2012-01-01

    A magnetized plasma cylinder (12 cm in diameter) is induced by an annular shape obstacle at the Large Plasma Device [W. Gekelman, H. Pfister, Z. Lucky, J. Bamber, D. Leneman, and J. Maggs, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)]. Sheared azimuthal flow is driven at the edge of the plasma cylinder through edge biasing. Strong fluctuations of density and potential (δn/n∼eδφ/kT e ∼0.5) are observed at the plasma edge, accompanied by a large density gradient (L n =∇lnn -1 ∼2cm) and shearing rate (γ∼300kHz). Edge turbulence and cross-field transport are modified by changing the bias voltage (V bias ) on the obstacle and the axial magnetic field (B z ) strength. In cases with low V bias and large B z , improved plasma confinement is observed, along with steeper edge density gradients. The radially sheared flow induced by ExB drift dramatically changes the cross-phase between density and potential fluctuations, which causes the wave-induced particle flux to reverse its direction across the shear layer. In cases with higher bias voltage or smaller B z , large radial transport and rapid depletion of the central plasma density are observed. Two-dimensional cross-correlation measurement shows that a mode with azimuthal mode number m=1 and large radial correlation length dominates the outward transport in these cases. Linear analysis based on a two-fluid Braginskii model suggests that the fluctuations are driven by both density gradient (drift wave like) and flow shear (Kelvin-Helmholtz like) at the plasma edge.

  2. Plasma turbulence calculations on supercomputers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carreras, B.A.; Charlton, L.A.; Dominguez, N.; Drake, J.B.; Garcia, L.; Leboeuf, J.N.; Lee, D.K.; Lynch, V.E.; Sidikman, K.

    1991-01-01

    Although the single-particle picture of magnetic confinement is helpful in understanding some basic physics of plasma confinement, it does not give a full description. Collective effects dominate plasma behavior. Any analysis of plasma confinement requires a self-consistent treatment of the particles and fields. The general picture is further complicated because the plasma, in general, is turbulent. The study of fluid turbulence is a rather complex field by itself. In addition to the difficulties of classical fluid turbulence, plasma turbulence studies face the problems caused by the induced magnetic turbulence, which couples field by itself. In addition to the difficulties of classical fluid turbulence, plasma turbulence studies face the problems caused by the induced magnetic turbulence, which couples back to the fluid. Since the fluid is not a perfect conductor, this turbulence can lead to changes in the topology of the magnetic field structure, causing the magnetic field lines to wander radially. Because the plasma fluid flows along field lines, they carry the particles with them, and this enhances the losses caused by collisions. The changes in topology are critical for the plasma confinement. The study of plasma turbulence and the concomitant transport is a challenging problem. Because of the importance of solving the plasma turbulence problem for controlled thermonuclear research, the high complexity of the problem, and the necessity of attacking the problem with supercomputers, the study of plasma turbulence in magnetic confinement devices is a Grand Challenge problem

  3. 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

  4. Turbulence and intermittent transport at the boundary of magnetized plasmas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garcia, O.E.; Naulin, V.; Nielsen, A.H.

    2005-01-01

    Numerical fluid simulations of interchange turbulence for geometry and parameters relevant to the boundary region of magnetically confined plasmas are shown to result in intermittent transport qualitatively similar to recent experimental measurements. The two-dimensional simulation domain features...... a forcing region with spatially localized sources of particles and heat outside which losses due to the motion along open magnetic-field lines dominate, corresponding to the edge region and the scrape-off layer, respectively. Turbulent states reveal intermittent eruptions of hot plasma from the edge region...... fluctuation wave forms and transport statistics are also in a good agreement with those derived from the experiments. Associated with the turbulence bursts are relaxation oscillations in the particle and heat confinements as well as in the kinetic energy of the sheared poloidal flows. The formation of blob...

  5. Advances in potential formation and findings in sheared radial electric-field effects on turbulence and loss suppression in GAMMA 10

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, T.; Higaki, H.; Hirata, M.; Hojo, H.; Ichimura, M.; Ishii, K.; Islam, M.K.; Itakura, A.; Katanuma, I.; Kohagura, J.; Nakashima, Y.; Numakura, T.; Saito, T.; Tatematsu, Y.; Yoshikawa, M.; Yoshida, M.; Imai, T.; Pastukhov, V.P.; Miyoshi, S.

    2005-01-01

    Following the Lyon IAEA Conference, (1) a factor of three progress up to 2.1 kV in the formation of ion-confining potential heights in comparison to those attained 1992-2002 is achieved for tandem-mirror plasmas in the hot-ion mode with ion temperatures of several keV. (2) The advance in the potential formation gives bases for a finding of the remarkable effects of radially produced shear of electric fields E r , or non-uniform sheared plasma rotation Ω r =E r /(r c B) on the suppression of turbulent fluctuations for the first time in GAMMA 10. (Here, r c denotes a radius mapped to the central-cell.) (2-i) Such a shear effect on the central-cell plasmas is highlighted visually by x-ray tomography diagnostics; that is, spatially and temporally fluctuated vortex-like structures are clearly observed in plasmas produced by ICH alone [having a quite weak shear]. (2-ii) However, during the application of plug ECH into the ICH plasmas, an associated potential rise produces a stronger shear [E r =several 10 kV/m 2 ]. In this case, the disappearance of the turbulent vortices on the basis of such a high-potential formation due to ECH is found in association with plasma confinement improvement. In fact, the associated temperature rise and transverse loss suppression are observed. (3) From the viewpoints of both (i) a conventional idea of higher and better potential confinement in the axial direction [i.e., E z effects] and (ii) the present new finding of a turbulent vortex disappearance due to a strong radial electric shear [i.e., E r effects] in the transverse direction, simultaneously, such a high potential formation is found to play an essential role in providing stably improved plasma confinement both radially and axially. (4) For the physics interpretations and control of such potential [or the associated E r or Ψ r shear] formation, the validity of our proposed theory of the potential formation is extendedly tested under the conditions with auxiliary heatings. The

  6. The effect of existing turbulence on stratified shear instability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaminski, Alexis; Smyth, William

    2017-11-01

    Ocean turbulence is an essential process governing, for example, heat uptake by the ocean. In the stably-stratified ocean interior, this turbulence occurs in discrete events driven by vertical variations of the horizontal velocity. Typically, these events have been modelled by assuming an initially laminar stratified shear flow which develops wavelike instabilities, becomes fully turbulent, and then relaminarizes into a stable state. However, in the real ocean there is always some level of turbulence left over from previous events, and it is not yet understood how this turbulence impacts the evolution of future mixing events. Here, we perform a series of direct numerical simulations of turbulent events developing in stratified shear flows that are already at least weakly turbulent. We do so by varying the amplitude of the initial perturbations, and examine the subsequent development of the instability and the impact on the resulting turbulent fluxes. This work is supported by NSF Grant OCE1537173.

  7. Theory of self-sustained turbulence in confined plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoh, K.; Itoh, S.-I.; Fukuyama, A.; Yagi, M.

    1996-01-01

    This article reviews some aspects of recent theoretical activities in Japan on the problem of turbulent transport in confined plasmas. The method of self-sustained turbulence is discussed. The process of the renormalization is shown and the turbulent Prandtl number is introduced. Nonlinear destabilization by the electron momentum diffusion is explained. The nonlinear eigenmode equation is derived for the dressed-test-mode for the inhomogeneous plasma in the shear magnetic field. The eigenvalue equation is solved, and the least stable mode determines the anomalous transport coefficient. The formula of the thermal conductivity is presented for the system of bad average magnetic curvature (current diffusive interchange mode (CDIM) turbulence) and that for the average good magnetic curvature (current diffusive ballooning mode (CDBM) turbulence). The transport coefficient, scale length of fluctuations and fluctuation level are shown to be an increasing function of the pressure gradient. Verification by use of the nonlinear simulation is shown. The bifurcation of the electric field and improved confinement are addressed, in order to explain the H-mode physics. The improved confinement and dynamics such as ELMs are explained. Application to the transport analysis of tokamaks is also presented, including explanations of the L-mode confinement, internal transport barrier, and the role of the current profile control

  8. Plasma Turbulence in Earth's Magnetotail Observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackler, D. A.; Avanov, L. A.; Boardsen, S. A.; Pollock, C. J.

    2017-12-01

    Magnetic reconnection, a process in which the magnetic topology undergoes multi-scale changes, is a significant mechanism for particle energization as well as energy dissipation. Reconnection is observed to occur in thin current sheets generated between two regions of magnetized plasma merging with a non-zero shear angle. Within a thinning current sheet, the dominant scale size approaches first the ion and then electron kinetic scale. The plasma becomes demagnetized, field lines transform, then once again the plasma becomes frozen-in. The reconnection process accelerates particles, leading to heated jets of plasma. Turbulence is another fundamental process in collision less plasmas. Despite decades of turbulence studies, an essential science question remains as to how turbulent energy dissipates at small scales by heating and accelerating particles. Turbulence in both plasmas and fluids has a fundamental property in that it follows an energy cascade into smaller scales. Energy introduced into a fluid or plasma can cause large scale motion, introducing vorticity, which merge and interact to make increasingly smaller eddies. It has been hypothesized that turbulent energy in magnetized plasmas may be dissipated by magnetic reconnection, just as viscosity dissipates energy in neutral fluid turbulence. The focus of this study is to use the new high temporal resolution suite of instruments on board the Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission to explore this hypothesis. An observable feature of the energy cascade in a turbulent magnetized plasma is its similarity to classical hydrodynamics in that the Power Spectral Density (PSD) of turbulent fluctuations follows a Kolmogorov-like power law (Image-5/3). We use highly accurate (0.1 nT) Flux Gate Magnetometer (FGM) data to derive the PSD as a function of frequency in the magnetic fluctuations. Given that we are able to confirm the turbulent nature of the flow field; we apply the method of Partial Variance of Increments (PVI

  9. LES-ODT Simulations of Turbulent Reacting Shear Layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffie, Andreas; Echekki, Tarek

    2012-11-01

    Large-eddy simulations (LES) combined with the one-dimensional turbulence (ODT) simulations of a spatially developing turbulent reacting shear layer with heat release and high Reynolds numbers were conducted and compared to results from direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the same configuration. The LES-ODT approach is based on LES solutions for momentum on a coarse grid and solutions for momentum and reactive scalars on a fine ODT grid, which is embedded in the LES computational domain. The shear layer is simulated with a single-step, second-order reaction with an Arrhenius reaction rate. The transport equations are solved using a low Mach number approximation. The LES-ODT simulations yield reasonably accurate predictions of turbulence and passive/reactive scalars' statistics compared to DNS results.

  10. Hybrid simulations of plasma transport by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability at the magnetopause: magnetic shear

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cowee, Misa M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Winske, Dan [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Gary, S Peter [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2009-01-01

    Two-dimensional hybrid (kinetic ions, massless fluid electrons) simulations of the Kelvin Helmholtz Instability (KHI) for a magnetopause configuration with a magnetic shear across the boundary are carried out to examine how the transport of magnetosheath plasma into the magnetosphere is affected by the shear field. Low magnetic shear conditions where the magnetosheath magnetic field is within 30{sup o} of northward is included in the simulations because KHI is thought to be important for plasma transport only for northward or near-northward interplanetary magnetic field orientations. The simulations show that coherent vortices can grow for these near-northward angles, and that they are sometimes more coherent than for pure northward conditions because the turbulence which breaks-down these vortices is reduced when there are magnetic tension forces. With increasing magnetic shear angle, the growth rate is reduced, and the vortices do not grow to as large of size which reduces the plasma transport. By tracking the individual particle motions diffusion coefficients can be obtained for the system, where the diffusion is not classical in nature but instead has a time dependence resulting from both the increasingly large-scale vortex motion and the small-scale turbulence generated in the break-down of the instabilities. Results indicate that diffusion on the order of 10{sup 9} m{sup 2}/s could possibly be generated by KHI on the flanks of the magnetosphere.

  11. Turbulent transport reduction by E x B velocity shear during edge plasma biasing in tokamaks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van Oost, G. [Dept. of Applied Physics, Ghent Univ., Ghent (Belgium); Adamek, J.; Antoni, V.; Balan, P.; Boedo, J.A.; Devynck, P.; Duran, I.; Eliseev, L.; Gunn, J.P.; Hron, M.; Ionita, C.; Jachmich, S.; Kirnev, G.S.; Martines, E.; Melnikov, A.; Peleman, P.; Schrittwieser, R.; Silva, C.; Stoeckel, J.; Tendler, M.; Varandas, C.; Van Schoor, M.; Vershkov, V.; Weynants, R.R.

    2004-07-01

    Experiments in the tokamaks TEXTOR, CASTOR, T-10 and ISTTOK have provided new and complementary evidence on the physics of the universal mechanism of E x B velocity shear stabilization of turbulence, concomitant transport barrier formation and radial conductivity by using various edge biasing techniques. (orig.)

  12. Suppressing electron turbulence and triggering internal transport barriers with reversed magnetic shear in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peterson, J. L. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Bell, R.; Guttenfelder, W.; Hammett, G. W.; Kaye, S. M.; LeBlanc, B.; Mikkelsen, D. R. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Candy, J. [General Atomics, San Diego, California 92186 (United States); Smith, D. R. [Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Yuh, H. Y. [Nova Photonics Inc., Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (United States)

    2012-05-15

    The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) [M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)] can achieve high electron plasma confinement regimes that are super-critically unstable to the electron temperature gradient driven (ETG) instability. These plasmas, dubbed electron internal transport barriers (e-ITBs), occur when the magnetic shear becomes strongly negative. Using the gyrokinetic code GYRO [J. Candy and R. E. Waltz, J. Comput. Phys. 186, 545 (2003)], the first nonlinear ETG simulations of NSTX e-ITB plasmas reinforce this observation. Local simulations identify a strongly upshifted nonlinear critical gradient for thermal transport that depends on magnetic shear. Global simulations show e-ITB formation can occur when the magnetic shear becomes strongly negative. While the ETG-driven thermal flux at the outer edge of the barrier is large enough to be experimentally relevant, the turbulence cannot propagate past the barrier into the plasma interior.

  13. Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Turbulent Transport Control via Shaping of Radial Plasma Flow Profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilmore, Mark Allen

    2017-01-01

    Turbulence, and turbulence-driven transport are ubiquitous in magnetically confined plasmas, where there is an intimate relationship between turbulence, transport, instability driving mechanisms (such as gradients), plasma flows, and flow shear. Though many of the detailed physics of the interrelationship between turbulence, transport, drive mechanisms, and flow remain unclear, there have been many demonstrations that transport and/or turbulence can be suppressed or reduced via manipulations of plasma flow profiles. This is well known in magnetic fusion plasmas [e.g., high confinement mode (H-mode) and internal transport barriers (ITB's)], and has also been demonstrated in laboratory plasmas. However, it may be that the levels of particle transport obtained in such cases [e.g. H-mode, ITB's] are actually lower than is desirable for a practical fusion device. Ideally, one would be able to actively feedback control the turbulent transport, via manipulation of the flow profiles. The purpose of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using both advanced model-based control algorithms, as well as non-model-based algorithms, to control cross-field turbulence-driven particle transport through appropriate manipulation of radial plasma flow profiles. The University of New Mexico was responsible for the experimental portion of the project, while our collaborators at the University of Montana provided plasma transport modeling, and collaborators at Lehigh University developed and explored control methods.

  14. Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Turbulent Transport Control via Shaping of Radial Plasma Flow Profiles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gilmore, Mark Allen [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2017-02-05

    Turbulence, and turbulence-driven transport are ubiquitous in magnetically confined plasmas, where there is an intimate relationship between turbulence, transport, instability driving mechanisms (such as gradients), plasma flows, and flow shear. Though many of the detailed physics of the interrelationship between turbulence, transport, drive mechanisms, and flow remain unclear, there have been many demonstrations that transport and/or turbulence can be suppressed or reduced via manipulations of plasma flow profiles. This is well known in magnetic fusion plasmas [e.g., high confinement mode (H-mode) and internal transport barriers (ITB’s)], and has also been demonstrated in laboratory plasmas. However, it may be that the levels of particle transport obtained in such cases [e.g. H-mode, ITB’s] are actually lower than is desirable for a practical fusion device. Ideally, one would be able to actively feedback control the turbulent transport, via manipulation of the flow profiles. The purpose of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using both advanced model-based control algorithms, as well as non-model-based algorithms, to control cross-field turbulence-driven particle transport through appropriate manipulation of radial plasma flow profiles. The University of New Mexico was responsible for the experimental portion of the project, while our collaborators at the University of Montana provided plasma transport modeling, and collaborators at Lehigh University developed and explored control methods.

  15. Mean and oscillating plasma flows and turbulence interactions across the L-H confinement transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conway, G D; Angioni, C; Ryter, F; Sauter, P; Vicente, J

    2011-02-11

    A complex interaction between turbulence driven E × B zonal flow oscillations, i.e., geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs), the turbulence, and mean equilibrium flows is observed during the low to high (L-H) plasma confinement mode transition in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. Below the L-H threshold at low densities a limit-cycle oscillation forms with competition between the turbulence level and the GAM flow shearing. At higher densities the cycle is diminished, while in the H mode the cycle duration becomes too short to sustain the GAM, which is replaced by large amplitude broadband flow perturbations. Initially GAM amplitude increases as the H-mode transition is approached, but is then suppressed in the H mode by enhanced mean flow shear.

  16. Sheared electric field-induced suppression of edge turbulence using externally driven R.F. waves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Craddock, G.G.; Diamond, P.H.

    1991-01-01

    Here the authors propose a novel method for active control and suppression of edge turbulence by sheared ExB flows driven by externally launched RF waves. The theory developed addresses the problem of open-quotes flow driveclose quotes, which is somewhat analogous to the problem of plasma current drive. As originally demonstrated for the case of spontaneously driven flows, a net difference in the gradient of the fluid and magnetic Reynolds' stresses produced by radially propagating waves can drive the plasma flow. For the prototypical case of the Alfven wave flow drive considered here, ρ 0 r v θ > - r B θ > is proportional to k perpendicular 2 ρ s 2 in the case of the kinetic Alfven wave, and [(ηk perpendicular 2 -vk perpendicular 2 )/ω] 2 in the case of resistive MHD. Both results reflect the dependence of flow drive on the net stress imbalance. The shear layer width is determined by the waves evanescence length (determined by dissipation) that sets the stress gradient scale length, while the direction of the flow is determined by the poloidal orientation of the launched waves. In particular, it should be noted that both positive and negative E r may be driven, so that enhanced confinement need not be accompanied by impurity accumulation, as commonly encountered in spontaneous H-modes. The efficiency is determined by the criterion that the radial electric field shear be large enough to suppress turbulence. For typical TEXT parameters, and unity efficiency, 300 kW of absorbed power is needed to suppress turbulence over 3 cm radially. For DIII-D, 300 kW over 4 cm is needed. Also, direct transport losses induced by RF have been shown to be small. Extensions of the theory to ICRF are underway and are discussed. They also discuss the analogous problem of current drive using kinetic Alfven waves. 2 refs

  17. Current-driven turbulence in plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kluiver, H. de.

    1977-10-01

    Research on plasma heating in linear and toroidal systems using current-driven turbulence is reviewed. The motivation for this research is presented. Relations between parameters describing the turbulent plasma state and macroscopic observables are given. Several linear and toroidal devices used in current-driven turbulence studies are described, followed by a discussion of special diagnostic methods used. Experimental results on the measurement of electron and ion heating, anomalous plasma conductivity and associated turbulent fluctuation spectra are reviewed. Theories on current-driven turbulence are discussed and compared with experiments. It is demonstrated from the experimental results that current-driven turbulence occurs not only for extreme values of the electric field but also for an experimentally much more accessible and wide range of parameters. This forms a basis for a discussion on possible future applications in fusion-oriented plasma research

  18. An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Joni K.

    2013-01-01

    The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents. NASA project management desired this information regarding distinct subgroups of atmospheric hazards, in order to better focus their research portfolio. A seven category expansion of Kaplan's turbulence categories was developed, which included wake turbulence, mountain wave turbulence, clear air turbulence, cloud turbulence, convective turbulence, thunderstorm without mention of turbulence, and low altitude wind shear, microburst or turbulence (with no mention of thunderstorms).More than 800 accidents from flights based in the United States during 1987-2008 were selected from a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database. Accidents were selected for inclusion in this study if turbulence, thunderstorm, wind shear or microburst was considered either a cause or a factor in the accident report, and each accident was assigned to only one hazard category. This report summarizes the differences between the categories in terms of factors such as flight operations category, aircraft engine type, the accident's geographic location and time of year, degree of injury to aircraft occupants, aircraft damage, age and certification of the pilot and the phase of flight at the time of the accident.

  19. Bounded energy states in homogeneous turbulent shear flow: An alternative view

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Peter S.; Speziale, Charles G.

    1990-01-01

    The equilibrium structure of homogeneous turbulent shear flow is investigated from a theoretical standpoint. Existing turbulence models, in apparent agreement with physical and numerical experiments, predict an unbounded exponential time growth of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate; only the anisotropy tensor and turbulent time scale reach a structural equilibrium. It is shown that if vortex stretching is accounted for in the dissipation rate transport equation, then there can exist equilibrium solutions, with bounded energy states, where the turbulence production is balanced by its dissipation. Illustrative calculations are present for a k-epsilon model modified to account for vortex stretching. The calculations indicate an initial exponential time growth of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate for elapsed times that are as large as those considered in any of the previously conducted physical or numerical experiments on homogeneous shear flow. However, vortex stretching eventually takes over and forces a production-equals-dissipation equilibrium with bounded energy states. The validity of this result is further supported by an independent theoretical argument. It is concluded that the generally accepted structural equilibrium for homogeneous shear flow with unbounded component energies is in need of re-examination.

  20. Electromotive force and large-scale magnetic dynamo in a turbulent flow with a mean shear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogachevskii, Igor; Kleeorin, Nathan

    2003-09-01

    An effect of sheared large-scale motions on a mean electromotive force in a nonrotating turbulent flow of a conducting fluid is studied. It is demonstrated that in a homogeneous divergence-free turbulent flow the alpha effect does not exist, however a mean magnetic field can be generated even in a nonrotating turbulence with an imposed mean velocity shear due to a "shear-current" effect. A mean velocity shear results in an anisotropy of turbulent magnetic diffusion. A contribution to the electromotive force related to the symmetric parts of the gradient tensor of the mean magnetic field (the kappa effect) is found in nonrotating turbulent flows with a mean shear. The kappa effect and turbulent magnetic diffusion reduce the growth rate of the mean magnetic field. It is shown that a mean magnetic field can be generated when the exponent of the energy spectrum of the background turbulence (without the mean velocity shear) is less than 2. The shear-current effect was studied using two different methods: the tau approximation (the Orszag third-order closure procedure) and the stochastic calculus (the path integral representation of the solution of the induction equation, Feynman-Kac formula, and Cameron-Martin-Girsanov theorem). Astrophysical applications of the obtained results are discussed.

  1. Strong Turbulence in Low-beta Plasmas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tchen, C. M.; Pécseli, Hans; Larsen, Søren Ejling

    1980-01-01

    An investigation of the spectral structure of turbulence in a plasma confined by a strong homogeneous magnetic field was made by means of a fluid description. The turbulent spectrum is divided into subranges. Mean gradients of velocity and density excite turbulent motions, and govern the production......-cathode reflex arc, Stellarator, Zeta discharge, ionospheric plasmas, and auroral plasma turbulence....

  2. Simulation of shear and turbulence impact on wind turbine power performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wagner, R.; Courtney, M.S.; Larsen, T.J.; Paulsen, U.S.

    2010-01-15

    Aerodynamic simulations (HAWC2Aero) were used to investigate the influence of the speed shear, the direction shear and the turbulence intensity on the power output of a multi-megawatt turbine. First simulation cases with laminar flow and power law wind speed profiles were compared to the case of a uniform inflow. Secondly, a similar analysis was done for cases with direction shear. In each case, we derived a standard power curve (function of the wind speed at hub height) and power curves obtained with various definitions of equivalent wind speed in order to reduce the scatter due to shear. Thirdly, the variations of the power output and the power curve were analysed for various turbulence intensities. Furthermore, the equivalent speed method was successfully tested on a power curve resulting from simulations cases combining shear and turbulence. Finally, we roughly simulated the wind speed measurements we may get from a LIDAR mounted on the nacelle of the turbine (measuring upwind) and we investigated different ways of deriving an equivalent wind speed from such measurements. (author)

  3. Turbulence measurements in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conway, G D

    2008-01-01

    Turbulence measurements in magnetically confined toroidal plasmas have a long history and relevance due to the detrimental role of turbulence induced transport on particle, energy, impurity and momentum confinement. The turbulence-the microscopic random fluctuations in particle density, temperature, potential and magnetic field-is generally driven by radial gradients in the plasma density and temperature. The correlation between the turbulence properties and global confinement, via enhanced diffusion, convection and direct conduction, is now well documented. Theory, together with recent measurements, also indicates that non-linear interactions within the turbulence generate large scale zonal flows and geodesic oscillations, which can feed back onto the turbulence and equilibrium profiles creating a complex interdependence. An overview of the current status and understanding of plasma turbulence measurements in the closed flux surface region of magnetic confinement fusion devices is presented, highlighting some recent developments and outstanding problems.

  4. Recent developments in plasma turbulence and turbulent transport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Terry, P.W. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

    1997-09-22

    This report contains viewgraphs of recent developments in plasma turbulence and turbulent transport. Localized nonlinear structures occur under a variety of circumstances in turbulent, magnetically confined plasmas, arising in both kinetic and fluid descriptions, i.e., in either wave-particle or three-wave coupling interactions. These structures are non wavelike. They cannot be incorporated in the collective wave response, but interact with collective modes through their shielding by the plasma dielectric. These structures are predicted to modify turbulence-driven transport in a way that in consistent with, or in some cases are confirmed by recent experimental observations. In kinetic theory, non wavelike structures are localized perturbations of phase space density. There are two types of structures. Holes are self-trapped, while clumps have a self-potential that is too weak to resist deformation and mixing by ambient potential fluctuations. Clumps remain correlated in turbulence if their spatial extent is smaller than the correlation length of the scattering fields. In magnetic turbulence, clumps travel along stochastic magnetic fields, shielded by the plasma dielectric. A drag on the clump macro-particle is exerted by the shielding, inducing emission into the collective response. The emission in turn damps back on the particle distribution via Landau dampling. The exchange of energy between clumps and particles, as mediated by the collective mode, imposes constraints on transport. For a turbulent spectrum whose mean wavenumber along the equilibrium magnetic field is nonzero, the electron thermal flux is proportional to the ion thermal velocity. Conventional predictions (which account only for collective modes) are larger by the square root of the ion to electron mass ratio. Recent measurements are consistent with the small flux. In fluid plasma,s localized coherent structures can occur as intense vortices.

  5. Turbulence and sheared flow dynamics during q95 and density scans across the L-H transition on DIII-D

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Zheng; McKee, George; Gohil, Punit; Schmitz, Lothar; Eldon, David; Grierson, Brian; Kriete, Matt; Rhodes, Terry; Petty, Craig

    2017-10-01

    Measurements of long wavelength density fluctuation characteristics have been obtained in the edge of Deuterium (D) plasmas across the L-H transition on DIII-D during density and q95 scans. The relative density fluctuation amplitude measured by Beam Emission Spectroscopy (BES) increases with higher q95. The power threshold is found to increase with plasma current (i.e., lower q95) but with complex density dependence: the largest increase of PLH is seen at ne 3.2e19 m-3. Interestingly, a dual counter-propagating mode is observed for cases when PLH is low. The existence of the dual mode is correlated with increasing flow shear. Estimation of the turbulence kinetic energy transfer from turbulence to the flow increases prior to the transition. The complex behaviors of the turbulence characteristics and dual frequency modes interactions impact the flow shear generation, the transition process and the power threshold scaling. Work supported by the US Department of Energy under DE-FG02-08ER54999, DE-AC02-09CH11466, DE-FC02-04ER54698, and DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  6. Plasma turbulence in tokamaks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Caldas, Ibere L.; Heller, M.V.A.P.; Brasilio, Z.A. [Sao Paulo Univ., SP, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

    1997-12-31

    Full text. In this work we summarize the results from experiments on electrostatic and magnetic fluctuations in tokamak plasmas. Spectral analyses show that these fluctuations are turbulent, having a broad spectrum of wavectors and a broad spectrum of frequencies at each wavector. The electrostatic turbulence induces unexpected anomalous particle transport that deteriorates the plasma confinement. The relationship of these fluctuations to the current state of plasma theory is still unclear. Furthermore, we describe also attempts to control this plasma turbulence with external magnetic perturbations that create chaotic magnetic configurations. Accordingly, the magnetic field lines may become chaotic and then induce a Lagrangian diffusion. Moreover, to discuss nonlinear coupling and intermittency, we present results obtained by using numerical techniques as bi spectral and wavelet analyses. (author)

  7. Wave turbulence in magnetized plasmas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Galtier

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available The paper reviews the recent progress on wave turbulence for magnetized plasmas (MHD, Hall MHD and electron MHD in the incompressible and compressible cases. The emphasis is made on homogeneous and anisotropic turbulence which usually provides the best theoretical framework to investigate space and laboratory plasmas. The solar wind and the coronal heating problems are presented as two examples of application of anisotropic wave turbulence. The most important results of wave turbulence are reported and discussed in the context of natural and simulated magnetized plasmas. Important issues and possible spurious interpretations are also discussed.

  8. Power spectral density analysis of wind-shear turbulence for related flight simulations. M.S. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laituri, Tony R.

    1988-01-01

    Meteorological phenomena known as microbursts can produce abrupt changes in wind direction and/or speed over a very short distance in the atmosphere. These changes in flow characteristics have been labelled wind shear. Because of its adverse effects on aerodynamic lift, wind shear poses its most immediate threat to flight operations at low altitudes. The number of recent commercial aircraft accidents attributed to wind shear has necessitated a better understanding of how energy is transferred to an aircraft from wind-shear turbulence. Isotropic turbulence here serves as the basis of comparison for the anisotropic turbulence which exists in the low-altitude wind shear. The related question of how isotropic turbulence scales in a wind shear is addressed from the perspective of power spectral density (psd). The role of the psd in related Monte Carlo simulations is also considered.

  9. Turbulent characteristics of shear-thinning fluids in recirculating flows

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pereira, A.S. [Inst. Superior de Engenharia do Porto (Portugal). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica; Pinho, F.T. [Centro de Estudos de Fenomenos de Transporte, Departamento de Engenharia Mecanica e Gestao Industrial, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas, 4050-123 Porto (Portugal)

    2000-03-01

    A miniaturised fibre optic laser-Doppler anemometer was used to carry out a detailed hydrodynamic investigation of the flow downstream of a sudden expansion with 0.1-0.2% by weight shear-thinning aqueous solutions of xanthan gum. Upstream of the sudden expansion the pipe flow was fully-developed and the xanthan gum solutions exhibited drag reduction with corresponding lower radial and tangential normal Reynolds stresses, but higher axial Reynolds stress near the wall and a flatter axial mean velocity profile in comparison with Newtonian flow. The recirculation bubble length was reduced by more than 20% relative to the high Reynolds number Newtonian flow, and this was attributed to the occurrence further upstream of high turbulence for the non-Newtonian solutions, because of advection of turbulence and earlier high turbulence production in the shear layer. Comparisons with the measurements of Escudier and Smith (1999) with similar fluids emphasized the dominating role of inlet turbulence. The present was less anisotropic, and had lower maximum axial Reynolds stresses (by 16%) but higher radial turbulence (20%) than theirs. They reported considerably longer recirculating bubble lengths than we do for similar non-Newtonian fluids and Reynolds numbers. (orig.)

  10. The roles of turbulence on plasma heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawamura, Takaichi; Kawabe, Takaya.

    1976-06-01

    In this paper, the characteristic features of the turbulent heating are reviewed, which is considered to be one of the strong candidates of the further heating method in fusion reactor systems, referring to the works in the Institute of Plasma Physics, Nagoya University. The roles of turbulence in plasma heating including toroidal plasma heating are discussed from several points of view. The relation between the heating rate of plasma particles and the thermalization (randomization) frequency is theoretically investigated and the role of plasma turbulence in the fast thermalization is shown. The experimental results on fluctuation and heating of electrons and ions in turbulently heated plasmas are presented. The influence of turbulence, which is responsible for the particle heating, on the diffusion across the confinement magnetic field is considered for the application in the toroidal plasmas. It is pointed out that the turbulent fields in the fast turbulent heating give only a minor effect to the loss of particles across the magnetic field. It can be said that the enhanced fluctuation in turbulent plasma gives its field energy to the plasma particles while it can play the role of the fast thermalization of the ordered motion of particles that is produced in the plasma by some acceleration process. (Kato, T.)

  11. Zonal flow shear amplification by depletion of anisotropic potential eddies in a magnetized plasma: idealized models and laboratory experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fedorczak, N; Manz, P; Chakraborty Thakur, S; Xu, M; Tynan, G R

    2013-01-01

    The consequences of vorticity conservation on the spatio-temporal interaction of a E × B zonal shear with a generic pattern of plasma potential modes are investigated in a magnetized plasma environment. Eddies organized on a chain along the zonal direction are locally depleted, resulting in what appears to be a radial decorrelation by the shear flow in the absence of dissipation. The eddy depletion occurs due to a transfer of enstrophy from the chain to the shear flow during the progressive growth in the chain anisotropy. The rate of zonal shear acceleration is derived analytically and its expression is validated by numerical simulations. The rate is proportional to the chain amplitude in the weak shear regime and to the shearing rate in the strong shear regime. Basic properties of the model are validated with fast visible imaging data collected on a magnetized plasma column experiment. A characteristic vorticity flux across the edge shear layer of tokamak plasmas is associated with the model predictions. The dependence of the interaction rate with turbulence amplitude and shearing rate could be an important ingredient of the low to high confinement mode transition. (paper)

  12. Momentum Transport Studies in High E x B Shear Plasmas in NSTX

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solomon, W.M.; Kaye, S.M.; Bell, S.M.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Menard, B.P.; Rewoldt, B.P.; Wang, W.; Levinton, F.M.; Yuh, H.; Sabbagh, S.A.

    2008-01-01

    Experiments have been conducted on NSTX to study both steady state and perturbative momentum transport. These studies are unique in their parameter space under investigation, where the low aspect ratio of NSTX results in rapid plasma rotation with E x B shearing rates high enough to suppress low-k turbulence. In some cases, the ratio of momentum to energy confinement time is found to exceed five. Momentum pinch velocities of order 10-40 m/s are inferred from the measured angular momentum flux evolution after non-resonant magnetic perturbations are applied to brake the plasma

  13. Model of wind shear conditional on turbulence and its impact on wind turbine loads

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dimitrov, Nikolay Krasimirov; Natarajan, Anand; Kelly, Mark C.

    2015-01-01

    proposed for flat terrain and that can significantly decrease the uncertainty associated with fatigue load predictions for wind turbines with large rotors. An essential contribution is the conditioning of wind shear on the 90% quantile of wind turbulence, such that the appropriate magnitude of the design...... fatigue load is achieved. The proposed wind shear model based on the wind measurements is thereby probabilistic in definition, with shear jointly distributed with wind turbulence. A simplified model for the wind shear exponent is further derived from the full stochastic model. The fatigue loads over...... is most pronounced on the blade flap loads. It is further shown that under moderate wind turbulence, the wind shear exponents may be over-specified in the design standards, and a reduction of wind shear exponent based on the present measurements can contribute to reduced fatigue damage equivalent loads...

  14. Energy spectrum of tearing mode turbulence in sheared background field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Di; Bhattacharjee, Amitava; Huang, Yi-Min

    2018-06-01

    The energy spectrum of tearing mode turbulence in a sheared background magnetic field is studied in this work. We consider the scenario where the nonlinear interaction of overlapping large-scale modes excites a broad spectrum of small-scale modes, generating tearing mode turbulence. The spectrum of such turbulence is of interest since it is relevant to the small-scale back-reaction on the large-scale field. The turbulence we discuss here differs from traditional MHD turbulence mainly in two aspects. One is the existence of many linearly stable small-scale modes which cause an effective damping during the energy cascade. The other is the scale-independent anisotropy induced by the large-scale modes tilting the sheared background field, as opposed to the scale-dependent anisotropy frequently encountered in traditional critically balanced turbulence theories. Due to these two differences, the energy spectrum deviates from a simple power law and takes the form of a power law multiplied by an exponential falloff. Numerical simulations are carried out using visco-resistive MHD equations to verify our theoretical predictions, and a reasonable agreement is found between the numerical results and our model.

  15. Dynamics of Turbulence Suppression in a Helicon Plasma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes, Tiffany; Gilmore, Mark

    2012-10-01

    Experiments are currently being conducted in the the Helicon-Cathode Device (HelCat) at the University of New Mexico. The goal is to the study in detail the transition from a turbulent to a non-turbulent state in the presence of flow shear. HelCat has intrinsic fluctuations that have been identified as drift-waves. Using simple electrode biasing, it has been found that these fluctuations can be completely suppressed. In some extreme cases, a different instability, possibly the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, can be excited. Detailed studies are underway in order to understand the characteristics of each mode, and to elucidate the underlying physics that cause the change between an unstable plasma, and an instability-free plasma. Dynamics being observed include changes in flow profiles, both azimuthal and parallel, as well as changes in potential and temperature gradients. Further understanding is being sought using several computer codes developed at EPFL: a linear stability solver (LSS,footnotetextP. Ricci and B.N. Rogers (2009). Phys Plasmas 16, 062303. a one-dimensional PIC code/sheath solver, ODISEE,footnotetextJ. Loizu, P. Ricci, and C. Theiler (2011). Phys Rev E 83, 016406 and a global, 3D Braginski code, GBS.footnotetextRicci, Rogers (2009) A basic overview of results will be presented.

  16. Solar-wind turbulence and shear: a superposed-epoch analysis of corotating interaction regions at 1 AU

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borovsky, Joseph E [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Denton, Michael H [LANCASTER UNIV.

    2009-01-01

    A superposed-epoch analysis of ACE and OMNI2 measurements is performed on 27 corotating interaction regions (CIRs) in 2003-2008, with the zero epoch taken to be the stream interface as determined by the maximum of the plasma vorticity. The structure of CIRs is investigated. When the flow measurements are rotated into the local-Parker-spiral coordinate system the shear is seen to be abrupt and intense, with vorticities on the order of 10{sup -5}-10{sup -4} sec{sup -1}. Converging flows perpendicular to the stream interface are seen in the local-Parker-spiral coordinate system and about half of the CIRs show a layer of divergent rebound flow away from the stream interface. Arguments indicate that any spreading of turbulence away from the region where it is produced is limited to about 10{sup 6} km, which is very small compared with the thickness of a CrR. Analysis of the turbulence across the CrRs is performed. When possible, the effects of discontinuities are removed from the data. Fluctuation amplitudes, the Alfvenicity, and the level of Alfvenic correlations all vary smoothly across the CrR. The Alfven ratio exhibits a decrease at the shear zone of the stream interface. Fourier analysis of 4.5-hr subintervals of ACE data is performed and the results are superposed averaged as an ensemble of realizations. The spectral slopes of the velocity, magnetic-field, and total-energy fluctuations vary smoothly across the CIR. The total-energy spectral slope is {approx} 3/2 in the slow and fast wind and in the CrRs. Analysis of the Elsasser inward-outward fluctuations shows a smooth transition across the CrR from an inward-outward balance in the slow wind to an outward dominance in the fast wind. A number of signatures of turbulence driving at the shear zone are sought (entropy change, turbulence amplitude, Alfvenicity, Alfven ratio, spectral slopes, in-out nature): none show evidence of driving of turbulence by shear.

  17. Gyrokinetic Studies on Turbulence-Driven and Neoclassical Nondiffusive Toroidal-Momentum Transport and the Effect of Residual Fluctuations in Strong ExB Shear

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, W. X.; Hahm, T. S.; Ethier, S.; Rewoldt, G.; Lee, W. W.; Tang, W. M.; Kaye, S. M.; Diamond, P. H.

    2009-01-01

    A significant inward flux of toroidal momentum is found in global gyrokinetic simulations of ion temperature gradient turbulence, leading to core plasma rotation spin-up. The underlying mechanism is identified to be the generation of residual stress due to the k parallel symmetry breaking induced by global quasistationary zonal flow shear. Simulations also show a significant off-diagonal element associated with the ion temperature gradient in the neoclassical momentum flux, while the overall neoclassical flux is small. In addition, the residual turbulence found in the presence of strong ExB flow shear may account for neoclassical-level ion heat and anomalous momentum transport widely observed in experiments

  18. Exploiting similarity in turbulent shear flows for turbulence modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, David F.; Harris, Julius E.; Hassan, H. A.

    1992-12-01

    It is well known that current k-epsilon models cannot predict the flow over a flat plate and its wake. In an effort to address this issue and other issues associated with turbulence closure, a new approach for turbulence modeling is proposed which exploits similarities in the flow field. Thus, if we consider the flow over a flat plate and its wake, then in addition to taking advantage of the log-law region, we can exploit the fact that the flow becomes self-similar in the far wake. This latter behavior makes it possible to cast the governing equations as a set of total differential equations. Solutions of this set and comparison with measured shear stress and velocity profiles yields the desired set of model constants. Such a set is, in general, different from other sets of model constants. The rational for such an approach is that if we can correctly model the flow over a flat plate and its far wake, then we can have a better chance of predicting the behavior in between. It is to be noted that the approach does not appeal, in any way, to the decay of homogeneous turbulence. This is because the asymptotic behavior of the flow under consideration is not representative of the decay of homogeneous turbulence.

  19. Exploiting similarity in turbulent shear flows for turbulence modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, David F.; Harris, Julius E.; Hassan, H. A.

    1992-01-01

    It is well known that current k-epsilon models cannot predict the flow over a flat plate and its wake. In an effort to address this issue and other issues associated with turbulence closure, a new approach for turbulence modeling is proposed which exploits similarities in the flow field. Thus, if we consider the flow over a flat plate and its wake, then in addition to taking advantage of the log-law region, we can exploit the fact that the flow becomes self-similar in the far wake. This latter behavior makes it possible to cast the governing equations as a set of total differential equations. Solutions of this set and comparison with measured shear stress and velocity profiles yields the desired set of model constants. Such a set is, in general, different from other sets of model constants. The rational for such an approach is that if we can correctly model the flow over a flat plate and its far wake, then we can have a better chance of predicting the behavior in between. It is to be noted that the approach does not appeal, in any way, to the decay of homogeneous turbulence. This is because the asymptotic behavior of the flow under consideration is not representative of the decay of homogeneous turbulence.

  20. Direct numerical simulations of premixed autoignition in compressible uniformly-sheared turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Towery, Colin; Darragh, Ryan; Poludnenko, Alexei; Hamlington, Peter

    2017-11-01

    High-speed combustion systems, such as scramjet engines, operate at high temperatures and pressures, extremely short combustor residence times, very high rates of shear stress, and intense turbulent mixing. As a result, the reacting flow can be premixed and have highly-compressible turbulence fluctuations. We investigate the effects of compressible turbulence on the ignition delay time, heat-release-rate (HRR) intermittency, and mode of autoignition of premixed Hydrogen-air fuel in uniformly-sheared turbulence using new three-dimensional direct numerical simulations with a multi-step chemistry mechanism. We analyze autoignition in both the Eulerian and Lagrangian reference frames at eight different turbulence Mach numbers, Mat , spanning the quasi-isentropic, linear thermodynamic, and nonlinear compressibility regimes, with eddy shocklets appearing in the nonlinear regime. Results are compared to our previous study of premixed autoignition in isotropic turbulence at the same Mat and with a single-step reaction mechanism. This previous study found large decreases in delay times and large increases in HRR intermittency between the linear and nonlinear compressibility regimes and that detonation waves could form in both regimes.

  1. Scaling of turbulence spectra measured in strong shear flow near the Earth’s surface

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Torben Krogh; Larsen, Søren Ejling; Ejsing Jørgensen, Hans

    2017-01-01

    Within the lowest kilometer of the Earth's atmosphere, in the so-called atmospheric boundary layer, winds are often gusty and turbulent. Nearest to the ground, the turbulence is predominately generated by mechanical wall-bounded wind shear, whereas at higher altitudes turbulent mixing of heat...... subrange with a distinct inverse-linear power law for turbulence in a strongly sheared high-Reynolds number wall-bounded flow, as is encountered in the lowest sheared part of the atmospheric boundary layer, also known as the eddy surface layer. This paper presents observations of spectra measured...... and moisture also play a role. The variance (square of the standard deviation) of the fluctuation around the mean wind speed is a measure of the kinetic energy content of the turbulence. This kinetic energy can be resolved into the spectral distributions, or spectra, as functions of eddy size, wavenumber...

  2. Turbulence of high-beta plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khvesyuk, V.I.; Chirkov, A.Y.

    1999-01-01

    Principals of numerical modelling of turbulence in high-beta plasma (β > 0.1) are discussed. Creation of transport model for axial symmetric nonuniform confining magnetic field is considered. Numerical model of plasma turbulence in FRC is presented. The physical and mathematical models are formulated from nonuniform axial symmetric high-beta plasma. It is shown that influence of waves arise under this plasma conditions lead to chaotic motion of charged particles across magnetic field. (author)

  3. Gyrofluid Simulations of Intrinsic Rotation Generation in Reversed Shear Plasmas with Internal Transport Barriers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jhang, Hogun; Kim, S. S.; Kwon, J. M.; Terzolo, L.; Kim, J. Y.; Diamond, P. H.

    2010-11-01

    It is accepted that the intrinsic rotation is generated via the residual stress, which is non-diffusive components of the turbulent Reynolds stress, without external momentum input. The physics leading to the onset of intrinsic rotation in L- and H- mode plasmas have been elucidated elsewhere. However, the physics responsible for the generation and transport of the intrinsic rotation and its relationship to the formation of internal transport barriers (ITBs) in reversed shear (RS) plasmas have not been explored in detail, which is the main subject in the present work. The revised version of the global gyrofluid code TRB is used for this study. It is found that the large intrinsic rotation (˜10-30% of the ion sound speed depending on ITB characteristics) is generated near the ITB region and propagates into the core. The intrinsic rotation increases linearly as the temperature gradient at ITB position increases, albeit not indefinitely. Key parameters related to the symmetry breaking, such as turbulent intensity and its gradient, the flux surface averaged parallel wavenumber are evaluated dynamically during the ITB formation. In particular, the role of reversed shear and the q-profile curvature is presented in relation to the symmetry breaking in RS plasmas.

  4. Turbulent shear layers in confining channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benham, Graham P.; Castrejon-Pita, Alfonso A.; Hewitt, Ian J.; Please, Colin P.; Style, Rob W.; Bird, Paul A. D.

    2018-06-01

    We present a simple model for the development of shear layers between parallel flows in confining channels. Such flows are important across a wide range of topics from diffusers, nozzles and ducts to urban air flow and geophysical fluid dynamics. The model approximates the flow in the shear layer as a linear profile separating uniform-velocity streams. Both the channel geometry and wall drag affect the development of the flow. The model shows good agreement with both particle image velocimetry experiments and computational turbulence modelling. The simplicity and low computational cost of the model allows it to be used for benchmark predictions and design purposes, which we demonstrate by investigating optimal pressure recovery in diffusers with non-uniform inflow.

  5. Turbulence suppression by E x B shear in JET optimized shear pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beer, M.A.; Budny, R.V.; Challis, C.D.; Conway, G.

    2000-01-01

    The authors calculate microinstability growth rates in JET optimized shear plasmas with a comprehensive gyrofluid model, including sheared E x B flows, trapped electrons, and all dominant ion species in realistic magnetic geometry. They find good correlation between E x B shear suppression of microinstabilities and both the formation and collapse of the internal transport barrier

  6. Sustained turbulence and magnetic energy in non-rotating shear flows

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nauman, Farrukh; Blackman, Eric G.

    2017-01-01

    From numerical simulations, we show that non-rotating magnetohydrodynamic shear flows are unstable to finite amplitude velocity perturbations and become turbulent, leading to the growth and sustenance of magnetic energy, including large scale fields. This supports the concept that sustained...... magnetic energy from turbulence is independent of the driving mechanism for large enough magnetic Reynolds numbers....

  7. A film-based wall shear stress sensor for wall-bounded turbulent flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amili, Omid; Soria, Julio

    2011-07-01

    In wall-bounded turbulent flows, determination of wall shear stress is an important task. The main objective of the present work is to develop a sensor which is capable of measuring surface shear stress over an extended region applicable to wall-bounded turbulent flows. This sensor, as a direct method for measuring wall shear stress, consists of mounting a thin flexible film on the solid surface. The sensor is made of a homogeneous, isotropic, and incompressible material. The geometry and mechanical properties of the film are measured, and particles with the nominal size of 11 μm in diameter are embedded on the film's surface to act as markers. An optical technique is used to measure the film deformation caused by the flow. The film has typically deflection of less than 2% of the material thickness under maximum loading. The sensor sensitivity can be adjusted by changing the thickness of the layer or the shear modulus of the film's material. The paper reports the sensor fabrication, static and dynamic calibration procedure, and its application to a fully developed turbulent channel flow at Reynolds numbers in the range of 90,000-130,000 based on the bulk velocity and channel full height. The results are compared to alternative wall shear stress measurement methods.

  8. Skin-friction drag reduction in turbulent channel flow based on streamwise shear control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jung Hoon; Lee, Jae Hwa

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • We perform DNSs of fully developed turbulent channel flows to explore an active flow control concept using streamwise velocity shear control at the wall. • The structural spacing and wall amplitude parameters are systematically changed to achieve a high-efficient drag reduction rate for longitudinal control surface. • Significant drag reduction is observed with an increase in the two parameters with an accompanying reduction of the Reynolds stresses and vorticity fluctuations. • The generation and evolution of the turbulent vortices in the absence of velocity shear and how they contribute to DR have been examined. - Abstract: It is known that stretching and intensification of a hairpin vortex by mean shear play an important role to create a hairpin vortex packet, which generates the large Reynolds shear stress associated with skin-friction drag in wall-bounded turbulent flows. In order to suppress the mean shear at the wall for high efficient drag reduction (DR), in the present study, we explore an active flow control concept using streamwise shear control (SSC) at the wall. The longitudinal control surface is periodically spanwise-arranged with no-control surface while varying the structural spacing, and an amplitude parameter for imposing the strength of the actuating streamwise velocity at the wall is introduced to further enhance the skin-friction DR. Significant DR is observed with an increase in the two parameters with an accompanying reduction of the Reynolds stresses and vorticity fluctuations, although a further increase in the parameters amplifies the turbulence activity in the near-wall region. In order to study the direct relationship between turbulent vortical structures and DR under the SSC, temporal evolution with initial eddies extracted by conditional averages for Reynolds-stress-maximizing Q2 events are examined. It is shown that the generation of new vortices is dramatically inhibited with an increase in the parameters

  9. Turbulent transport in low-beta plasmas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, A.H.; Pécseli, H.L.; Juul Rasmussen, J.

    1996-01-01

    Low-frequency electrostatic fluctuations are studied experimentally in a low-P plasma, with particular attention to their importance for the anomalous plasma transport across magnetic field lines. The presence of large coherent structures in a turbulent background at the edge of the plasma column...... is demonstrated by a statistical analysis. The importance of these structures for the turbulent transport is investigated. The study is extended by a multichannel conditional analysis to illustrate detailed properties and parameter dependences of the turbulent transport. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics....

  10. Experimental investigation of edge sheared flow development and configuration effects in the TJ-II stellarator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pedrosa, M. A.; Hidalgo, C.; Alonso, A.; Calderon, E.; Orozco, R. O.; Pablos, J. L. de

    2005-07-01

    It is well known the importance of the shear as a stabilizing mechanism to control plasma fluctuations in magnetically confined plasmas [1]. It has been clearly established that Ex B shear stabilization mechanisms are an important piece for the improvement of confinement on fusion devices. In particular both edge and core transport barriers are related to a large increase in the Ex B sheared flow. As a consequence clarifying the driving mechanisms of sheared flow in fusion plasmas is a main issue. The existence of parallel and perpendicular sheared flows at the plasma edge, and the interplay between them in different plasma conditions has been studied in the TJ-II [2]. Recent experiments carried out by means of different approaches in the TJ-II stellarator have shown that the generation of spontaneous edge perpendicular sheared flow can be externally controlled by means of plasma density with good reproducibility and reliability [3, 4]. Although experimentally the plasma density has been used as an external control knob, it would be more appropriate to characterize experimental results in terms of edge plasma gradient (e.g. ion saturation current gradient) [3]. It has also been found that there exists a coupling between the onset of sheared flow development and an increase in the level of plasma edge turbulence; once sheared flow is fully developed the level of fluctuations and turbulent transport slightly decreases whereas edge gradients and plasma density increase. It has been experimentally established that the minimum plasma density (or/and minimum level of plasma turbulence) essential for the development of the shear layer depends on the plasma magnetic configuration [5, 6]. For some plasma magnetic configurations with high iota value a sheared flow-induced regime with characteristics resembling those of an improved confinement one has been found. The similarity in the structure of the velocity shear layer and in the turbulence characteristics [7] in different

  11. Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Modeling of Turbulent Free Shear Layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schilling, Oleg

    2017-11-01

    Turbulent mixing of gases in free shear layers is simulated using a weighted essentially nonoscillatory implementation of ɛ- and L-based Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes models. Specifically, the air/air shear layer with velocity ratio 0.6 studied experimentally by Bell and Mehta (1990) is modeled. The detailed predictions of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate and lengthscale models are compared to one another, and to the experimental data. The role of analytical, self-similar solutions for model calibration and physical insights is also discussed. It is shown that turbulent lengthscale-based models are unable to predict both the growth parameter (spreading rate) and turbulent kinetic energy normalized by the square of the velocity difference of the streams. The terms in the K, ɛ, and L equation budgets are compared between the models, and it is shown that the production and destruction mechanisms are substantially different in the ɛ and L equations. Application of the turbulence models to the Brown and Roshko (1974) experiments with streams having various velocity and density ratios is also briefly discussed. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  12. Boundary Plasma Turbulence Simulations for Tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, X.; Umansky, M.; Dudson, B.; Snyder, P.

    2008-05-01

    The boundary plasma turbulence code BOUT models tokamak boundary-plasma turbulence in a realistic divertor geometry using modified Braginskii equations for plasma vorticity, density (ni), electron and ion temperature (T e ; T i ) and parallel momenta. The BOUT code solves for the plasma fluid equations in a three dimensional (3D) toroidal segment (or a toroidal wedge), including the region somewhat inside the separatrix and extending into the scrape-off layer; the private flux region is also included. In this paper, a description is given of the sophisticated physical models, innovative numerical algorithms, and modern software design used to simulate edge-plasmas in magnetic fusion energy devices. The BOUT code's unique capabilities and functionality are exemplified via simulations of the impact of plasma density on tokamak edge turbulence and blob dynamics

  13. Comparison of turbulent particle dispersion models in turbulent shear flows

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Laín

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available This work compares the performance of two Lagrangian turbulent particle dispersion models: the standard model (e.g., that presented in Sommerfeld et al. (1993, in which the fluctuating fluid velocity experienced by the particle is composed of two components, one correlated with the previous time step and a second one randomly sampled from a Wiener process, and the model proposed by Minier and Peirano (2001, which is based on the PDF approach and performs closure at the level of acceleration of the fluid experienced by the particle. Formulation of a Langevin equation model for the increments of fluid velocity seen by the particle allows capturing some underlying physics of particle dispersion in general turbulent flows while keeping the mathematical manipulation of the stochastic model simple, thereby avoiding some pitfalls and simplifying the derivation of macroscopic relations. The performance of both dispersion models is tested in the configurations of grid-generated turbulence (Wells and Stock (1983 experiments, simple shear flow (Hyland et al., 1999 and confined axisymmetric jet flow laden with solids (Hishida and Maeda (1987 experiments.

  14. Dissipation range turbulent cascades in plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terry, P. W.; Almagri, A. F.; Forest, C. B.; Nornberg, M. D.; Rahbarnia, K.; Sarff, J. S.; Fiksel, G.; Hatch, D. R.; Jenko, F.; Prager, S. C.; Ren, Y.

    2012-01-01

    Dissipation range cascades in plasma turbulence are described and spectra are formulated from the scaled attenuation in wavenumber space of the spectral energy transfer rate. This yields spectra characterized by the product of a power law and exponential fall-off, applicable to all scales. Spectral indices of the power law and exponential fall-off depend on the scaling of the dissipation, the strength of the nonlinearity, and nonlocal effects when dissipation rates of multiple fluctuation fields are different. The theory is used to derive spectra for MHD turbulence with magnetic Prandtl number greater than unity, extending previous work. The theory is also applied to generic plasma turbulence by considering the spectrum from damping with arbitrary wavenumber scaling. The latter is relevant to ion temperature gradient turbulence modeled by gyrokinetics. The spectrum in this case has an exponential component that becomes weaker at small scale, giving a power law asymptotically. Results from the theory are compared to three very different types of turbulence. These include the magnetic plasma turbulence of the Madison Symmetric Torus, the MHD turbulence of liquid metal in the Madison Dynamo Experiment, and gyrokinetic simulation of ion temperature gradient turbulence.

  15. Non-gyrotropic pressure anisotropy induced by velocity shear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tenerani, A.; Del Sarto, D.; Pegoraro, F.; Califano, F.

    2015-12-01

    We discuss how, in a collisionless magnetized plasma, a sheared velocity field may lead to the anisotropization of an initial Maxwellian state. By including the full pressure tensor dynamics in a fluid plasma model, we show, analytically and numerically, that a sheared velocity field makes an initial isotropic state anisotropic and non-gyrotropic [1], i.e., makes the plasma pressure tensor anisotropic also in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. The propagation of transverse magneto-elastic waves in the anisotropic plasma affects the process of formation of a non-gyrotropic pressure and can lead to its spatial filamentation. This plasma dynamics implies in particular that isotropic MHD equilibria cease to be equilibria in presence of a stationary sheared flow. Similarly, in the case of turbulence, where small-scale spatial inhomogeneities are naturally developed during the direct cascade, we may expect that isotropic turbulent states are not likely to exist whenever a full pressure tensor evolution is accounted for. These results may be relevant to understanding the agyrotropic pressure configurations which are well documented in solar wind measurements and possibly correlated to plasma flows (see e.g. Refs.[2,3]), and which have also been measured in Vlasov simulations of Alfvenic turbulence [4]. [1] D. Del Sarto, F. Pegoraro, F. Califano, "Pressure anisotropy and small spatial scales induced by a velocity shear", http://arxiv.org/abs/1507.04895 [2] H.F. Astudillo, E. Marsch, S. Livi, H. Rosenbauer, "TAUS measurements of non-gyrotropic distribution functions of solar wind alpha particles", AIP Conf. Proc. 328, 289 (1996). [3] A. Posner, M.W. Liemhon, T.H. Zurbuchen, "Upstream magnetospheric ion flux tube within a magnetic cloud: Wind/STICS", Geophys. Res. Lett. 30, (2003). [4] S. Servidio, F. Valentini, F. Califano, P. Veltri, "Local kinetic effects in Two-Dimensional Plasma Turbulence", Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 045001 (2012).

  16. Weak turbulence theory for beam-plasma interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Peter H.

    2018-01-01

    The kinetic theory of weak plasma turbulence, of which Ronald C. Davidson was an important early pioneer [R. C. Davidson, Methods in Nonlinear Plasma Theory, (Academic Press, New York, 1972)], is a venerable and valid theory that may be applicable to a large number of problems in both laboratory and space plasmas. This paper applies the weak turbulence theory to the problem of gentle beam-plasma interaction and Langmuir turbulence. It is shown that the beam-plasma interaction undergoes various stages of physical processes starting from linear instability, to quasilinear saturation, to mode coupling that takes place after the quasilinear stage, followed by a state of quasi-static "turbulent equilibrium." The long term quasi-equilibrium stage is eventually perturbed by binary collisional effects in order to bring the plasma to a thermodynamic equilibrium with increased entropy.

  17. Fundamental Statistical Descriptions of Plasma Turbulence in Magnetic Fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    John A. Krommes

    2001-02-16

    A pedagogical review of the historical development and current status (as of early 2000) of systematic statistical theories of plasma turbulence is undertaken. Emphasis is on conceptual foundations and methodology, not practical applications. Particular attention is paid to equations and formalism appropriate to strongly magnetized, fully ionized plasmas. Extensive reference to the literature on neutral-fluid turbulence is made, but the unique properties and problems of plasmas are emphasized throughout. Discussions are given of quasilinear theory, weak-turbulence theory, resonance-broadening theory, and the clump algorithm. Those are developed independently, then shown to be special cases of the direct-interaction approximation (DIA), which provides a central focus for the article. Various methods of renormalized perturbation theory are described, then unified with the aid of the generating-functional formalism of Martin, Siggia, and Rose. A general expression for the renormalized dielectric function is deduced and discussed in detail. Modern approaches such as decimation and PDF methods are described. Derivations of DIA-based Markovian closures are discussed. The eddy-damped quasinormal Markovian closure is shown to be nonrealizable in the presence of waves, and a new realizable Markovian closure is presented. The test-field model and a realizable modification thereof are also summarized. Numerical solutions of various closures for some plasma-physics paradigms are reviewed. The variational approach to bounds on transport is developed. Miscellaneous topics include Onsager symmetries for turbulence, the interpretation of entropy balances for both kinetic and fluid descriptions, self-organized criticality, statistical interactions between disparate scales, and the roles of both mean and random shear. Appendices are provided on Fourier transform conventions, dimensional and scaling analysis, the derivations of nonlinear gyrokinetic and gyrofluid equations

  18. Fundamental Statistical Descriptions of Plasma Turbulence in Magnetic Fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krommes, John A.

    2001-01-01

    A pedagogical review of the historical development and current status (as of early 2000) of systematic statistical theories of plasma turbulence is undertaken. Emphasis is on conceptual foundations and methodology, not practical applications. Particular attention is paid to equations and formalism appropriate to strongly magnetized, fully ionized plasmas. Extensive reference to the literature on neutral-fluid turbulence is made, but the unique properties and problems of plasmas are emphasized throughout. Discussions are given of quasilinear theory, weak-turbulence theory, resonance-broadening theory, and the clump algorithm. Those are developed independently, then shown to be special cases of the direct-interaction approximation (DIA), which provides a central focus for the article. Various methods of renormalized perturbation theory are described, then unified with the aid of the generating-functional formalism of Martin, Siggia, and Rose. A general expression for the renormalized dielectric function is deduced and discussed in detail. Modern approaches such as decimation and PDF methods are described. Derivations of DIA-based Markovian closures are discussed. The eddy-damped quasinormal Markovian closure is shown to be nonrealizable in the presence of waves, and a new realizable Markovian closure is presented. The test-field model and a realizable modification thereof are also summarized. Numerical solutions of various closures for some plasma-physics paradigms are reviewed. The variational approach to bounds on transport is developed. Miscellaneous topics include Onsager symmetries for turbulence, the interpretation of entropy balances for both kinetic and fluid descriptions, self-organized criticality, statistical interactions between disparate scales, and the roles of both mean and random shear. Appendices are provided on Fourier transform conventions, dimensional and scaling analysis, the derivations of nonlinear gyrokinetic and gyrofluid equations

  19. Simulation of shear and turbulence impact on wind turbine performance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wagner, Rozenn; Courtney, Michael; Larsen, Torben J.

    Aerodynamic simulations (HAWC2Aero) were used to investigate the influence of the speed shear, the direction shear and the turbulence intensity on the power output of a multi-megawatt turbine. First simulation cases with laminar flow and power law wind speed profiles were compared to the case...... of a uniform inflow. Secondly, a similar analysis was done for cases with direction shear. In each case, we derived a standard power curve (function of the wind speed at hub height) and power curves obtained with various definitions of equivalent wind speed in order to reduce the scatter due to shear. Thirdly...

  20. Statistical properties of wall shear stress fluctuations in turbulent channel flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keirsbulck, L.; Labraga, L.; Gad-el-Hak, M.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Accurate measurements of instantaneous wall shear stress are conducted. ► LDA is used to measure near-wall streamwise velocity. ► Electrochemical probe is used to measure wall shear stress. ► Frequency response and non-uniform correction methods were used to provide an accurate, well-resolved wall-statistics database. ► Reynolds number dependency of the statistical wall quantities is investigated. - Abstract: Instantaneous velocity and wall shear stress measurements are conducted in a turbulent channel flow in the Kármán number range of Re τ = 74–400. A one-dimensional LDA system is used to measure the streamwise velocity fluctuations, and an electrochemical technique is utilized to measure the instantaneous wall shear stress. For the latter, frequency response and nonuniform correction methods are used to provide an accurate, well-resolved wall statistics database. The Reynolds number dependency of the statistical wall quantities is carefully investigated. The corrected relative wall shear stress fluctuations fit well with the best DNS data available and meet the need for clarification of the small discrepancy observed in the literature between the experimental and numerical results of such quantities. Higher-order statistics of the wall shear stress, spectra, and the turbulence kinetic energy budget at the wall are also investigated. The present paper shows that the electrochemical technique is a powerful experimental method for hydrodynamic studies involving highly unsteady flows. The study brings with it important consequences, especially in the context of the current debate regarding the appropriate scaling as well as the validation of new predictive models of near-wall turbulence.

  1. Implications of Navier-Stokes turbulence theory for plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montgomery, David

    1977-01-01

    A brief discussion of Navier-Stokes turbulence theory is given with particular reference to the two dimensional case. The MHD turbulence is introduced with possible applications of techniques developed in Navier-Stokes theory. Turbulence in Vlasov plasma is also discussed from the point of view of the ''direct interaction approximation'' (DIA). (A.K.)

  2. Hierarchical order in wall-bounded shear turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carbone, F.; Aubry, N.

    1996-01-01

    Since turbulence at realistic Reynolds numbers, such as those occurring in the atmosphere or in the ocean, involve a high number of modes that cannot be resolved computationally in the foreseeable future, there is a strong motivation for finding techniques which drastically decrease the number of such required modes, particularly under inhomogeneous conditions. The significance of this work is to show that wall-bounded shear turbulence, in its strongly inhomogeneous direction (normal to the wall), can be decomposed into one (or a few) space endash time mother mode(s), with each mother generating a whole family of modes by stretching symmetry. In other words, the generated modes are similar, dilated copies of their mother. In addition, we show that the nature of all previous modes strongly depends on the symmetry itself. These findings constitute the first scaling theory of inhomogeneous turbulence. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

  3. Transitions to spatiotemporal chaos and turbulence of flute instabilities in a low-β magnetized plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brochard, F.; Gravier, E.; Bonhomme, G.

    2006-01-01

    The spatiotemporal transition scenario of flute instabilities from a regular to a turbulent state is experimentally investigated in the low-β plasma column of a thermionic discharge. The same transition scenario, i.e., the Ruelle-Takens route to turbulence, is found for both the Kelvin-Helmholtz and the Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. It is demonstrated that the transition can be more or less smooth, according to the discharge mode. In both cases, a strong radial dependence is observed, which is linked to the velocity shear layer in the case of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability

  4. Evidence for modified transport due to sheared E x B flows in high-temperature plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groebner, R.J.; Burrell, K.H.; Austin, M.E.

    1994-11-01

    Sheared mass flows are generated in many fluids and are often important for the dynamics of instabilities in these fluids. Similarly, large values of the E x B velocity have been observed in magnetic confinement machines and there is theoretical and experimental evidence that sufficiently large shear in this velocity may stabilize important instabilities. Two examples of this phenomenon have been observed in the DIII-D tokamak. In the first example, sufficient heating power can lead to the L-H transition, a rapid improvement in confinement in the boundary layer of the plasma. For discharges with heating power close to the threshold required to get the transition, changes in the edge radial electric field are observed to occur prior to the transition itself. In the second example, certain classes of discharges with toroidal momentum input from neutral beam injection exhibit a further improvement of confinement in the plasma core leading to a regime called the VH-mode. In both examples, the region of improved confinement is characterized by an increase of shear in the radial electric field E r , reduced levels of turbulence and increases in gradients of temperatures and densities. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the improved confinement is caused by an increase in shear of the E x B velocity which leads to a reduction of turbulence. For the VH-mode, the dominant term controlling E r is the toroidal rotation v φ , indicating that the E r profile is controlled by the source and transport of toroidal momentum

  5. Turbulence theories and modelling of fluids and plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoshizawa, Akira; Yokoi, Nobumitsu [Institute of Industrial Science, Univ. of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Itoh, Sanae-I. [Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu Univ., Kasuga, Fukuoka (Japan); Itoh, Kimitaka [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan)

    2001-04-01

    Theoretical and heuristic modelling methods are reviewed for studying turbulence phenomena of fluids and plasmas. Emphasis is put on understanding of effects on turbulent characteristics due to inhomogeneities of field and plasma parameters. The similarity and dissimilarity between the methods for fluids and plasmas are sought in order to shed light on the properties that are shared or not by fluid and plasma turbulence. (author)

  6. Intrinsic Rotation and Momentum Transport in Reversed Shear Plasmas with Internal Transport Barriers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jhang, Hogun; Kim, S. S.; Diamond, P. H.

    2010-11-01

    The intrinsic rotation in fusion plasmas is believed to be generated via the residual stress without external momentum input. The physical mechanism responsible for the generation and transport of intrinsic rotation in L- and H-mode tokamak plasmas has been studied extensively. However, it is noted that the physics of intrinsic rotation generation and its relationship to the formation of internal transport barriers (ITBs) in reversed shear (RS) tokamak plasmas have not been explored in detail, which is the main subject in the present work. A global gyrofluid code TRB is used for this study. It is found that the large intrinsic rotation (˜10-30% of the ion sound speed depending on ITB characteristics) is generated near the ITB region and propagates into the core. The intrinsic rotation increases linearly as the temperature gradient at ITB position increases, albeit not indefinitely. Key parameters related to the symmetry breaking, such as turbulent intensity and its gradient, the flux surface averaged parallel wavenumber are evaluated dynamically during the ITB formation. The role of reversed shear and the q-profile curvature is presented in relation to the symmetry breaking mechanism in RS plasmas.

  7. A dynamics investigation into edge plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomsen, H.

    2002-08-01

    The present experimental work investigates plasma turbulence in the edge region of magnetized high-temperature plasmas. A main topic is the turbulent dynamics parallel to the magnetic field, where hitherto only a small data basis existed, especially for very long scale lengths in the order of ten of meters. A second point of special interest is the coupling of the dynamics parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field. This anisotropic turbulent dynamics is investigated by two different approaches. Firstly, spatially and temporally high-resolution measurements of fluctuating plasma parameters are investigated by means of two-point correlation analysis. Secondly, the propagation of signals externally imposed into the turbulent plasma background is studied. For both approaches, Langmuir probe arrays were utilized for diagnostic purposes. (orig.)

  8. Plasma turbulence effects on aurorae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mishin, E.V.; Telegin, V.A.

    1989-01-01

    Analysis of modern state of microprocesses physics in plasma of aurorare, initiated by energetic electron flow intrusion, is presented. It is shown that there is a number of phenomena, which cannot be explained under non-collision (collective) mechanisms of interaction are applied. Effects of plasma turbulence in the area of auroral arcs are considered. Introduction of a new structural element to auroral arc - plasma-turbulence (PT) layer is substantiated. Numerical simulation of electron kinetics, changes in neutral composition, as well as generation of IR- and UV-radiation in PT layer has been realized

  9. Effects of plasma current on nonlinear interactions of ITG turbulence, zonal flows and geodesic acoustic modes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Angelino, P; Bottino, A; Hatzky, R; Jolliet, S; Sauter, O; Tran, T M; Villard, L

    2006-01-01

    The mutual interactions of ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven modes, zonal flows and geodesic acoustic modes (GAM) in tokamak plasmas are investigated using a global nonlinear gyrokinetic formulation with totally unconstrained evolution of temperature gradient and profile. A series of numerical simulations with the same initial temperature and density profile specifications is performed using a sequence of ideal MHD equilibria differing only in the value of the total plasma current, in particular with identical magnetic shear profiles and shapes of magnetic surfaces. On top of a bursty or quasi-steady state behaviour the zonal flows oscillate at the GAM frequency. The amplitude of these oscillations increases with the value of the safety factor q, resulting in a less effective suppression of ITG turbulence by zonal flows at a lower plasma current. The turbulence-driven volume-averaged radial heat transport is found to scale inversely with the total plasma current

  10. Bounded energy states in homogeneous turbulent shear flow - An alternative view

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, P. S.; Speziale, C. G.

    1992-01-01

    The equilibrium structure of homogeneous turbulent shear flow is investigated from a theoretical standpoint. Existing turbulence models, in apparent agreement with physical and numerical experiments, predict an unbounded exponential time growth of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate; only the anisotropy tensor and turbulent time scale reach a structural equilibrium. It is shown that if a residual vortex stretching term is maintained in the dissipation rate transport equation, then there can exist equilibrium solutions, with bounded energy states, where the turbulence production is balanced by its dissipation. Illustrative calculations are presented for a k-epsilon model modified to account for net vortex stretching.

  11. Global variation of meteor trail plasma turbulence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. P. Dyrud

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available We present the first global simulations on the occurrence of meteor trail plasma irregularities. These results seek to answer the following questions: when a meteoroid disintegrates in the atmosphere, will the resulting trail become plasma turbulent? What are the factors influencing the development of turbulence? and how do these trails vary on a global scale? Understanding meteor trail plasma turbulence is important because turbulent meteor trails are visible as non-specular trails to coherent radars. Turbulence also influences the evolution of specular radar meteor trails; this fact is important for the inference of mesospheric temperatures from the trail diffusion rates, and their usage for meteor burst communication. We provide evidence of the significant effect that neutral atmospheric winds and ionospheric plasma density have on the variability of meteor trail evolution and on the observation of non-specular meteor trails. We demonstrate that trails are far less likely to become and remain turbulent in daylight, explaining several observational trends for non-specular and specular meteor trails.

  12. Coherent Structures and Intermittency in Plasma Turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, Amita; Kaw, Predhiman; Sen, Abhijit

    2008-01-01

    The paper discusses some fundamental issues related to the phenomenon of intermittency in plasma turbulence with particular reference to experimental observations in fusion devices. Intermittency is typically associated with the presence of coherent structures in turbulence. Since coherent structures can play an important role in governing the transport properties of a system they have received a great deal of attention in fusion research. We review some of the experimental measurements and numerical simulation studies on the presence and formation of coherent structures in plasmas and discuss their relevance to intermittency. Intermittency, as widely discussed in the context of neutral fluid turbulence, implies multiscaling behaviour in contrast to self-similar scaling patterns observed in self organized criticality (SOC) phenomenon. The experimental evidence from plasma turbulence measurements reveal a mixed picture--while some observations support the SOC model description others indicate the presence of multiscaling behaviour. We discuss these results in the light of our present understanding of plasma turbulence and in terms of certain unique aspects of intermittency as revealed by fluid models of plasmas.

  13. Scaling of turbulence spectra measured in strong shear flow near the Earth’s surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikkelsen, T.; Larsen, S. E.; Jørgensen, H. E.; Astrup, P.; Larsén, X. G.

    2017-12-01

    Within the lowest kilometer of the Earth’s atmosphere, in the so-called atmospheric boundary layer, winds are often gusty and turbulent. Nearest to the ground, the turbulence is predominately generated by mechanical wall-bounded wind shear, whereas at higher altitudes turbulent mixing of heat and moisture also play a role. The variance (square of the standard deviation) of the fluctuation around the mean wind speed is a measure of the kinetic energy content of the turbulence. This kinetic energy can be resolved into the spectral distributions, or spectra, as functions of eddy size, wavenumber, or frequency. Spectra are derived from Fourier transforms of wind records as functions of space or time corresponding to wavenumber and frequency spectra, respectively. Atmospheric spectra often exhibit different subranges that can be distinguished and scaled by the physical parameters responsible for: (1) their generation; (2) the cascade of energy across the spectrum from large- to small-scale; and (3) the eventual decay of turbulence into heat owing to viscosity effects on the Kolmogorov microscale, in which the eddy size is only a fraction of a millimeter. This paper addresses atmospheric turbulence spectra in the lowest part of the atmospheric boundary layer—the so-called surface layer—where the wind shear is strong owing to the nonslip condition at the ground. Theoretical results dating back to Tchen’s early work in 1953 ‘on the spectrum of energy in turbulent shear flow’ led Tchen to predict a shear production subrange with a distinct inverse-linear power law for turbulence in a strongly sheared high-Reynolds number wall-bounded flow, as is encountered in the lowest sheared part of the atmospheric boundary layer, also known as the eddy surface layer. This paper presents observations of spectra measured in a meteorological mast at Høvsøre, Denmark, that support Tchen’s prediction of a shear production subrange following a distinct power law of degree -1

  14. Spectral line profiles in weakly turbulent plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Capes, H.; Voslamber, D.

    1976-07-01

    The unified theory of line broadening by electron perturbers is generalized to include the case of a weakly turbulent plasma. The collision operator in the line shape expression is shown to be the sum of two terms, both containing effects arising from the non-equilibrium nature of the plasma. One of the two terms represents the influence of individual atom-particle interactions occuring via the nonequilibrium dielectric plasma medium. The other term is due to the interaction of the atom with the turbulent waves. Both terms contain damping and diffusion effects arising from the plasma turbulence

  15. Nonlinear Simulations of Trapped Electron Mode Turbulence in Low Magnetic Shear Stellarators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faber, B. J.; Pueschel, M. J.; Terry, P. W.; Hegna, C. C.

    2017-10-01

    Optimized stellarators, like the Helically Symmetric eXperiment (HSX), often operate with small global magnetic shear to avoid low-order rational surfaces and magnetic islands. Nonlinear, flux-tube gyrokinetic simulations of density-gradient-driven Trapped Electron Mode (TEM) turbulence in HSX shows two distinct spectral fluctuation regions: long-wavelength slab-like TEMs localized by global magnetic shear that extend along field lines and short-wavelength TEMs localized by local magnetic shear to a single helical bad curvature region. The slab-like TEMs require computational domains significantly larger than one poloidal turn and are computationally expensive, making turbulent optimization studies challenging. A computationally more efficient, zero-average-magnetic-shear approximation is shown to sufficiently describe the relevant nonlinear physics and replicate finite-shear computations, and can be exploited in quasilinear models based on linear gyrokinetics as a feasible optimization tool. TEM quasilinear heat fluxes are computed with the zero-shear approximation and compared to experimentally-relevant nonlinear gyrokinetic TEM heat fluxes for HSX. Research supported by U.S. DoE Grants DE-FG02-99ER54546, DE-FG02-93ER54222 and DE-FG02-89ER53291.

  16. The nonlinear coupling between gyroradius scale turbulence and mesoscale magnetic islands in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hornsby, W. A.; Peeters, A. G.; Snodin, A. P.; Casson, F. J.; Camenen, Y.; Szepesi, G.; Siccinio, M.; Poli, E.

    2010-01-01

    The interaction between small scale turbulence (of the order of the ion Larmor radius) and mesoscale magnetic islands is investigated within the gyrokinetic framework. Turbulence, driven by background temperature and density gradients, over nonlinear mode coupling, pumps energy into long wavelength modes, and can result in an electrostatic vortex mode that coincides with the magnetic island. The strength of the vortex is strongly enhanced by the modified plasma flow response connected with the change in topology, and the transport it generates can compete with the parallel motion along the perturbed magnetic field. Despite the stabilizing effect of sheared plasma flows in and around the island, the net effect of the island is a degradation of the confinement. When density and temperature gradients inside the island are below the threshold for turbulence generation, turbulent fluctuations still persist through turbulence convection and spreading. The latter mechanisms then generate a finite transport flux and, consequently, a finite pressure gradient in the island. A finite radial temperature gradient inside the island is also shown to persist due to the trapped particles, which do not move along the field around the island. In the low collisionality regime, the finite gradient in the trapped population leads to the generation of a bootstrap current, which reduces the neoclassical drive.

  17. Coherent structures in two-dimensional plasma turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huld, T.; Nielsen, A.H.; Pécseli, H.L.

    1991-01-01

    -band turbulent fluctuations is demonstrated by a conditional sampling technique. Depending on plasma parameters, the dominant structures can appear as monopole or multipole vortices, dipole vortices in particular. The importance of large structures for the turbulent plasma diffusion is discussed. A statistical...... analysis of the randomly varying plasma flux is presented....

  18. Sudden viscous dissipation in compressing plasma turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidovits, Seth; Fisch, Nathaniel

    2015-11-01

    Compression of a turbulent plasma or fluid can cause amplification of the turbulent kinetic energy, if the compression is fast compared to the turnover and viscous dissipation times of the turbulent eddies. The consideration of compressing turbulent flows in inviscid fluids has been motivated by the suggestion that amplification of turbulent kinetic energy occurred on experiments at the Weizmann Institute of Science Z-Pinch. We demonstrate a sudden viscous dissipation mechanism whereby this amplified turbulent kinetic energy is rapidly converted into thermal energy, which further increases the temperature, feeding back to further enhance the dissipation. Application of this mechanism in compression experiments may be advantageous, if the plasma can be kept comparatively cold during much of the compression, reducing radiation and conduction losses, until the plasma suddenly becomes hot. This work was supported by DOE through contract 67350-9960 (Prime # DOE DE-NA0001836) and by the DTRA.

  19. Local Turbulence Suppression and Shear Flow Dynamics During qmin-Triggered Internal Transport Barriers on DIII-D

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafer, M. W.; McKee, G. R.; Schlossberg, D. J.; Austin, M. E.; Burrell, K. H.

    2008-11-01

    Long-wavelength turbulence (kρiITBs) may form. Application of off-axis ECH slows the q-profile evolution and increases ρqmin, both of which enhance turbulence measurements using a new high-sensitivity large-area (8x,8) 2D BES array. The measured transient turbulence suppression is localized to the low-order rational surface (qmin= 2, 5/2, 3, etc.). Measured poloidal flow shear transiently exceeds the turbulence decorrelation rate, which is consistent with shear suppression. The localized suppression zone propagates radially outward, nearly coincident with the low-order surface.

  20. Multiscale coherent structures in tokamak plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, G. S.; Wan, B. N.; Zhang, W.; Yang, Q. W.; Wang, L.; Wen, Y. Z.

    2006-01-01

    A 12-tip poloidal probe array is used on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak [Li, Wan, and Mao, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 42, 135 (2000)] to measure plasma turbulence in the edge region. Some statistical analysis techniques are used to characterize the turbulence structures. It is found that the plasma turbulence is composed of multiscale coherent structures, i.e., turbulent eddies and there is self-similarity in a relative short scale range. The presence of the self-similarity is found due to the structural similarity of these eddies between different scales. These turbulent eddies constitute the basic convection cells, so the self-similar range is just the dominant scale range relevant to transport. The experimental results also indicate that the plasma turbulence is dominated by low-frequency and long-wavelength fluctuation components and its dispersion relation shows typical electron-drift-wave characteristics. Some large-scale coherent structures intermittently burst out and exhibit a very long poloidal extent, even longer than 6 cm. It is found that these large-scale coherent structures are mainly contributed by the low-frequency and long-wavelength fluctuating components and their presence is responsible for the observations of long-range correlations, i.e., the correlation in the scale range much longer than the turbulence decorrelation scale. These experimental observations suggest that the coexistence of multiscale coherent structures results in the self-similar turbulent state

  1. Understanding Turbulence in Compressing Plasmas and Its Exploitation or Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidovits, Seth

    Unprecedented densities and temperatures are now achieved in compressions of plasma, by lasers and by pulsed power, in major experimental facilities. These compressions, carried out at the largest scale at the National Ignition Facility and at the Z Pulsed Power Facility, have important applications, including fusion, X-ray production, and materials research. Several experimental and simulation results suggest that the plasma in some of these compressions is turbulent. In fact, measurements suggest that in certain laboratory plasma compressions the turbulent energy is a dominant energy component. Similarly, turbulence is dominant in some compressing astrophysical plasmas, such as in molecular clouds. Turbulence need not be dominant to be important; even small quantities could greatly influence experiments that are sensitive to mixing of non-fuel into fuel, such as compressions seeking fusion ignition. Despite its important role in major settings, bulk plasma turbulence under compression is insufficiently understood to answer or even to pose some of the most fundamental questions about it. This thesis both identifies and answers key questions in compressing turbulent motion, while providing a description of the behavior of three-dimensional, isotropic, compressions of homogeneous turbulence with a plasma viscosity. This description includes a simple, but successful, new model for the turbulent energy of plasma undergoing compression. The unique features of compressing turbulence with a plasma viscosity are shown, including the sensitivity of the turbulence to plasma ionization, and a "sudden viscous dissipation'' effect which rapidly converts plasma turbulent energy into thermal energy. This thesis then examines turbulence in both laboratory compression experiments and molecular clouds. It importantly shows: the possibility of exploiting turbulence to make fusion or X-ray production more efficient; conditions under which hot-spot turbulence can be prevented; and a

  2. Shearing Box Simulations of the MRI in a Collisionless Plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Prateek; Hammett, Gregory W.; Quataert, Eliot; Stone, James M.

    2005-01-01

    We describe local shearing box simulations of turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in a collisionless plasma. Collisionless effects may be important in radiatively inefficient accretion flows, such as near the black hole in the Galactic Center. The MHD version of ZEUS is modified to evolve an anisotropic pressure tensor. A fluid closure approximation is used to calculate heat conduction along magnetic field lines. The anisotropic pressure tensor provides a qualitatively new mechanism for transporting angular momentum in accretion flows (in addition to the Maxwell and Reynolds stresses). We estimate limits on the pressure anisotropy due to pitch angle scattering by kinetic instabilities. Such instabilities provide an effective ''collision'' rate in a collisionless plasma and lead to more MHD-like dynamics. We find that the MRI leads to efficient growth of the magnetic field in a collisionless plasma, with saturation amplitudes comparable to those in MHD. In the saturated state, the anisotropic stress is comparable to the Maxwell stress, implying that the rate of angular momentum transport may be moderately enhanced in a collisionless plasma

  3. The roles of turbulence on plasma heating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawamura, Takaichi; Kawabe, Takaya

    1976-01-01

    The relation between the heating rate of plasma particles and the thermalization frequency is established, and the important role of plasma turbulence in the fast thermalization process is underlined. This relation can be applied not only in the case of high current turbulent heating but also when turbulent phenomena occur with other heating means. The experimental results on ion and electron heating during the Mach II experiment are presented. The role of turbulence on particle losses accross the magnetic field is analyzed

  4. Transfer anisotropy in a turbulent plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bychenkov, V.Y.; Gradov, O.M.; Silin, V.P.

    1982-01-01

    We formulate a theory for transfer phenomena in a plasma with developed ion-sound turbulence. A transfer anisotropy effect caused by a temperature gradient is revealed. The corresponding fluxes transverse to the effective force vector (1) which generates the turbulence turn out to be considerably larger than the longitudinal fluxes in a plasma with a relatively small degree of nonisothermality. For a strongly nonisothermal plasma a suppression of the transverse fluxes takes place and corresponds to a growth of the thermal insulation of the current-carrying plasma filaments

  5. Symposium on Turbulent Shear Flows, 7th, Stanford University, CA, Aug. 21-23, 1989, Proceedings. Volumes 1 ampersand 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1989-01-01

    Papers on turbulent shear flows are presented, covering topics such as the structure of pressure fluctuations, fossil two-dimensional turbulence in the ocean, turbulence production and eddy structure in wall turbulence, bypass transition in a heated boundary layer, a turbulent spot in plane Poiseuille flow, the evolution of an axisymmetric jet, plane mixing layer development, vortex models of a pseudoturbulent shear flow, numerical techniques for turbulence studies, Reynolds stress in the wall region of turbulent pipe flow, the turbulent structure of a momentumless wake, the near field of the transverse jet. Additional topics include a turbulent boundary layer disturbed by a cylinder, evolving mixing layers, flow analysis in a vortex flowmeter, ejections and bursts in pulsatile turbulent wall flow measurements, a flat plate oscillating in pitch, turbulent buoyant flows, isothermal lobed mixer flows, flow distortion on a turbulent scalar field, two phase flows. In addition, papers on the applications of turbulent shear flow studies are given, including air pollutant deposition, closures, oceanography, instrumentation, heat transfer, rotating flows, combustion, coherent structures, turbulence control, and scalar transport modeling

  6. Turbulence in unmagnetized Vlasov plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuo, S.P.

    1985-01-01

    The classical technique of transformation and characteristics is employed to analyze the problem of strong turbulence in unmagnetized plasmas. The effect of resonance broadening and perturbation expansion are treated simultaneously, without time secularities. The renormalization procedure of Dupree and Tetreault is used in the transformed Vlasov equation to analyze the turbulence and to derive explicitly a diffusion equation. Analyses are extended to inhomogeneous plasmas and the relationship between the transformation and ponderomotive force is obtained. (author)

  7. Prediction of stably stratified homogeneous shear flows with second-order turbulence models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereira, J C F; Rocha, J M P

    2010-01-01

    The present study investigated the role of pressure-correlation second-order turbulence modelling schemes on the predicted behaviour of stably stratified homogeneous vertical-sheared turbulence. The pressure-correlation terms were modelled with a nonlinear formulation (Craft 1991), which was compared with a linear pressure-strain model and the 'isotropization of production' model for the pressure-scalar correlation. Two additional modelling issues were investigated: the influence of the buoyancy term in the kinetic energy dissipation rate equation and the time scale in the thermal production term in the scalar variance dissipation equation. The predicted effects of increasing the Richardson number on turbulence characteristics were compared against a comprehensive set of direct numerical simulation databases. The linear models provide a broadly satisfactory description of the major effects of the Richardson number on stratified shear flow. The buoyancy term in the dissipation equation of the turbulent kinetic energy generates excessively low levels of dissipation. For moderate and large Richardson numbers, the term yields unrealistic linear oscillations in the shear and buoyancy production terms, and therefore should be dropped in this flow (or at least their coefficient c ε3 should be substantially reduced from its standard value). The mechanical dissipation time scale provides marginal improvements in comparison to the scalar time scale in the production. The observed inaccuracy of the linear model in predicting the magnitude of the effects on the velocity anisotropy was demonstrated to be attributed mainly to the defective behaviour of the pressure-correlation model, especially for stronger stratification. The turbulence closure embodying a nonlinear formulation for the pressure-correlations and specific versions of the dissipation equations failed to predict the tendency of the flow to anisotropy with increasing stratification. By isolating the effects of the

  8. Spatial structure of ion-scale plasma turbulence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasuhito eNarita

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Spatial structure of small-scale plasma turbulence is studied under different conditions of plasma parameter beta directly in the three-dimensional wave vector domain. Two independent approaches are taken: observations of turbulent magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind measured by four Cluster spacecraft, and direct numerical simulations of plasma turbulence using the hybrid code AIKEF, both resolving turbulence on the ion kinetic scales. The two methods provide independently evidence of wave vector anisotropy as a function of beta. Wave vector anisotropy is characterized primarily by an extension of the energy spectrum in the direction perpendicular to the large-scale magnetic field. The spectrum is strongly anisotropic at lower values of beta, and is more isotropic at higher values of beta. Cluster magnetic field data analysis also provides evidence of axial asymmetry of the spectrum in the directions around the large-scale field. Anisotropy is interpreted as filament formation as plasma evolves into turbulence. Axial asymmetry is interpreted as the effect of radial expansion of the solar wind from the corona.

  9. Heat transfer, velocity-temperature correlation, and turbulent shear stress from Navier-Stokes computations of shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interaction flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, C. R.; Hingst, W. R.; Porro, A. R.

    1991-01-01

    The properties of 2-D shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interaction flows were calculated by using a compressible turbulent Navier-Stokes numerical computational code. Interaction flows caused by oblique shock wave impingement on the turbulent boundary layer flow were considered. The oblique shock waves were induced with shock generators at angles of attack less than 10 degs in supersonic flows. The surface temperatures were kept at near-adiabatic (ratio of wall static temperature to free stream total temperature) and cold wall (ratio of wall static temperature to free stream total temperature) conditions. The computational results were studied for the surface heat transfer, velocity temperature correlation, and turbulent shear stress in the interaction flow fields. Comparisons of the computational results with existing measurements indicated that (1) the surface heat transfer rates and surface pressures could be correlated with Holden's relationship, (2) the mean flow streamwise velocity components and static temperatures could be correlated with Crocco's relationship if flow separation did not occur, and (3) the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model should be modified for turbulent shear stress computations in the interaction flows.

  10. Conditional Eddies in Plasma Turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johnsen, Helene; Pécseli, Hans; Trulsen, J.

    1986-01-01

    Conditional structures, or eddies, in turbulent flows are discussed with special attention to electrostatic turbulence in plasmas. The potential variation of these eddies is obtained by sampling the fluctuations only when a certain condition is satisfied in a reference point. The resulting...

  11. Ion-acoustic plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bychenkov, V.Y.; Silin, V.P.

    1982-01-01

    A theory is developed of the nonlinear state that is established in a plasma as a result of development of ion-acoustic instability. Account is taken simultaneously of the linear induced scattering of the waves by the ions and of the quasilinear relaxation of the electrons by the ion-acoustic pulsations. The distribution of the ion-acoustic turbulence in frequency and in angle is obtained. An Ohm's law is established and expressions are obtained for the electronic heat flux and for the relaxation time of the electron temperature in a turbulent plasma. Anomalously large absorption and scattering of the electromagnetic waves by the ion-acoustic pulsations is predicted

  12. Self-sustained collisional drift-wave turbulence in a sheared magnetic field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, B.D.

    1990-01-01

    Although collisional drift waves in a sheared slab configuration are linearly damped, it is found that the corresponding turbulence is self-sustaining if initialized at nonlinear amplitude. The influence of the free-energy source represented by the temperature and density gradients on the turbulent system involving bidirectional spectral energy transfer is responsible for this change of regime. Several important features of tokamak edge fluctuations are reproduced by these single-rational-surface nonlinear dynamics. As a result, drift-wave turbulence must still be considered as an underlying dynamic of anomalous transport in tokamak edges

  13. On the spatial distribution of small heavy particles in homogeneous shear turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicolai, C.; Jacob, B.; Piva, R.

    2013-08-01

    We report on a novel experiment aimed at investigating the effects induced by a large-scale velocity gradient on the turbulent transport of small heavy particles. To this purpose, a homogeneous shear flow at Reλ = 540 and shear parameter S* = 4.5 is set-up and laden with glass spheres whose size d is comparable with the Kolmogorov lengthscale η of the flow (d/η ≈ 1). The particle Stokes number is approximately 0.3. The analysis of the instantaneous particle fields by means of Voronoï diagrams confirms the occurrence of intense turbulent clustering at small scales, as observed in homogeneous isotropic flows. It also indicates that the anisotropy of the velocity fluctuations induces a preferential orientation of the particle clusters. In order to characterize the fine-scale features of the dispersed phase, spatial correlations of the particle field are employed in conjunction with statistical tools recently developed for anisotropic turbulence. The scale-by-scale analysis of the particle field clarifies that isotropy of the particle distribution is tendentially recovered at small separations, even though the signatures of the mean shear persist down to smaller scales as compared to the fluid velocity field.

  14. Role of E x B Shear and Magnetic Shear in the Formation of Transport Barriers in DIII-D

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burrell, K.H.

    2005-01-01

    Development of the E x B shear stabilization model to explain the formation of transport barriers in magnetic confinement devices is a major achievement of fusion research. This concept has the universality needed to explain the H-mode edge transport barriers seen in limiter and divertor tokamaks, stellarators, and mirror machines; the broader edge transport barrier seen in VH-mode plasmas; and the core transport barriers formed in tokamaks with low or negative magnetic shear. These examples of confinement improvement are of considerable physical interest; it is not often that a system self-organizes to reduce transport when an additional source of free energy is applied to it. The transport decrease associated with E x B velocity shear is also of great practical benefit to fusion research. The fundamental physics involved in transport reduction is the effect of E x B shear on the growth, radial extent, and phase correlation of turbulent eddies in the plasma. The same basic transport reduction process can be operational in various portions of the plasma because there are a number of ways to change the radial electric field E r . An important theme in this area is the synergistic effect of E x B velocity shear and magnetic shear. Although the E x B velocity shear appears to have an effect on broader classes of microturbulence, magnetic shear can mitigate some potentially harmful effects of E x B velocity shear and facilitate turbulence stabilization. The experimental results on DIII-D and other devices are generally consistent with the basic theoretical models

  15. Investigation of particle-laden turbulent flow in free shear turbulent combustion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buckingham, A.C.; Siekhaus, W.J.; Ellzey, J.; Daily, J.W.

    1983-01-01

    Explicit numerical mixed phase simulations are described which couple random gasdynamic motions to inertiallly interactive gas borne particles. Theses simulations are numerical experiments intended to provide data for investigating the interaction between a developing turbulent free shear layer and gas borne solid particles it entrains. The simulations predict most probable distributions of dispersed phase trajectories, standard deviations, and gas phase mixing dynamics which include the concomitant back-influences of the particle phase on the carrier gas flow. Data for refinement of the computational scheme and physical verification are provided by experiment. The experimental evidence is developed in a splitter plate divided, two-channel free shear mixing combustion tube. A variety of particle concentrations and particle size distributions are admitted into non-combusting or combusting flows with selected heat release levels. The computations, in turn, provide guidance on design and selection of new experiments

  16. Turbulence and transport in a magnetized argon plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pots, B.F.M.

    1979-01-01

    An experimental study on turbulence and transport in the highly ionized argon plasma of a hollow cathode discharge is described. In order to determine the plasma parameters three standard diagnostics have been used, whilst two diagnostics have been developed to study the plasma turbulence. (Auth.)

  17. Large Eddy Simulation of Spatially Developing Turbulent Reacting Shear Layers with the One-Dimensional Turbulence Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffie, Andreas Frank

    Large eddy simulation (LES) combined with the one-dimensional turbulence (ODT) model is used to simulate spatially developing turbulent reacting shear layers with high heat release and high Reynolds numbers. The LES-ODT results are compared to results from direct numerical simulations (DNS), for model development and validation purposes. The LES-ODT approach is based on LES solutions for momentum and pressure on a coarse grid and solutions for momentum and reactive scalars on a fine, one-dimensional, but three-dimensionally coupled ODT subgrid, which is embedded into the LES computational domain. Although one-dimensional, all three velocity components are transported along the ODT domain. The low-dimensional spatial and temporal resolution of the subgrid scales describe a new modeling paradigm, referred to as autonomous microstructure evolution (AME) models, which resolve the multiscale nature of turbulence down to the Kolmogorv scales. While this new concept aims to mimic the turbulent cascade and to reduce the number of input parameters, AME enables also regime-independent combustion modeling, capable to simulate multiphysics problems simultaneously. The LES as well as the one-dimensional transport equations are solved using an incompressible, low Mach number approximation, however the effects of heat release are accounted for through variable density computed by the ideal gas equation of state, based on temperature variations. The computations are carried out on a three-dimensional structured mesh, which is stretched in the transverse direction. While the LES momentum equation is integrated with a third-order Runge-Kutta time-integration, the time integration at the ODT level is accomplished with an explicit Forward-Euler method. Spatial finite-difference schemes of third (LES) and first (ODT) order are utilized and a fully consistent fractional-step method at the LES level is used. Turbulence closure at the LES level is achieved by utilizing the Smagorinsky

  18. Gyrokinetic continuum simulations of turbulence in the Texas Helimak

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, T. N.; Shi, E. L.; Hammett, G. W.; Hakim, A.; Taylor, E. I.

    2017-10-01

    We have used the Gkeyll code to perform 3x-2v full-f gyrokinetic continuum simulations of electrostatic plasma turbulence in the Texas Helimak. The Helimak is an open field-line experiment with magnetic curvature and shear. It is useful for validating numerical codes due to its extensive diagnostics and simple, helical geometry, which is similar to the scrape-off layer region of tokamaks. Interchange and drift-wave modes are the main turbulence mechanisms in the device, and potential biasing is applied to study the effect of velocity shear on turbulence reduction. With Gkeyll, we varied field-line pitch angle and simulated biased and unbiased cases to study different turbulent regimes and turbulence reduction. These are the first kinetic simulations of the Helimak and resulting plasma profiles agree fairly well with experimental data. This research demonstrates Gkeyll's progress towards 5D simulations of the SOL region of fusion devices. Supported by the U.S. DOE SCGSR program under contract DE-SC0014664, the Max-Planck/Princeton Center for Plasma Physics, the SciDAC Center for the Study of Plasma Microturbulence, and DOE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

  19. Review Article: Advances in modeling of bed particle entrainment sheared by turbulent flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dey, Subhasish; Ali, Sk Zeeshan

    2018-06-01

    Bed particle entrainment by turbulent wall-shear flow is a key topic of interest in hydrodynamics because it plays a major role to govern the planetary morphodynamics. In this paper, the state-of-the-art review of the essential mechanisms governing the bed particle entrainment by turbulent wall-shear flow and their mathematical modeling is presented. The paper starts with the appraisal of the earlier multifaceted ideas in modeling the particle entrainment highlighting the rolling, sliding, and lifting modes of entrainment. Then, various modeling approaches of bed particle entrainment, such as deterministic, stochastic, and spatiotemporal approaches, are critically analyzed. The modeling criteria of particle entrainment are distinguished for hydraulically smooth, transitional, and rough flow regimes. In this context, the responses of particle size, particle exposure, and packing condition to the near-bed turbulent flow that shears the particles to entrain are discussed. From the modern experimental outcomes, the conceptual mechanism of particle entrainment from the viewpoint of near-bed turbulent coherent structures is delineated. As the latest advancement of the subject, the paper sheds light on the origin of the primitive empirical formulations of bed particle entrainment deriving the scaling laws of threshold flow velocity of bed particle motion from the perspective of the phenomenological theory of turbulence. Besides, a model framework that provides a new look on the bed particle entrainment phenomenon stemming from the stochastic-cum-spatiotemporal approach is introduced. Finally, the future scope of research is articulated with open questions.

  20. Plasma Soliton Turbulence and Statistical Mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Treumann, R.A.; Pottelette, R.

    1999-01-01

    Collisionless kinetic plasma turbulence is described approximately in terms of a superposition of non-interacting solitary waves. We discuss the relevance of such a description under astrophysical conditions. Several types of solitary waves may be of interest in this relation as generators of turbulence and turbulent transport. A consistent theory of turbulence can be given only in a few particular cases when the description can be reduced to the Korteweg-de Vries equation or some other simple equation like the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation. It turns out that the soliton turbulence is usually energetically harder than the ordinary weakly turbulent plasma description. This implies that interaction of particles with such kinds of turbulence can lead to stronger acceleration than in ordinary turbulence. However, the description in our model is only classical and non-relativistic. Transport in solitary turbulence is most important for drift wave turbulence. Such waves form solitary drift wave vortices which may provide cross-field transport. A more general discussion is given on transport. In a model of Levy flight trapping of particles in solitons (or solitary turbulence) one finds that the residence time of particles in the region of turbulence may be described by a generalized Lorentzian probability distribution. It is shown that under collisionless equilibrium conditions far away from thermal equilibrium such distributions are natural equilibrium distributions. A consistent thermodynamic description of such media can be given in terms of a generalized Lorentzian statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. (author)

  1. Absorption of turbulent laser plasma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silin, V.P.

    1979-02-01

    Some theoretical results relating to the interaction of high-power laser radiation with a plasma are presented including the development of a theory of parametric instabilities in an inhomogeneous laser plasma which shows that the size of the spatial region in which the turbulent state develops is comparable with the characteristic dimension of a several-fold fluctuation in the plasma density close to its critical value. The conditions are identified under which parametric turbulence gives an anomalous effective collision frequency substantially greater than the normal electron-ion collision frequency. Even during the build-up of strong parametric turbulence, conditions are found for the development of anomalous dissipation which results in heating of the bulk of the electrons. Under opposite conditions, the dynamic behaviour due to the influence of the ponderomotive forces associated with the p component of the radiation field shows that under slow plasma flow conditions, a considerable proportion of the laser energy absorbed by the plasma is transferred to the fast electrons. Suppression of the Cherenkov mechanism for generation of the fast electron component is observed on transition to fast plasma flow conditions. (author)

  2. Physics of turbulence control and transport barrier formation in DIII-D

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doyle, E.J.; Burrell, K.H.; Carlstrom, T.N.

    1996-10-01

    This paper describes the physical mechanisms responsible for turbulence control and transport barrier formation on DIII-D as determined from a synthesis of results from different enhanced confinement regimes, including quantitative and qualitative comparisons to theory. A wide range of DIII-D data support the hypothesis that a single underlying physical mechanism, turbulence suppression via E x B shear flow is playing an essential, though not necessarily unique, role in reducing turbulence and transport in all of the following improved confinement regimes: H-mode, VH-mode, high-ell i modes, improved performance counter-injection L-mode discharges and high performance negative central shear (NCS) discharges. DIII-D data also indicate that synergistic effects are important in some cases, as in NCS discharges where negative magnetic shear also plays a role in transport barrier formation. This work indicates that in order to control turbulence and transport it is important to focus on understanding physical mechanisms, such as E x B shear, which can regulate and control entire classes of turbulent modes, and thus control transport. In the highest performance DIII-D discharges, NCS plasmas with a VH-mode like edge, turbulence is suppressed at all radii, resulting in neoclassical levels of ion transport over most of the plasma volume

  3. Stochastic field-line wandering in magnetic turbulence with shear. I. Quasi-linear theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shalchi, A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 (Canada); Negrea, M.; Petrisor, I. [Department of Physics, University of Craiova, Association Euratom-MEdC, 13A.I.Cuza Str, 200585 Craiova (Romania)

    2016-07-15

    We investigate the random walk of magnetic field lines in magnetic turbulence with shear. In the first part of the series, we develop a quasi-linear theory in order to compute the diffusion coefficient of magnetic field lines. We derive general formulas for the diffusion coefficients in the different directions of space. We like to emphasize that we expect that quasi-linear theory is only valid if the so-called Kubo number is small. We consider two turbulence models as examples, namely, a noisy slab model as well as a Gaussian decorrelation model. For both models we compute the field line diffusion coefficients and we show how they depend on the aforementioned Kubo number as well as a shear parameter. It is demonstrated that the shear effect reduces all field line diffusion coefficients.

  4. Stochastic field-line wandering in magnetic turbulence with shear. I. Quasi-linear theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shalchi, A.; Negrea, M.; Petrisor, I.

    2016-01-01

    We investigate the random walk of magnetic field lines in magnetic turbulence with shear. In the first part of the series, we develop a quasi-linear theory in order to compute the diffusion coefficient of magnetic field lines. We derive general formulas for the diffusion coefficients in the different directions of space. We like to emphasize that we expect that quasi-linear theory is only valid if the so-called Kubo number is small. We consider two turbulence models as examples, namely, a noisy slab model as well as a Gaussian decorrelation model. For both models we compute the field line diffusion coefficients and we show how they depend on the aforementioned Kubo number as well as a shear parameter. It is demonstrated that the shear effect reduces all field line diffusion coefficients.

  5. Isotope and fast ions turbulence suppression effects: Consequences for high-β ITER plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, J.; Görler, T.; Jenko, F.

    2018-05-01

    The impact of isotope effects and fast ions on microturbulence is analyzed by means of non-linear gyrokinetic simulations for an ITER hybrid scenario at high beta obtained from previous integrated modelling simulations with simplified assumptions. Simulations show that ITER might work very close to threshold, and in these conditions, significant turbulence suppression is found from DD to DT plasmas. Electromagnetic effects are shown to play an important role in the onset of this isotope effect. Additionally, even external ExB flow shear, which is expected to be low in ITER, has a stronger impact on DT than on DD. The fast ions generated by fusion reactions can additionally reduce turbulence even more although the impact in ITER seems weaker than in present-day tokamaks.

  6. Resonant quasiparticles in plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendonca, J.T.; Bingham, R.; Shukla, P.K.

    2003-01-01

    A general view is proposed on wave propagation in fluids and plasmas where the resonant interaction of monochromatic waves with quasiparticles is considered. A kinetic equation for quasiparticles is used to describe the broadband turbulence interacting with monochromatic waves. Resonant interactions occur when the phase velocity of the long wavelength monochromatic wave is nearly equal to the group velocity of short wavelength wave packets, or quasiparticles, associated with the turbulent spectrum. It is shown that quasiparticle Landau damping can take place, as well as quasiparticle beam instabilities, thus establishing a direct link between short and large wavelength perturbations of the medium. This link is distinct from the usual picture of direct and inverse energy cascades, and it can be used as a different paradigm for the fluid and plasma turbulence theories

  7. Evolution of thermal ion transport barriers in reversed shear/ optimised shear plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voitsekhovitch, I.; Garbet, X.; Moreau, D.; Bush, C.E.; Budny, R.V.; Gohil, P.; Kinsey, J.E.; Talyor, T.S.; Litaudon, X.

    2001-01-01

    The effects of the magnetic and ExB rotation shears on the thermal ion transport in advanced tokamak scenarios are analyzed through the predictive modelling of the evolution of internal transport barriers. Such a modelling is performed with an experimentally validated L-mode thermal diffusivity completed with a semi-empirical shear correction which is based on simple theoretical arguments from turbulence studies. A multi-machine test of the model on relevant discharges from the ITER Data Base (TFTR, DIII-D and JET) is presented. (author)

  8. 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

  9. The Maryland Centrifugal Experiment (MCX): Centrifugal Confinement and Velocity Shear Stabilization of Plasmas in Shaped Open Magnetic Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassam, Adil; Ellis, Richard F.

    2012-01-01

    The Maryland Centrifugal Experiment (MCX) Project has investigated the concepts of centrifugal plasma confinement and stabilization of instabilities by velocity shear. The basic requirement is supersonic plasma rotation about a shaped, open magnetic field. Overall, the MCX Project attained three primary goals that were set out at the start of the project. First, supersonic rotation at Mach number up to 2.5 was obtained. Second, turbulence from flute interchange modes was found considerably reduced from conventional. Third, plasma pressure was contained along the field, as evidenced by density drops of x10 from the center to the mirror throats.

  10. Spectral properties of electromagnetic turbulence in plasmas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Shaikh

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available We report on the nonlinear turbulent processes associated with electromagnetic waves in plasmas. We focus on low-frequency (in comparison with the electron gyrofrequency nonlinearly interacting electron whistlers and nonlinearly interacting Hall-magnetohydrodynamic (H-MHD fluctuations in a magnetized plasma. Nonlinear whistler mode turbulence study in a magnetized plasma involves incompressible electrons and immobile ions. Two-dimensional turbulent interactions and subsequent energy cascades are critically influenced by the electron whisters that behave distinctly for scales smaller and larger than the electron skin depth. It is found that in whistler mode turbulence there results a dual cascade primarily due to the forward spectral migration of energy that coexists with a backward spectral transfer of mean squared magnetic potential. Finally, inclusion of the ion dynamics, resulting from a two fluid description of the H-MHD plasma, leads to several interesting results that are typically observed in the solar wind plasma. Particularly in the solar wind, the high-time-resolution databases identify a spectral break at the end of the MHD inertial range spectrum that corresponds to a high-frequency regime. In the latter, turbulent cascades cannot be explained by the usual MHD model and a finite frequency effect (in comparison with the ion gyrofrequency arising from the ion inertia is essentially included to discern the dynamics of the smaller length scales (in comparison with the ion skin depth. This leads to a nonlinear H-MHD model, which is presented in this paper. With the help of our 3-D H-MHD code, we find that the characteristic turbulent interactions in the high-frequency regime evolve typically on kinetic-Alfvén time-scales. The turbulent fluctuation associated with kinetic-Alfvén interactions are compressive and anisotropic and possess equipartition of the kinetic and magnetic energies.

  11. Nature of turbulent transport across sheared zonal flows: insights from gyrokinetic simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez, R; Newman, D E; Leboeuf, J-N; Decyk, V K

    2011-01-01

    The traditional view regarding the reduction of turbulence-induced transport across a stable sheared flow invokes a reduction of the characteristic length scale in the direction perpendicular to the flow as a result of the shearing and stretching of eddies caused by the differential pull exerted in the direction of the flow. A reduced effective transport coefficient then suffices to capture the reduction, that can then be readily incorporated into a transport model. However, recent evidence from gyrokinetic simulations of the toroidal ion-temperature-gradient mode suggests that the dynamics of turbulent transport across sheared flows changes in a more fundamental manner, and that the use of reduced effective transport coefficients fails to capture the full dynamics that may exhibit both subdiffusion and non-Gaussian statistics. In this contribution, after briefly reviewing these results, we propose some candidates for the physical mechanisms responsible for endowing transport with such non-diffusive characteristics, backing these proposals with new numerical gyrokinetic data.

  12. The role of electric field shear stabilization of turbulence in the H-mode to VH-mode transition in DIII-D

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burrell, K.H.; Osborne, T.H.; Groebner, R.J.; Rettig, C.L.

    1993-01-01

    VH-mode plasma exhibit energy confinement times up to 2.4 times the DIII-D/JET H-mode scaling relation and up to 3.9 times the value given by ITER89-P L-mode scaling. If this confinement improvement can be exploited in reactor plasmas, smaller prototype reactors with significantly lower unit cost can be produced. Accordingly, understanding and optimizing the confinement improvement is of significant interest. One of the possible explanations for this bulk confinement improvement is stabilization of turbulence by shear in the radial electric field, similar to the present explanation for the confinement improvement at the extreme plasma edge at the L to H transition. Preliminary measurements have shown that the region of the plasma where the electric field gradient is steepest broadens when the plasma goes from H-mode to VH-mode. More recent measurements have confirmed this broadening and have shown that the change in the electric field gradient occurs prior to the change in the thermal transport. In addition, transport analysis shows that the electric field shear increases in the same region between magnetic flux coordinate p=0.6 and 0.9 where the local thermal transport decreases. Furthermore, far infra-red (FIR) scattering measurements have detected density fluctuations in the region around p=0.8 which could be responsible for enhanced transport and which disappear at the time that the electric shear increases. These fluctuations appear as bursts of density fluctuations in the 0.5 to 1.5 MHz range. The time between bursts increases as the electric field shear increases. Once these bursts disappear, the major change in confinement takes place in most discharges. When isolated bursts occur, the heat and angular momentum pulse connected with the burst are detectable on the plasma profile diagnostics. (author) 13 refs., 4 figs

  13. Shear-limited test particle diffusion in 2-dimensional plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderegg, Francois; Driscoll, C. Fred; Dubin, Daniel H.E.

    2002-01-01

    Measurements of test-particle diffusion in pure ion plasmas show 2D enhancements over the 3D rates, limited by shear in the plasma rotation ω E (r). The diffusion is due to 'long-range' ion-ion collisions in the quiescent, steady-state Mg + plasma. For short plasma length L p and low shear S≡r∂ω E /∂r, thermal ions bounce axially many times before shear separates them in θ, so the ions move in (r,θ) as bounce averaged 'rods' of charge (i.e. 2D point vortices). Experimentally, we vary the number of bounces over the range 0.2≤N b ≤10,000. For long plasmas with N b ≤1, we observe diffusion in quantitative agreement with the 3D theory of long-range ExB drift collisions. For shorter plasmas or lower shear, with N b >1, we measure diffusion rates enhanced by up to 100x. For exceedingly small she0ar, i.e. N b ≥1000, we observe diffusion rates consistent with the Taylor-McNamara estimates for a shear-free thermal plasma. Overall, the data shows fair agreement with Dubin's new theory of 2D diffusion in shear, which predicts an enhancement of D 2D /D 3D ≅N b up to the Taylor-McNamara limit

  14. On the role of turbulence on momentum redistribution in fusion devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, C.

    2005-01-01

    The mechanisms underlying the generation of plasma flows play a crucial role in understanding key issues on transport in magnetically confined plasmas. It is well known the importance of driving shear in plasma rotation in the development of transport barriers. Rotation can be driven by external forces such as momentum from Neutral Beam Injection (NBI). However, in large scale devices like ITER (where the available NBI power is limited and the energy of injected neutrals must be high to reach the core plasma region) the NBI driven rotation will be limited. Then, it is important to study the possible role of other mechanisms which can drive plasma rotation. The amplitude of parallel flow measured in the scrape-off layer (SOL) is significantly larger than those resulting from simulations. Recent experiments have pointed out the possible influence of turbulence in explaining a component of the anomalous flows observed in the plasma boundary region. In the plasma core region, evidence of anomalous toroidal momentum transport has been reported. Different mechanisms have been proposed to explain these results, including neoclassical effects, turbulence driven models and fast particle effects. The response of toroidal rotation to near-perpendicular NB injection on JT-60U has been interpreted on the basis of the influence of loss of high-energy particles. The flow reversal observed in the CHS stellarator can be explained by the spontaneous flow driven by large radial electric fields. Neoclassical effects can also play an import role. Recent experiments in the TJ-II stellarator have shown that the generation of spontaneous perpendicular sheared flows requires a minimum plasma density. Near this critical density, the level of edge turbulent transport and the turbulent kinetic energy significantly increases in the plasma edge. Experimental results also show significant turbulent parallel forces at plasma densities above the threshold value to trigger perpendicular ExB sheared

  15. Self-sustained turbulence and L-mode confinement in toroidal plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoh, K.; Itoh, S.; Fukuyama, A.; Yagi, M.; Azumi, M.

    1993-04-01

    Theory of the L-mode confinement in toroidal plasmas is developed. The quantitative effect of the anomalous transport, which is caused by microscopic fluctuations, on the pressure-gradient- driven modes is analyzed. The ExB nonlinearity is renormalized in a form of the transport coefficient such as the thermal diffusivity, the ion viscosity and the current diffusivity. The destabilization by the current-diffusivity and the stabilization by the thermal transport and ion viscosity are analyzed. By use of the mean-field approximations, the nonlinear dispersion relation is solved. Growth rate and stability condition are expressed in terms of the renormalized transport coefficients. The transport coefficients in the steady state are obtained by the marginal stability condition for the least stable mode. This method is applied to the microscopic ballooning mode for the toroidal plasma with the magnetic well (such as tokamak). The comparison with experimental observations are made. A good agreement is found in a various aspects of the L-mode plasmas; The typical wavenumber and level of the fluctuations for the self-sustained turbulence is also obtained. The analysis is also made for the plasma with magnetic hill and shear (such as torsatron/Heliotron devices). This method is applied to the interchange modes. Formula of the anomalous transport is obtained. Also investigated is the case of the magnetic well and low magnetic shear (conventional stellarator). The roles of the pressure gradient and the collisionless skin depth in determining the anomalous transport are found to be generic in toroidal plasmas. The difference in the magnetic configuration affects the transport coefficient. These formula explain major experimental observations. (J.P.N.)

  16. Experimental investigation of edge sheared flow development and configuration effects in the TJ-II stellarator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pedrosa, M.A.; Hidalgo, C.; Alonso, A.; Calderon, E.; Orozco, O.; Pablos, J.L. de

    2005-01-01

    Experimental results have shown that the generation of spontaneous perpendicular sheared flow (i.e. the naturally occurring shear layer) requires a minimum plasma density or gradient in the TJ-II stellarator. This finding has been observed by means of multiple plasma diagnostics, including probes, fast cameras, reflectometry and HIBP. The obtained shearing rate of the naturally occurring shear layer results in general comparable to the one observed during biasing-improved confinement regimes. It has been found that there is a coupling between the onset of sheared flow development and an increase in the level of plasma edge fluctuations pointing to turbulence as the main ingredient of the radial electric field drive; once the shear flow develops the level of turbulence tends to decrease. The link between the development of sheared flows and plasma density in TJ-II has been observed in different magnetic configurations and plasma regimes. Preliminary results show that the threshold density value depends on the iota value and on the magnetic ripple (plasma volume). Recent experiments carried out in the LHD stellarator have shown that edge sheared flows are also affected by the magnitude of edge magnetic ripple: the threshold density to trigger edge sheared flows increases with magnetic ripple . Those results have been interpreted as an evidence of the importance of neoclassical effect in the physics of ExB sheared flows. For some TJ-II magnetic configurations with higher edge iota (ι/2π≥ 1.8) there is a sharp increase in the edge density gradient simultaneous to a strong reduction of fluctuations and transport and a slight increase of the shearing rate and perpendicular rotation (≥2 km/s) as density increases above the threshold. The role of the edge ripple, the presence of edge rational surfaces and properties of turbulent transport are considered as possible ingredients to explain the spontaneous development of edge sheared flows in TJ-II. (author)

  17. A new energy transfer model for turbulent free shear flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liou, William W.-W.

    1992-01-01

    A new model for the energy transfer mechanism in the large-scale turbulent kinetic energy equation is proposed. An estimate of the characteristic length scale of the energy containing large structures is obtained from the wavelength associated with the structures predicted by a weakly nonlinear analysis for turbulent free shear flows. With the inclusion of the proposed energy transfer model, the weakly nonlinear wave models for the turbulent large-scale structures are self-contained and are likely to be independent flow geometries. The model is tested against a plane mixing layer. Reasonably good agreement is achieved. Finally, it is shown by using the Liapunov function method, the balance between the production and the drainage of the kinetic energy of the turbulent large-scale structures is asymptotically stable as their amplitude saturates. The saturation of the wave amplitude provides an alternative indicator for flow self-similarity.

  18. BOOK REVIEW: Plasma and Fluid Turbulence: Theory and Modelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshizawa, A.; Itoh, S. I.; Itoh, K.

    2003-03-01

    The area of turbulence has been covered by many books over the years. This has, of course, mainly been fluid turbulence, while the area of plasma turbulence has been treated much less. This book by Yoshizawa et al covers both plasma and fluid turbulence, in a way that does justice to both areas at the same time as cross-disciplinary aspects are illuminated. The book should be useful to physicists working in both areas partly because it examines fundamental aspects in a pedagogical way, partly because it is up to date and partly because of the cross-disciplinary aspects which enrich both areas. It is written as an advanced textbook. The reader should have previous knowledge of at least one of the areas and also some background in statistical physics. The book starts with the very important and highly up to date area of structure formation which is relevant both to fluids and plasmas. Here, pipe flow of fluids is treated as an introduction to the area, then follows discussion of the generation of magnetic fields by turbulent motion in stellar objects and stucture formation in plasmas confined by a magnetic field. Also the concept of bifurcation is introduced. This part builds up knowledge from the simple fluid case to the problems of magnetic confinement of plasmas in a very pedagogical way. It continues by introducing the fundamentals of fluid turbulence. This is done very systematically and concepts useful for industrial applications like the K-e method and several ways of heuristic modelling are introduced. Also the two dimensional vortex equation, which is also relevant to magnetized plasmas is introduced. In chapter 5 the statistical theory of turbulence is treated. It starts with a very nice and easy to understand example of renormalization of a simple nonlinear equation where the exact solution is known. It introduces the method of partial renormalization, Greens functions and the direct interaction approximation (DIA). The book then continues with an

  19. Chaos control and taming of turbulence in plasma devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klinger, T.; Schröder, C.; Block, D.

    2001-01-01

    Chaos and turbulence are often considered as troublesome features of plasma devices. In the general framework of nonlinear dynamical systems, a number of strategies have been developed to achieve active control over complex temporal or spatio-temporal behavior. Many of these techniques apply...... to plasma instabilities. In the present paper we discuss recent progress in chaos control and taming of turbulence in three different plasma "model" experiments: (1) Chaotic oscillations in simple plasma diodes, (2) ionization wave turbulence in the positive column of glow discharges, and (3) drift wave...

  20. Synergistic effects of the safety factor and shear flows on development of internal transport barriers in reversed shear plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, A.K.; Dong, J.Q.; Qu, W.X.; Qiu, X.M.

    2002-01-01

    A new suppression mechanism of turbulent transport, characteristic of the synergism between safety factor and shear flows, is proposed to explain the internal transport barriers (ITBs) observed in neutral-beam-heated tokamak discharges with reversed magnetic shear. It is shown that the evolution of turbulent transport with the strength of the suppression mechanism reproduces the basic features of the formation and development of ITBs observed in experiments. In addition, the present analyses predict the possibility of global ion and electron heat transport barriers

  1. Transfer anisotropy effect in a turbulent plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bychenkov, V.Yu.; Gradov, O.M.; Silin, V.P.

    1982-01-01

    A theory is developed of transfer phenomena with pronounced ion-sound turbulence. A transfer anisotropy effect is observed which is due to the temperature gradient. The corresponding fluxes across the effective force vector generating the turbulence are found to be considerably greater than the longitudinal fluxes in a plasma with a comparatively low degree of nonisothermality. In a strongly nonisothermal plasma the suppression of transverse fluxes occurs, corresponding to the growth of thermal insulation of the current-carrying plasma filaments

  2. Spectral calculations for pressure-velocity and pressure-strain correlations in homogeneous shear turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Kishore

    2018-02-01

    Theoretical analyses of pressure related turbulent statistics are vital for a reliable and accurate modeling of turbulence. In the inertial subrange of turbulent shear flow, pressure-velocity and pressure-strain correlations are affected by anisotropy imposed at large scales. Recently, Tsuji and Kaneda (2012 J. Fluid Mech. 694 50) performed a set of experiments on homogeneous shear flow, and estimated various one-dimensional pressure related spectra and the associated non-dimensional universal numbers. Here, starting from the governing Navier-Stokes dynamics for the fluctuating velocity field and assuming the anisotropy at inertial scales as a weak perturbation of an otherwise isotropic dynamics, we analytically derive the form of the pressure-velocity and pressure-strain correlations. The associated universal numbers are calculated using the well-known renormalization-group results, and are compared with the experimental estimates of Tsuji and Kaneda. Approximations involved in the perturbative calculations are discussed.

  3. Edge-core interaction of ITG turbulence in Tokamaks: Is the Tail Wagging the Dog?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ku, S.; Chang, C. S.; Dif-Pradalier, G.; Diamond, P. H.

    2010-11-01

    A full-f XGC1 gyrokinetic simulation of ITG turbulence, together with the neoclassical dynamics without scale separation, has been performed for the whole-volume plasma in realistic diverted DIII-D geometry. The simulation revealed that the global structure of the turbulence and transport in tokamak plasmas results from a synergy between edge-driven inward propagation of turbulence intensity and the core-driven outward heat transport. The global ion confinement and the ion temperature gradient then self-organize quickly at turbulence propagation time scale. This synergy results in inward-outward pulse scattering leading to spontaneous production of strong internal shear layers in which the turbulent transport is almost suppressed over several radial correlation lengths. Co-existence of the edge turbulence source and the strong internal shear layer leads to radially increasing turbulence intensity and ion thermal transport profiles.

  4. Modeling of the reactant conversion rate in a turbulent shear flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frankel, S. H.; Madnia, C. K.; Givi, P.

    1992-01-01

    Results are presented of direct numerical simulations (DNS) of spatially developing shear flows under the influence of infinitely fast chemical reactions of the type A + B yields Products. The simulation results are used to construct the compositional structure of the scalar field in a statistical manner. The results of this statistical analysis indicate that the use of a Beta density for the probability density function (PDF) of an appropriate Shvab-Zeldovich mixture fraction provides a very good estimate of the limiting bounds of the reactant conversion rate within the shear layer. This provides a strong justification for the implementation of this density in practical modeling of non-homogeneous turbulent reacting flows. However, the validity of the model cannot be generalized for predictions of higher order statistical quantities. A closed form analytical expression is presented for predicting the maximum rate of reactant conversion in non-homogeneous reacting turbulence.

  5. Scrape-off layer tokamak plasma turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bisai, N.; Singh, R.; Kaw, P. K.

    2012-05-01

    Two-dimensional (2D) interchange turbulence in the scrape-off layer of tokamak plasmas and their subsequent contribution to anomalous plasma transport has been studied in recent years using electron continuity, current balance, and electron energy equations. In this paper, numerically it is demonstrated that the inclusion of ion energy equation in the simulation changes the nature of plasma turbulence. Finite ion temperature reduces floating potential by about 15% compared with the cold ion temperature approximation and also reduces the radial electric field. Rotation of plasma blobs at an angular velocity about 1.5×105 rad/s has been observed. It is found that blob rotation keeps plasma blob charge separation at an angular position with respect to the vertical direction that gives a generation of radial electric field. Plasma blobs with high electron temperature gradients can align the charge separation almost in the radial direction. Influence of high ion temperature and its gradient has been presented.

  6. Drift wave turbulence in low-β plasmas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Torben; Larsen, Søren Ejling; Pécseli, Hans

    1983-01-01

    Experimental investigations of strong turbulence associated with the radial density gradient of a rotating magnetized plasma column are reported. The experiment is designed to make Taylor's hypothesis effective, in order to allow a simple interpretation of measured frequency spectra in terms of w...... spectrum is demonstrated. Some aspects of the relative diffusion of a test-cloud of charged particles released in the turbulent field are discussed.......Experimental investigations of strong turbulence associated with the radial density gradient of a rotating magnetized plasma column are reported. The experiment is designed to make Taylor's hypothesis effective, in order to allow a simple interpretation of measured frequency spectra in terms...... of wavenumber spectra. The spectral index of the turbulent potential fluctuations is determined and the variation of the spectral intensity is investigated for varying magnetic fields. The results compare favourably with theoretical predictions. The importance of distinguishing subranges in the turbulent...

  7. Structure formation in turbulent plasmas - test of nonlinear processes in plasma experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoh, S.-I.; Yagi, Masatoshi; Inagaki, Shigeru

    2009-01-01

    Full text: Recent developments in plasma physics, either in the fusion research in a new era of ITER, or in space and in astro-physics, the world-wide and focused research has been developed on the subject of structural formation in turbulent plasma being associated with electro-magnetic field formation. Keys for the progress were a change of the physics view from the 'linear, local and deterministic' picture to the description based on 'nonlinear instability, nonlocal interaction and probabilistic excitation' for the turbulent state, and the integration of the theory-simulation-experiment. In this presentation, we first briefly summarize the theory of microscopic turbulence and mesoscale fluctuations and selection rules. In addition, the statistical formation of large-scale structure/deformation by turbulence is addressed. Then, the experimental measurements of the mesoscale structures (e.g., zonal flows, zonal fields, streamer and transport interface) and of the nonlinear interactions among them in turbulent plasmas are reported. Confirmations by, and new challenges from, the experiments are overviewed. Work supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Specially-Promoted Research (16002005). (author)

  8. Turbulent flows over superhydrophobic surfaces with shear-dependent slip length

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khosh Aghdam, Sohrab; Seddighi, Mehdi; Ricco, Pierre

    2015-11-01

    Motivated by recent experimental evidence, shear-dependent slip length superhydrophobic surfaces are studied. Lyapunov stability analysis is applied in a 3D turbulent channel flow and extended to the shear-dependent slip-length case. The feedback law extracted is recognized for the first time to coincide with the constant-slip-length model widely used in simulations of hydrophobic surfaces. The condition for the slip parameters is found to be consistent with the experimental data and with values from DNS. The theoretical approach by Fukagata (PoF 18.5: 051703) is employed to model the drag-reduction effect engendered by the shear-dependent slip-length surfaces. The estimated drag-reduction values are in very good agreement with our DNS data. For slip parameters and flow conditions which are potentially realizable in the lab, the maximum computed drag reduction reaches 50%. The power spent by the turbulent flow on the walls is computed, thereby recognizing the hydrophobic surfaces as a passive-absorbing drag-reduction method, as opposed to geometrically-modifying techniques that do not consume energy, e.g. riblets, hence named passive-neutral. The flow is investigated by visualizations, statistical analysis of vorticity and strain rates, and quadrants of the Reynolds stresses. Part of this work was funded by Airbus Group. Simulations were performed on the ARCHER Supercomputer (UKTC Grant).

  9. Reversed magnetic shear suppression of electron-scale turbulence on NSTX

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuh, Howard Y.; Levinton, F. M.; Bell, R. E.; Hosea, J. C.; Kaye, S. M.; Leblanc, B. P.; Mazzucato, E.; Smith, D. R.; Domier, C. W.; Luhmann, N. C.; Park, H. K.

    2009-11-01

    Electron thermal internal transport barriers (e-ITBs) are observed in reversed (negative) magnetic shear NSTX discharges^1. These e-ITBs can be created with either neutral beam heating or High Harmonic Fast Wave (HHFW) RF heating. The e-ITB location occurs at the location of minimum magnetic shear determined by Motional Stark Effect (MSE) constrained equilibria. Statistical studies show a threshold condition in magnetic shear for e-ITB formation. High-k fluctuation measurements at electron turbulence wavenumbers^3 have been made under several different transport regimes, including a bursty regime that limits temperature gradients at intermediate magnetic shear. The growth rate of fluctuations has been calculated immediately following a change in the local magnetic shear, resulting in electron temperature gradient relaxation. Linear gyrokinetic simulation results for NSTX show that while measured electron temperature gradients exceed critical linear thresholds for ETG instability, growth rates can remain low under reversed shear conditions up to high electron temperatures gradients. ^1H. Yuh, et. al., PoP 16, 056120 ^2D.R. Smith, E. Mazzucato et al., RSI 75, 3840 ^3E. Mazzucato, D.R. Smith et al., PRL 101, 075001

  10. Synthetic atmospheric turbulence and wind shear in large eddy simulations of wind turbine wakes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Keck, Rolf-Erik; Mikkelsen, Robert Flemming; Troldborg, Niels

    2014-01-01

    , superimposed on top of a mean deterministic shear layer consistent with that used in the IEC standard for wind turbine load calculations. First, the method is evaluated by running a series of large-eddy simulations in an empty domain, where the imposed turbulence and wind shear is allowed to reach a fully...

  11. Functional calculus in strong plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmadi, G.; Hirose, A.

    1980-01-01

    The theory of electrostatic plasma turbulence is considered. The basic equations for the dynamics of the hierarchy of the moment equations are derived and the difficulty of the closure problem for strong plasma turbulence is discussed. The characteristic functional in phase space is introduced and its relations to the correlation functions are described. The Hopf functional equation for dynamics of the characteristic functional is derived, and its equivalence to the hierarchy of the moment equations is established. Similar formulations were carried out in velocity-wave vector space. The cross-spectral moments and the characteristic functional are considered and their relationships are studied. An approximate solution for Hopf's equation for the nearly normal turbulence is obtained which is shown to predict diffusion of the mean distribution function in velocity space. (author)

  12. Information Theory and Plasma Turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dendy, R. O.

    2009-01-01

    Information theory, applied directly to measured signals, yields new perspectives on, and quantitative knowledge of, the physics of strongly nonlinear and turbulent phenomena in plasmas. It represents a new and productive element of the topical research programmes that use modern techniques to characterise strongly nonlinear signals from plasmas, and that address global plasma behaviour from a complex systems perspective. We here review some pioneering studies of mutual information in solar wind and magnetospheric plasmas, using techniques tested on standard complex systems.

  13. Characterizing electrostatic turbulence in tokamak plasmas with high MHD activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guimaraes-Filho, Z O; Santos Lima, G Z dos; Caldas, I L; Nascimento, I C; Kuznetsov, Yu K [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Caixa Postal 66316, 05315-970, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Viana, R L, E-mail: viana@fisica.ufpr.b [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Parana, Caixa Postal 19044, 81531-990, Curitiba, PR (Brazil)

    2010-09-01

    One of the challenges in obtaining long lasting magnetic confinement of fusion plasmas in tokamaks is to control electrostatic turbulence near the vessel wall. A necessary step towards achieving this goal is to characterize the turbulence level and so as to quantify its effect on the transport of energy and particles of the plasma. In this paper we present experimental results on the characterization of electrostatic turbulence in Tokamak Chauffage Alfven Bresilien (TCABR), operating in the Institute of Physics of University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In particular, we investigate the effect of certain magnetic field fluctuations, due to magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) instabilities activity, on the spectral properties of electrostatic turbulence at plasma edge. In some TCABR discharges we observe that this MHD activity may increase spontaneously, following changes in the edge safety factor, or after changes in the radial electric field achieved by electrode biasing. During the high MHD activity, the magnetic oscillations and the plasma edge electrostatic turbulence present several common linear spectral features with a noticeable dominant peak in the same frequency. In this article, dynamical analyses were applied to find other alterations on turbulence characteristics due to the MHD activity and turbulence enhancement. A recurrence quantification analysis shows that the turbulence determinism radial profile is substantially changed, becoming more radially uniform, during the high MHD activity. Moreover, the bicoherence spectra of these two kinds of fluctuations are similar and present high bicoherence levels associated with the MHD frequency. In contrast with the bicoherence spectral changes, that are radially localized at the plasma edge, the turbulence recurrence is broadly altered at the plasma edge and the scrape-off layer.

  14. Theory of ion Bernstein wave induced shear suppression of turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craddock, G. G.; Diamond, P. H.; Ono, M.; Biglari, H.

    1994-06-01

    The theory of radio frequency induced ion Bernstein wave- (IBW) driven shear flow in the edge is examined, with the goal of application of shear suppression of fluctuations. This work is motivated by the observed confinement improvement on IBW heated tokamaks [Phys. Fluids B 5, 241 (1993)], and by previous low-frequency work on RF-driven shear flows [Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 1535 (1991)]. It is found that the poloidal shear flow is driven electrostatically by both Reynolds stress and a direct ion momentum source, analogous to the concepts of helicity injection and electron momentum input in current drive, respectively. Flow drive by the former does not necessarily require momentum input to the plasma to induce a shear flow. For IBW, the direct ion momentum can be represented by direct electron momentum input, and a charge separation induced stress that imparts little momentum to the plasma. The derived Er profile due to IBW predominantly points inward, with little possibility of direction change, unlike low-frequency Alfvénic RF drive. The profile scale is set by the edge density gradient and electron dissipation. Due to the electrostatic nature of ion Bernstein waves, the poloidal flow contribution dominates in Er. Finally, the necessary edge power absorbed for shear suppression on Princeton Beta Experiment-Modified (PBX-M) [9th Topical Conference on Radio Frequency Power in Plasmas, Charleston, SC, 1991 (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1991), p. 129] is estimated to be 100 kW distributed over 5 cm.

  15. Edge Sheared Flows and Blob Dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Myra, J.; D' Ippolito, D.; Russell, D., E-mail: jrmyra@lodestar.com [Lodestar Research Corporation, Boulder (United States); Davis, W. M.; Zweben, S. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton (United States); Terry, J.; LaBombard, B. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (United States)

    2012-09-15

    Full text: A study of sheared flows in the edge and scrape-off layer (SOL) and their interaction with blob-filaments is presented. Edge sheared flows are believed to be important for the L-H, and H-L transitions. Blob generation and dynamics impacts both the (near-separatrix) scrape-off-layer (SOL) width critical for power handling in the divertor, and the interaction of plasma in the far SOL with plasma-facing components. These topics are critical for ITER and future devices. A fluid-based 2D curvature-interchange model embedded in the SOLT code is employed to study these issues. Sheared binormal flows both regulate the power flux crossing the separatrix and control the character of emitted turbulence structures such as blob-filaments. At a critical power level (depending on parameters) the laminar flows containing intermittent, but bound, structures give way to full-blown blob emissions signifying a transition from quasi-diffusive to convective transport. In order to diagnose sheared flows in experiments and assess their interaction with blobs, a blob-tracking algorithm has been developed and applied to both NSTX and Alcator C-Mod data. Blob motion and ellipticity can be affected by sheared flows, and are diagnosed and compared with seeded blob simulations. A picture of the interaction of blobs and sheared flows is emerging from advances in the theory and simulation of edge turbulence, combined with ever-improving capabilities for edge diagnostics and their analysis. (author)

  16. Studies of Turbulence and Transport in Alcator C-Mod H-Mode Plasmas with Phase Contrast Imaging and Comparisons with GYRO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porkolab, M.; Lin, L.; Edlund, E. M.; Rost, J. C.; Fiore, C. L.; Greenwald, M.; Mikkelsen, D.

    2008-11-01

    We present recent experimental measurements of turbulence and transport in C-Mod H-Mode plasmas with and without internal transport barriers (ITB) using the phase contrast imaging (PCI) diagnostic and compare the results with GYRO predictions. In plasmas without ITB, the fluctuation above 300 kHz observed by PCI agrees with ITG in GYRO simulation, including the direction of propagation, wavenumber spectrum, and absolute intensity within experimental uncertainly (+/-75%). After transition to ITBs, the observed overall fluctuation intensity increases. GYRO simulation in the core shows that ITG dominates in ITBs but its intensity is lower than the overall experimental measurements which may also include contributions from the plasma edge. These results, as well as the impact of varying ∇Ti, ∇n, and ExB shear on turbulence will be discussed. C.L. Fiore et al., Fusion Sci. Technol., 51, 303 (2007). M. Porkolab et al., IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 34, 229 (2006). J. Candy et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 91, 045001 (2003).

  17. Influence of turbulent horseshoe vortex and associated bed shear stress on sediment transport in front of a cylinder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Jinzhao; Qi, Meilan; Fuhrman, David R.

    2018-01-01

    -normal distribution for uniform channel-open flows. The comparisons of sediment transport rates where turbulent fluctuations in the bed shear stress are, or are not, taken into account show that the sediment transport rates calculated by the mean bed shear stress are under-predicted. Furthermore, a new sediment......This study concerns the flow and associated sediment transport in front of a cylinder in steady currents. The study comprises (i) flow characteristics induced by the turbulent horseshoe vortex (THV), (ii) bed shear stress within the THV region, and (iii) predicted sediment transport rates...

  18. Suprathermal ion transport in turbulent magnetized plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bovet, A. D.

    2015-01-01

    Suprathermal ions, which have an energy greater than the quasi-Maxwellian background plasma temperature, are present in many laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. In fusion devices, they are generated by the fusion reactions and auxiliary heating. Controlling their transport is essential for the success of future fusion devices that could provide a clean, safe and abundant source of electric power to our society. In space, suprathermal ions include energetic solar particles and cosmic rays. The understanding of the acceleration and transport mechanisms of these particles is still incomplete. Basic plasma devices allow detailed measurements that are not accessible in astrophysical and fusion plasmas, due to the difficulty to access the former and the high temperatures of the latter. The basic toroidal device TORPEX offers an easy access for diagnostics, well characterized plasma scenarios and validated numerical simulations of its turbulence dynamics, making it the ideal platform for the investigation of suprathermal ion transport. This Thesis presents three-dimensional measurements of a suprathermal ion beam injected in turbulent TORPEX plasmas. The combination of uniquely resolved measurements and first principle numerical simulations reveals the general non-diffusive nature of the suprathermal ion transport. A precise characterization of their transport regime shows that, depending on their energies, suprathermal ions can experience either a super diffusive transport or a subdiffusive transport in the same background turbulence. The transport character is determined by the interaction of the suprathermal ion orbits with the turbulent plasma structures, which in turn depends on the ratio between the ion energy and the background plasma temperature. Time-resolved measurements reveal a clear difference in the intermittency of suprathermal ions time-traces depending on the transport regime they experience. Conditionally averaged measurements uncover the influence of

  19. Electrostatic instabilities and nonlinear structures of low-frequency waves in nonuniform electron-positron-ion plasmas with shear flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirza, Arshad M.; Hasan, Asma; Azeem, M.; Saleem, H.

    2003-01-01

    It is found that the low-frequency ion acoustic and electrostatic drift waves can become unstable in uniform electron-ion and electron-positron-ion plasmas due to the ion shear flow. In a collisional plasma a drift-dissipative instability can also take place. In the presence of collisions the temporal behavior of nonlinear drift-dissipative mode can be represented in the form of well-known Lorenz and Stenflo type equations that admit chaotic trajectories. On the other hand, a quasi-stationary solution of the mode coupling equations can be represented in the form of monopolar vortex. The results of the present investigation can be helpful in understanding electrostatic turbulence and wave phenomena in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas

  20. Electrostatic turbulence in strongly magnetized plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nielsen, A.H.

    1993-01-01

    Turbulence in plasmas has been investigated experimentally and numerically. On the experimental side the turbulent nature of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability has been studied in a single-ended Q-machine. The development of coherent structures in the background of the turbulent flow has been demonstrated and the capability of structures of transporting plasma across the magnetic field-lines is explained in detail. The numerical investigations are divided into two parts: Numerical simulations of the dynamics from the Q-machine experiments using spectral methods to solve the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations in a cylindrical geometry. A numerical study of the Eulerian-Lagrangian transformation in a two-dimensional flow. Here the flow is made up by a large number of structures, where each individual structure is convected by the superposed flow field of all the others. (au) (33 ills., 67 refs.)

  1. Dynamics of homogeneous shear turbulence: A key role of the nonlinear transverse cascade in the bypass concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamatsashvili, G; Khujadze, G; Chagelishvili, G; Dong, S; Jiménez, J; Foysi, H

    2016-08-01

    To understand the mechanism of the self-sustenance of subcritical turbulence in spectrally stable (constant) shear flows, we performed direct numerical simulations of homogeneous shear turbulence for different aspect ratios of the flow domain with subsequent analysis of the dynamical processes in spectral or Fourier space. There are no exponentially growing modes in such flows and the turbulence is energetically supported only by the linear growth of Fourier harmonics of perturbations due to the shear flow non-normality. This non-normality-induced growth, also known as nonmodal growth, is anisotropic in spectral space, which, in turn, leads to anisotropy of nonlinear processes in this space. As a result, a transverse (angular) redistribution of harmonics in Fourier space is the main nonlinear process in these flows, rather than direct or inverse cascades. We refer to this type of nonlinear redistribution as the nonlinear transverse cascade. It is demonstrated that the turbulence is sustained by a subtle interplay between the linear nonmodal growth and the nonlinear transverse cascade. This course of events reliably exemplifies a well-known bypass scenario of subcritical turbulence in spectrally stable shear flows. These two basic processes mainly operate at large length scales, comparable to the domain size. Therefore, this central, small wave number area of Fourier space is crucial in the self-sustenance; we defined its size and labeled it as the vital area of turbulence. Outside the vital area, the nonmodal growth and the transverse cascade are of secondary importance: Fourier harmonics are transferred to dissipative scales by the nonlinear direct cascade. Although the cascades and the self-sustaining process of turbulence are qualitatively the same at different aspect ratios, the number of harmonics actively participating in this process (i.e., the harmonics whose energies grow more than 10% of the maximum spectral energy at least once during evolution) varies

  2. Dynamics of homogeneous shear turbulence: A key role of the nonlinear transverse cascade in the bypass concept

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamatsashvili, G.; Khujadze, G.; Chagelishvili, G.; Dong, S.; Jiménez, J.; Foysi, H.

    2016-08-01

    To understand the mechanism of the self-sustenance of subcritical turbulence in spectrally stable (constant) shear flows, we performed direct numerical simulations of homogeneous shear turbulence for different aspect ratios of the flow domain with subsequent analysis of the dynamical processes in spectral or Fourier space. There are no exponentially growing modes in such flows and the turbulence is energetically supported only by the linear growth of Fourier harmonics of perturbations due to the shear flow non-normality. This non-normality-induced growth, also known as nonmodal growth, is anisotropic in spectral space, which, in turn, leads to anisotropy of nonlinear processes in this space. As a result, a transverse (angular) redistribution of harmonics in Fourier space is the main nonlinear process in these flows, rather than direct or inverse cascades. We refer to this type of nonlinear redistribution as the nonlinear transverse cascade. It is demonstrated that the turbulence is sustained by a subtle interplay between the linear nonmodal growth and the nonlinear transverse cascade. This course of events reliably exemplifies a well-known bypass scenario of subcritical turbulence in spectrally stable shear flows. These two basic processes mainly operate at large length scales, comparable to the domain size. Therefore, this central, small wave number area of Fourier space is crucial in the self-sustenance; we defined its size and labeled it as the vital area of turbulence. Outside the vital area, the nonmodal growth and the transverse cascade are of secondary importance: Fourier harmonics are transferred to dissipative scales by the nonlinear direct cascade. Although the cascades and the self-sustaining process of turbulence are qualitatively the same at different aspect ratios, the number of harmonics actively participating in this process (i.e., the harmonics whose energies grow more than 10% of the maximum spectral energy at least once during evolution) varies

  3. Statistical properties of transport in plasma turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naulin, V.; Garcia, O.E.; Nielsen, A.H.

    2004-01-01

    The statistical properties of the particle flux in different types of plasma turbulence models are numerically investigated using probability distribution functions (PDFs). The physics included in the models range from two-dimensional drift wave turbulence to three-dimensional MHD dynamics...

  4. Experimental and numerical investigations of plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huld, T.

    1990-07-01

    Turbulence in plasmas has been investigated experimentally and numerically. The work described here is divided into four parts: - experiments on edge turbulence in a single-ended Q-machine. Convective cells are investigated in detail together with the anomalous transport caused by them. - Numerical simulation of the edge turbulence in the Q-machine. This simulation uses spectral methods to solve Euler's equation in a cylindrical geometry. - Measurements on wave propagation and the ion beam instability in an unmagnetized plasma with an ion beam with a finite diameter. - Development of software for the automated acquisition of data. This program can control an experiment as well as make measurements. It also include a graphics part. (author) 66 ills., 47 refs

  5. Self-regulated shear flow turbulence in confined plasmas: Basic concepts and potential applications to the L → H transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diamond, P.H.; Shapiro, V.; Schevchenko, V.; Kim, Y.B.; Rosenbluth, M.N.; Carreras, B.A.; Sidikman, K.; Lynch, V.E.; Garcia, L.; Terry, P.W.; Sagdeev, R.Z.

    1992-01-01

    This paper describes developments in the theory of edge plasma turbulence in a differentially rotating plasma. The thesis that such systems are dynamically self-regulating is presented. Results indicate that relevant fluctuations will generate a predominantly curved flow. Similar, curvature is shown to be the predominant flow profile effect on fluctuations. A system fixed point is identified, the eigenfrequencies for small oscillations around it are calculated, and an over-all stability criterion is determined

  6. Final Technical Report: Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Turbulent Transport Control via Shaping of Radial Plasma Flow Profiles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schuster, Eugenio

    2014-05-02

    The strong coupling between the different physical variables involved in the plasma transport phenomenon and the high complexity of its dynamics call for a model-based, multivariable approach to profile control where those predictive models could be exploited. The overall objective of this project has been to extend the existing body of work by investigating numerically and experimentally active control of unstable fluctuations, including fully developed turbulence and the associated cross-field particle transport, via manipulation of flow profiles in a magnetized laboratory plasma device. Fluctuations and particle transport can be monitored by an array of electrostatic probes, and Ex B flow profiles can be controlled via a set of biased concentric ring electrodes that terminate the plasma column. The goals of the proposed research have been threefold: i- to develop a predictive code to simulate plasma transport in the linear HELCAT (HELicon-CAThode) plasma device at the University of New Mexico (UNM), where the experimental component of the proposed research has been carried out; ii- to establish the feasibility of using advanced model-based control algorithms to control cross-field turbulence-driven particle transport through appropriate manipulation of radial plasma flow profiles, iii- to investigate the fundamental nonlinear dynamics of turbulence and transport physics. Lehigh University (LU), including Prof. Eugenio Schuster and one full-time graduate student, has been primarily responsible for control-oriented modeling and model-based control design. Undergraduate students have also participated in this project through the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program. The main goal of the LU Plasma Control Group has been to study the feasibility of controlling turbulence-driven transport by shaping the radial poloidal flow profile (i.e., by controlling flow shear) via biased concentric ring electrodes.

  7. Turbulent transport of impurities in a magnetized plasma; Transport turbulent d'impuretes dans un plasma magnetise

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dubuit, N

    2006-10-15

    This work deals with the transport of impurities in magnetically confined thermonuclear plasmas. The accumulation of impurities in the core of the plasma would imply dramatic losses of energy that may lead to the extinction of the plasma. On the opposite, the injection of impurities in the plasma edge is considered as an efficient means to extract heat without damaging the first wall. The balance between these 2 contradictory constraints requires an accurate knowledge of the impurity transport inside the plasma. The effect of turbulence, the main transport mechanism for impurities is therefore a major issue. In this work, the complete formula of a turbulent flow of impurities for a given fluctuation spectrum has been inferred. The origin and features of the main accumulation processes have been identified. The main effect comes from the compressibility of the electrical shift speed in a plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. This compressibility appears to be linked to the curvature of the magnetic field. A less important effect is a thermal-diffusion process that is inversely proportional to the number of charges and then disappears for most type of impurities except the lightest. This effect implies an impurity flux proportional to the temperature gradient and its direction can change according to the average speed of fluctuations. A new version of the turbulence code TRB has been developed. This new version allows the constraints of the turbulence not by the gradients but by the flux which is more realistic. The importance of the processes described above has been confirmed by a comparison between calculation and experimental data from Tore-supra and the Jet tokamak. The prevailing role of the curvature of the magnetic field in the transport impurity is highlighted. (A.C.)

  8. Turbulent transport in magnetized plasmas

    CERN Document Server

    Horton, Wendell

    2012-01-01

    This book explains how magnetized plasmas self-organize in states of electromagnetic turbulence that transports particles and energy out of the core plasma faster than anticipated by the fusion scientists designing magnetic confinement systems in the 20th century. It describes theory, experiments and simulations in a unified and up-to-date presentation of the issues of achieving nuclear fusion power.

  9. Shear viscosities of photons in strongly coupled plasmas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di-Lun Yang

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available We investigate the shear viscosity of thermalized photons in the quark gluon plasma (QGP at weak coupling and N=4 super Yang–Mills plasma (SYMP at both strong and weak couplings. We find that the shear viscosity due to the photon–parton scattering up to the leading order of electromagnetic coupling is suppressed when the coupling of the QGP/SYMP is increased, which stems from the blue-shift of the thermal-photon spectrum at strong coupling. In addition, the shear viscosity rapidly increases near the deconfinement transition in a phenomenological model analogous to the QGP.

  10. 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

  11. Coherent vortical structures in two-dimensional plasma turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pécseli, H.L.; Coutsias, E.A.; Huld, T.

    1992-01-01

    A laboratory experiment was carried out in order to study the nonlinear saturated stage of the cross-field electrostatic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a strongly magnetized plasma. The presence of large vortex-like structures in a background of wide-band turbulent fluctuations was demonstrated...... simulations. The importance of the large scale structures for the turbulent plasma transport across magnetic field lines was analyzed in detail....

  12. Shear flow generation and energetics in electromagnetic turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naulin, V.; Kendl, A.; Garcia, O.E.

    2005-01-01

    acoustic mode (GAM) transfer in drift-Alfvén turbulence is investigated. By means of numerical computations the energy transfer into zonal flows owing to each of these effects is quantified. The importance of the three driving ingredients in electrostatic and electromagnetic turbulence for conditions...... relevant to the edge of fusion devices is revealed for a broad range of parameters. The Reynolds stress is found to provide a flow drive, while the electromagnetic Maxwell stress is in the cases considered a sink for the flow energy. In the limit of high plasma β, where electromagnetic effects and Alfvén...

  13. Understanding and representing the effect of wind shear on the turbulent transfer in the convective boundary layer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ronda, R.J.; Vilà-Guerau de Arellano, J.; Pino, D.

    2012-01-01

    Goal of this study is to quantify the effect of wind shear on the turbulent transport in the dry Convective Boundary Layer (CBL). Questions addressed include the effect of wind shear on the depth of the mixed layer, the effect of wind shear on the depth and structure of the capping inversion, and

  14. 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)

  15. Relativistic plasma turbulence and its application to pulsar phenomena

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hinata, S.

    1976-01-01

    A turbulent plasma model of pulsars which has the potential of providing a self-regulatory mechanism for producing an electron-positron plasma over the polar caps, as well as the coherency of the radio wave emission, is analyzed. Turbulent plasma properties including the kinetic and electrostatic energy densities, the wavelength of the most unstable mode, and the effective collision frequency due to the excited electric field, are obtained and applied to the pulsar situation. Since these properties depend on the momentum distribution of the plasma particles, model calculations have been carried out with simple momentum distribution functions. The radio luminosity due to turbulence (bunching or otherwise) turned out to be either insufficient or unclear at the moment for these simple momentum distributions. This indicates that a further investigation of turbulence processes with the self-consistently determined momentum distribution is needed. This is left for future analysis, because entirely different processes (e.g. trapping) are likely to dominate the physics as is demonstrated for one of the model distribution functions. In addition to the above mentioned model, we examine some wave propagation properties in a relativistic electron-positron plasma immersed in a strong magnetic field

  16. Nonlinear vortex structures and Rayleigh instability condition in shear flow plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haque, Q.; Saleem, H.; Mirza, A.M.

    2009-01-01

    Full text: It is shown that the shear flow produced by externally applied electric field can unstable the drift waves. Due to shear flow, the Rayleigh instability condition is modified, which is obtained for both electron-ion and electron-positron-ion plasmas. These shear flow driven drift waves can be responsible for large amplitude electrostatic fluctuations in tokamak edges. In the nonlinear regime, the stationary structures may appear in electron-positron-ion plasmas similar to electron-ion plasmas. The nonlinear vortex structures like counter rotating dipole vortices and vortex chains can be formed with the aid of special type of shear flows. The positrons can be used as a probe in laboratory plasmas, which make it a multi-component plasma. The presence of positrons in electron-ion plasma system can affect the speed and amplitude of the nonlinear vortex structures. This investigation can have application in both laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. (author)

  17. Reynolds stress and shear flow generation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Korsholm, Søren Bang; Michelsen, Poul; Naulin, V.

    2001-01-01

    The so-called Reynolds stress may give a measure of the self-consistent flow generation in turbulent fluids and plasmas by the small-scale turbulent fluctuations. A measurement of the Reynolds stress can thus help to predict flows, e.g. shear flows in plasmas. This may assist the understanding...... of improved confinement scenarios such as H-mode confinement regimes. However, the determination of the Reynolds stress requires measurements of the plasma potential, a task that is difficult in general and nearly impossible in hot plasmas in large devices. In this work we investigate an alternative method......, based on density measurements, to estimate the Reynolds stress, and demonstrate the validity range of this quantity, which we term the pseudo-Reynolds stress. The advantage of such a quantity is that accurate measurements of density fluctuations are much easier to obtain experimentally. Prior...

  18. Suppression of Phase Mixing in Drift-Kinetic Plasma Turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, J. T.; Dellar, P. J.; Schekochihin, A. A.; Highcock, E. G.

    2017-12-01

    The solar wind and interstellar medium are examples of strongly magnetised, weakly collisional, astrophysical plasmas. Their turbulent fluctuations are strongly anisotropic, with small amplitudes, and frequencies much lower than the Larmor frequency. This regime is described by gyrokinetic theory, a reduced five-dimensional kinetic system describing averages over Larmor orbits. A turbulent plasma may transfer free energy, a measure of fluctuation amplitudes, from injection at large scales, typically by an instability, to dissipation at small physical scales like a turbulent fluid. Alternatively, a turbulent plasma may form fine scale structures in velocity space via phase-mixing, the mechanism that leads to Landau damping in linear plasma theory. Macroscopic plasma properties like heat and momentum transport are affected by both mechanisms. While each is understood in isolation, their interaction is not. We study this interaction using a Hankel-Hermite velocity space representation of gyrokinetic theory. The Hankel transform interacts neatly with the Bessel functions that arise from averaging over Larmor orbits, so the perpendicular velocity space is decoupled for linearized problems. The Hermite transform expresses phase mixing as nearest-neighbor coupling between parallel velocity space scales represented by Hermite mode numbers. We use this representation to study transfer mechanisms in drift-kinetic plasma turbulence, the long wavelength limit of gyrokinetic theory. We show that phase space is divided into two regions, with one transfer mechanism dominating in each. Most energy is contained in the region where the fluid-like nonlinear cascade dominates. Moreover, in that region the nonlinear cascade interferes with phase mixing by exciting an "anti phase mixing" transfer of free energy from small to large velocity space scales. This cancels out the usual phase mixing, and renders the overall behavior fluid-like. These results profoundly change our understanding

  19. Phase space diffusion in turbulent plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pecseli, H.L.

    1990-01-01

    Turbulent diffusion of charged test particles in electrostatic plasma turbulence is reviewed. Two different types of test particles can be distinguished. First passice particles which are subject to the fluctuating electric fields without themselves contributing to the local space charge. The second type are particles introduced at a prescribed phase space position at a certain time and which then self-consistently participate in the phase space dynamics of the turbulent. The latter ''active'' type of particles can be subjected to an effective frictional force due to radiation of plasma waves. In terms of these test particle types, two basically different problems can be formulated. One deals with the diffusion of a particle with respect to its point of release in phase space. Alternatively the relative diffusion between many, or just two, particles can be analyzed. Analytical expressions for the mean square particle displacements in phase space are discussed. More generally equations for the full probability densities are derived and these are solved analytically in special limits. (orig.)

  20. Investigation of plasma turbulence in a theta-pinch-discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lins, G.

    1980-01-01

    This thesis is concerned with investigations of plasma turbulence in a 3 KJ Theta-Pinch during implosion by high-frequency Stark-effect and Thomson scattering. The next points are modifications of electron-distribution function by ionization in low preionizized turbulent plasma and energy losses by particle flow and heat flow at the ends. (HT)

  1. Turbulent regimes in the tokamak scrape-off layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mosetto, A.

    2014-01-01

    The tokamak scrape-off layer (SOL) is the plasma region characterized by open field lines that start and end on the vessel walls. The plasma dynamics in the SOL plays a crucial role in determining the overall performance of a tokamak, since it controls the plasma-wall interactions, being responsible of exhausting the tokamak power, it regulates the overall plasma confinement, and it governs the plasma refueling and the removal of fusion ashes. Scrape-off layer physics is intrinsically non-linear and characterized by phenomena that occur on a wide range of spatio-temporal scales. Free energy sources drive a number of unstable modes that develop into turbulence and lead to transport of particles and heat across the magnetic field lines. Depending on the driving instability, different SOL turbulent regimes can be identified. As the SOL turbulent regimes determine the plasma confinement properties and the SOL width (and, consequently, the power flux on the vessel wall, for example), it is of crucial importance to understand which turbulent regimes are active in the SOL, under which conditions they develop, and which are the main properties of the associated turbulent transport. In the present thesis we define the SOL turbulent regimes, and we provide a framework to identify them, given the operational SOL parameters. Our study is based on the drift-reduced Braginskii equations and it is focused on a limited tokamak SOL configuration. We first describe the main SOL linear instabilities, such as the inertial and resistive branches of the drift waves, the resistive, inertial and ideal branches of the ballooning modes, and the ion temperature gradient mode. Then, we find the SOL turbulent regimes depending on the instability driving turbulent transport, assuming that turbulence saturates when the radial gradient associated to the pressure fluctuations is comparable to the equilibrium one. Our methodology for the turbulent regime identification is supported by the analysis

  2. Toward the Theory of Turbulence in Magnetized Plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boldyrev, Stanislav

    2013-01-01

    The goal of the project was to develop a theory of turbulence in magnetized plasmas at large scales, that is, scales larger than the characteristic plasma microscales (ion gyroscale, ion inertial scale, etc.). Collisions of counter-propagating Alfven packets govern the turbulent cascade of energy toward small scales. It has been established that such an energy cascade is intrinsically anisotropic, in that it predominantly supplies energy to the modes with mostly field-perpendicular wave numbers. The resulting energy spectrum of MHD turbulence, and the structure of the fluctuations were studied both analytically and numerically. A new parallel numerical code was developed for simulating reduced MHD equations driven by an external force. The numerical setting was proposed, where the spectral properties of the force could be varied in order to simulate either strong or weak turbulent regimes. It has been found both analytically and numerically that weak MHD turbulence spontaneously generates a 'condensate', that is, concentration of magnetic and kinetic energy at small kllel)). A related topic that was addressed in the project is turbulent dynamo action, that is, generation of magnetic field in a turbulent flow. We were specifically concentrated on the generation of large-scale magnetic field compared to the scales of the turbulent velocity field. We investigate magnetic field amplification in a turbulent velocity field with nonzero helicity, in the framework of the kinematic Kazantsev-Kraichnan model

  3. Effect of turbulent collisions on diffusion in stationary plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia, H.; Ishihara, O.

    1990-01-01

    Recently the velocity diffusion process was studied by the generalized Langevin equation derived by the projection operator method. The further study shows that the retarded frictional function plays an important role in suppressing particle diffusion in the velocity space in stronger turbulence as much as the resonance broadening effect. The retarded frictional effect, produced by the effective collisions due to the plasma turbulence is assumed to be a Gaussian, but non-Markovian and non-wide-sense stationary process. The relations between the proposed formulation and the extended resonance broadening theory is discussed. The authors also carry out test particle numerical experiment for Langmuir turbulence to test the theories. In a stronger turbulence a deviation of the diffusion rate from the one predicted by both the quasilinear and the extended resonance theories has been observed and is explained qualitatively by the present formulation

  4. Heavy ion beam probe (HIBP) diagnostics as a tool for investigations into the plasma turbulence and the local electric field of dense plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krupnik, L.I.; Chmyga, A.A.; Komarov, A.D.; Kozachok, A.S.; Zhezhera, A.I. [Institute of Plasma Physics, NSC KIPT, 310108 Kharkov (Ukraine); Melnikov, A.V.; Eliseev, L.G.; Lysenko, S.E.; Mavrin, V.A.; Perfilov, S.V. [Institute of Nuclear Fusion, RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Hidalgo, C.; Ascasibar, E.; Estrada, T.; Liniers, M.; Ochando, M.A.; Pablos, J.L. de; Pedrosa, M.A.; Tabares, F. [Laboratorio Nacional de Fusion por Confinamiento Magnetico, Asociacion EURATOM-CIEMAT, 28040-Madrid (Spain)

    2011-07-01

    One of essential achievements of the Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP) diagnostics is the possibility to use it for investigation of plasma confinement by measuring the fluctuations of electric field and plasma density; the method is based on the important role of the plasma electric fields. Both edge and core transport barriers are related to a large increase in the E*B sheared flows in a fusion device. In the TJ-II stellarator the HIBP diagnostics has recently been upgraded for two-point measurements with a good spatial (1 cm) and temporal (10 {mu}s) resolution of the plasma electric potential and density, as well as their fluctuations and poloidal component of electric field, E{sub p} equals ({phi}1 - {phi}2)/{Delta}r [V/cm]; these data give chance to extract the radial turbulent particle flux: {Gamma}(r) equals {Gamma}(Epol*Btor) equals {Gamma}(E*B). (authors)

  5. 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

  6. Comparing simulation of plasma turbulence with experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ross, David W.; Bravenec, Ronald V.; Dorland, William; Beer, Michael A.; Hammett, G. W.; McKee, George R.; Fonck, Raymond J.; Murakami, Masanori; Burrell, Keith H.; Jackson, Gary L.; Staebler, Gary M.

    2002-01-01

    The direct quantitative correspondence between theoretical predictions and the measured plasma fluctuations and transport is tested by performing nonlinear gyro-Landau-fluid simulations with the GRYFFIN (or ITG) code [W. Dorland and G. W. Hammett, Phys. Fluids B 5, 812 (1993); M. A. Beer and G. W. Hammett, Phys. Plasmas 3, 4046 (1996)]. In an L-mode reference discharge in the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon and L. G. Davis, Fusion Technol. 8, 441 (1985)], which has relatively large fluctuations and transport, the turbulence is dominated by ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes. Trapped electron modes and impurity drift waves also play a role. Density fluctuations are measured by beam emission spectroscopy [R. J. Fonck, P. A. Duperrex, and S. F. Paul, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 61, 3487 (1990)]. Experimental fluxes and corresponding diffusivities are analyzed by the TRANSP code [R. J. Hawryluk, in Physics of Plasmas Close to Thermonuclear Conditions, edited by B. Coppi, G. G. Leotta, D. Pfirsch, R. Pozzoli, and E. Sindoni (Pergamon, Oxford, 1980), Vol. 1, p. 19]. The shape of the simulated wave number spectrum is close to the measured one. The simulated ion thermal transport, corrected for ExB low shear, exceeds the experimental value by a factor of 1.5 to 2.0. The simulation overestimates the density fluctuation level by an even larger factor. On the other hand, the simulation underestimates the electron thermal transport, which may be accounted for by modes that are not accessible to the simulation or to the BES measurement

  7. Conditional Eddies in Plasma Turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johnsen, H.; Pécseli, H.L.; Trulsen, J.

    1987-01-01

    Low‐frequency electrostatic turbulence generated by the ion–ion beam instability was investigated experimentally in a double‐plasma device. Real time signals were recorded and examined by a conditional statistical analysis. Conditionally averaged potential distributions reveal the formation...... and propagation of structures with a relatively long lifetime. Various methods for making a conditional analysis are discussed and compared. The results are discussed with reference to ion phase space vortices and clump formation in collisionless plasmas....

  8. The inverse problem for the refractometry diagnostics of electromagnetic turbulence in plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lazarian, A [Cambridge Univ. (United Kingdom). Dept. of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

    1994-06-01

    Turbulence is an important property of laboratory plasmas. A number of relevant diagnostics are based on the interaction of an electromagnetic beam with plasma. Here we discuss a refractometry technique, where information on plasma properties is obtained by probing plasma with a plane polarized electromagnetic beam. It is shown that the problem of recovering statistical properties of plasma turbulence from the line integrated data can be solved uniquely using a realistic model of plasma. Analytical expressions relating statistics of both the random density and random magnetic fields to the measured statistics have been found. This information is of importance in studies of plasma turbulence. (author).

  9. The inverse problem for the refractometry diagnostics of electromagnetic turbulence in plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lazarian, A.

    1994-01-01

    Turbulence is an important property of laboratory plasmas. A number of relevant diagnostics are based on the interaction of an electromagnetic beam with plasma. Here we discuss a refractometry technique, where information on plasma properties is obtained by probing plasma with a plane polarized electromagnetic beam. It is shown that the problem of recovering statistical properties of plasma turbulence from the line integrated data can be solved uniquely using a realistic model of plasma. Analytical expressions relating statistics of both the random density and random magnetic fields to the measured statistics have been found. This information is of importance in studies of plasma turbulence. (author)

  10. Exact Turbulence Law in Collisionless Plasmas: Hybrid Simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hellinger, P.; Verdini, A.; Landi, S.; Franci, L.; Matteini, L.

    2017-12-01

    An exact vectorial law for turbulence in homogeneous incompressible Hall-MHD is derived and tested in two-dimensional hybrid simulations of plasma turbulence. The simulations confirm the validity of the MHD exact law in the kinetic regime, the simulated turbulence exhibits a clear inertial range on large scales where the MHD cascade flux dominates. The simulation results also indicate that in the sub-ion range the cascade continues via the Hall term and that the total cascade rate tends to decrease at around the ion scales, especially in high-beta plasmas. This decrease is like owing to formation of non-thermal features, such as collisionless ion energization, that can not be retained in the Hall MHD approximation.

  11. A new maser effect in plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nambu, M.

    1983-01-01

    The present state of understanding of a new maser effect is reviewed. The new maser effect, the idea that the resonant electrons in a turbulent plasma can radiate amplified electromagnetic radiation, does not require population inversion of electrons. The new maser effect always coexists with Landau (or cyclotron) damping; thus it is a fundamental effect in plasma turbulence. In nuclear fusion, magnetic confinement will be at a disadvantage due to the enhanced radiation losses in the long wave length region, while inertial confinement will be improved by the laser effect in the X-ray region. (author)

  12. Study of plasma turbulence by ultrafast sweeping reflectometry on the Tore Supra Tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hornung, Gregoire

    2013-01-01

    The performance of a fusion reactor is closely related to the turbulence present in the plasma. The latter is responsible for anomalous transport of heat and particles that degrades the confinement. The measure and characterization of turbulence in tokamak plasma is therefore essential to the understanding and control of this phenomenon. Among the available diagnostics, the sweeping reflectometer installed on Tore Supra allows to access the plasma density fluctuations from the edge to the centre of the plasma discharge with a fine spatial (mm) and temporal resolution (μs), that is of the order of the characteristic turbulence scales.This thesis consisted in the characterization of plasma turbulence in Tore Supra by ultrafast sweeping reflectometry measurements. Correlation analyses are used to quantify the spatial and temporal scales of turbulence as well as their radial velocity. In the first part, the characterization of turbulence properties from the reconstructed plasma density profiles is discussed, in particular through a comparative study with Langmuir probe data. Then, a parametric study is presented, highlighting the effect of collisionality on turbulence, an interpretation of which is proposed in terms of the stabilization of trapped electron turbulence in the confined plasma. Finally, it is shown how additional heating at ion cyclotron frequency produces a significant though local modification of the turbulence in the plasma near the walls, resulting in a strong increase of the structure velocity and a decrease of the correlation time. The supposed effect of rectified potentials generated by the antenna is investigated via numerical simulations. (author) [fr

  13. Transport Bifurcation in a Rotating Tokamak Plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Highcock, E. G.; Barnes, M.; Schekochihin, A. A.; Parra, F. I.; Roach, C. M.; Cowley, S. C.

    2010-01-01

    The effect of flow shear on turbulent transport in tokamaks is studied numerically in the experimentally relevant limit of zero magnetic shear. It is found that the plasma is linearly stable for all nonzero flow shear values, but that subcritical turbulence can be sustained nonlinearly at a wide range of temperature gradients. Flow shear increases the nonlinear temperature gradient threshold for turbulence but also increases the sensitivity of the heat flux to changes in the temperature gradient, except over a small range near the threshold where the sensitivity is decreased. A bifurcation in the equilibrium gradients is found: for a given input of heat, it is possible, by varying the applied torque, to trigger a transition to significantly higher temperature and flow gradients.

  14. Observation of neoclassical transport in reverse shear plasmas on TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Efthimion, P.C.; Goeler, S. von; Houlberg, W.A.

    1999-01-01

    Perturbative experiments on TFTR have investigated the transport of multiple ion species in reverse shear (RS) plasmas. The profile evolutions of trace tritium and helium and intrinsic carbon indicate the formation of core particle transport barriers in enhanced reverse shear (ERS) plasmas. There is an order of magnitude reduction in the particle diffusivity inside the RS region. The diffusivities for these species in ERS plasmas agree with neoclassical theory. (author)

  15. Particle-in-cell simulations of electron transport from plasma turbulence: recent progress in gyrokinetic particle simulations of turbulent plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Z; Rewoldt, G; Ethier, S; Hahm, T S; Lee, W W; Lewandowski, J L V; Nishimura, Y; Wang, W X

    2005-01-01

    Recent progress in gyrokinetic particle-in-cell simulations of turbulent plasmas using the gyrokinetic toroidal code (GTC) is surveyed. In particular, recent results for electron temperature gradient (ETG) modes and their resulting transport are presented. Also, turbulence spreading, and the effects of the parallel nonlinearity, are described. The GTC code has also been generalized for non-circular plasma cross-section, and initial results are presented. In addition, two distinct methods of generalizing the GTC code to be electromagnetic are described, along with preliminary results. Finally, a related code, GTC-Neo, for calculating neoclassical fluxes, electric fields, and velocities, are described

  16. Plasma turbulence measured by fast sweep reflectometry on Tore Supra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clairet, F.; Vermare, L.; Leclert, G.

    2004-01-01

    Traditionally devoted to electron density profile measurement we show that fast frequency sweeping reflectometry technique can bring valuable and innovative measurements onto plasma turbulence. While fast frequency sweeping technique is traditionally devoted to electron density radial profile measurements we show in this paper how we can handle the fluctuations of the reflected signal to recover plasma density fluctuation measurements with a high spatial and temporal resolution. Large size turbulence related to magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) activity and the associated magnetic islands can be detected. The radial profile of the micro-turbulence, which is responsible for plasma anomalous transport processes, is experimentally determined through the fluctuation of the reflected phase signal. (authors)

  17. Plasma turbulence measured by fast sweep reflectometry on Tore Supra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clairet, F.; Vermare, L.; Heuraux, S.; Leclert, G.

    2004-01-01

    Traditionally devoted to electron density profile measurement we show that fast frequency sweeping reflectometry technique can bring valuable and innovative measurements onto plasma turbulence. While fast frequency sweeping technique is traditionally devoted to electron density radial profile measurements we show in this paper how we can handle the fluctuations of the reflected signal to recover plasma density fluctuation measurements with a high spatial and temporal resolution. Large size turbulence related to magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) activity and the associated magnetic islands can be detected. The radial profile of the micro-turbulence, which is responsible for plasma anomalous transport processes, is experimentally determined through the fluctuation of the reflected phase signal

  18. On plasma coupling and turbulence effects in low velocity stopping

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurilenkov, Yu K [Unified Institute for High Temperatures of Russian Academy of Sciences, 13/19 Izhorskaya Str., 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation); Maynard, G [Laboratoire de Physique des Gaz et des Plasmas, UMR-8578, Bat. 210, Universite Paris XI, F-91405 Orsay (France); Barriga-Carrasco, M D [Laboratoire de Physique des Gaz et des Plasmas, UMR-8578, Bat. 210, Universite Paris XI, F-91405 Orsay (France); Valuev, A A [Unified Institute for High Temperatures of Russian Academy of Sciences, 13/19 Izhorskaya Str., 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2006-04-28

    The problem of stopping power (SP) for projectile ions is analysed in terms of the dielectric function and effective collision frequency for moderately dense and strongly coupled plasmas (SCP). We consider several issues regarding the calculation of stopping power for correlated ensembles of particles and oscillators. In particular, effects of group (few particle) modes, transition from positive to negative dispersion and excitation of collective modes up to suprathermal level at plasma targets are addressed. Linear SP of dense suprathermal (nonlinear) plasma targets at different levels of target plasma turbulence is estimated. The force of suprathermal plasma oscillations on the projectile ions is mostly in the nature of increased frictional drag. The results obtained show the possibility of increasing low velocity stopping (up to 'turbulent' values) in comparison with losses in equilibrium dense plasma targets. Experimental conditions to create specific turbulent targets as well as some connection between stopping phenomena and SCP transport properties are discussed briefly.

  19. On plasma coupling and turbulence effects in low velocity stopping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurilenkov, Yu K; Maynard, G; Barriga-Carrasco, M D; Valuev, A A

    2006-01-01

    The problem of stopping power (SP) for projectile ions is analysed in terms of the dielectric function and effective collision frequency for moderately dense and strongly coupled plasmas (SCP). We consider several issues regarding the calculation of stopping power for correlated ensembles of particles and oscillators. In particular, effects of group (few particle) modes, transition from positive to negative dispersion and excitation of collective modes up to suprathermal level at plasma targets are addressed. Linear SP of dense suprathermal (nonlinear) plasma targets at different levels of target plasma turbulence is estimated. The force of suprathermal plasma oscillations on the projectile ions is mostly in the nature of increased frictional drag. The results obtained show the possibility of increasing low velocity stopping (up to 'turbulent' values) in comparison with losses in equilibrium dense plasma targets. Experimental conditions to create specific turbulent targets as well as some connection between stopping phenomena and SCP transport properties are discussed briefly

  20. Shear flow effect on ion temperature gradient vortices in plasmas with sheared magnetic field

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chakrabarti, N.; Juul Rasmussen, J.

    1999-01-01

    The effect of velocity shear on ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven vortices in a nonuniform plasma in a curved, sheared magnetic field is investigated. In absence of parallel ion dynamics, vortex solutions for the ITG mode are studied analytically. It is shown that under certain conditions...... and ultimately lead to a dominating monopolar form. The effects of magnetic shear indicate it may destroy these structures. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics....

  1. Plasma turbulence. Structure formation, selection rule, dynamic response and dynamics transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ito, Sanae I.

    2010-01-01

    The five-year project of Grant-in-Aid for Specially Promoted Research entitled general research on the structure formation and selection rule in plasma turbulence had brought many outcomes. Based on these outcomes, the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) program entitled general research on dynamic response and dynamic transport in plasma turbulence has started. In the present paper, the state-of-the-art of the research activities on the structure formation, selection rule and dynamics in plasma turbulence are reviewed with reference to outcomes of these projects. (author)

  2. Low frequency fluid drift turbulence in magnetised plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, B.

    2001-03-01

    We start with the first principles of fluid dynamics and classical electrodynamics and then find the regime in which we can reduce to quasineutral dynamics, which also implicitly underlies MHD. Then, we find the limits under which we can specialise to the MHD model as a subset, first of two fluid dynamics, then of the fluid drift dynamics that results when the motions are not vigorous enough to compress the magnetic field. In Chapters 4 and 5 we find the basic character of small disturbances in this system. Chapters 6 through 9 treat various aspects of fluid drift turbulence, also called drift wave turbulence, moving from a simple consideration of the underlying nonlinear dynamics, to some methods by which one can diagnose computations to find out what is going on, and then to the nonlinear instability which is the hallmark of this physics, and then to the interactions with large scale sheared flows. Chapter 10 introduces interchange turbulence, which is the plasma analog of the buoyant convection well known from fluid dynamics. Chapters 11 through 13 treat electromagnetic drift wave turbulence in closed magnetic field geometry, starting with a simplified model treating only the electron pressure and then introducing the electron and ion temperatures. Chapter 14 treats the basic characteristics of the transport that results from fluid drift turbulence, as this is quite different from the kinetic diffusion, such as heat conduction, that is more familiar. Appendices A and B treat the details of the numerical methods and models of magnetic field geometry necessary to treat all but the simplest cases. For this subject is dominated by nonlinear physics and therefore numerical computation. Computations therefore form an integral part of its study right from the beginning. Citations to the literature are not intended to be comprehensive but to serve as starting points for further reading, a section for which is included in every chapter. Much of this work is very new, and

  3. Studies on waves and turbulence in natural plasmas and in laboratory plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferreira, J.L.

    1990-09-01

    The project for studying plasma waves and plasma turbulence submitted to CAPES to be included in the CAPES/COFECUB international cooperation agreement is presented. The project will be carry out in cooperation with Paris University aiming to simulate in laboratory wave-particle interaction phenomena occuring in space plasma. (M.C.K.)

  4. Origin of shear thickening in semidilute wormlike micellar solutions and evidence of elastic turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marín-Santibáñez, Benjamín M.; Pérez-González, José; Rodríguez-González, Francisco

    2014-01-01

    The origin of shear thickening in an equimolar semidilute wormlike micellar solution of cetylpyridinium chloride and sodium salicylate was investigated in this work by using Couette rheometry, flow visualization, and capillary Rheo-particle image velocimetry. The use of the combined methods allowed the discovery of gradient shear banding flow occurring from a critical shear stress and consisting of two main bands, one isotropic (transparent) of high viscosity and one structured (turbid) of low viscosity. Mechanical rheometry indicated macroscopic shear thinning behavior in the shear banding regime. However, local velocimetry showed that the turbid band increased its viscosity along with the shear stress, even though barely reached the value of the viscosity of the isotropic phase. This shear band is the precursor of shear induced structures that subsequently give rise to the average increase in viscosity or apparent shear thickening of the solution. Further increase in the shear stress promoted the growing of the turbid band across the flow region and led to destabilization of the shear banding flow independently of the type of rheometer used, as well as to vorticity banding in Couette flow. At last, vorticity banding disappeared and the flow developed elastic turbulence with chaotic dynamics

  5. Field experiments and laboratory study of plasma turbulence and effects on EM wave propagation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, M.C.; Kuo, S.P.

    1990-01-01

    Both active experiments in space and laboratory experiments with plasma chambers have been planned to investigate plasma turbulence and effects on electromagnetic wave propagation. Plasma turbulence can be generated by intense waves or occur inherently with the production of plasmas. The turbulence effects to be singled out for investigation include nonlinear mode conversion process and turbulence scattering of electromagnetic waves by plasma density fluctuations. The authors have shown theoretically that plasma density fluctuations can render the nonlinear mode conversion of electromagnetic waves into lower hybrid waves, leading to anomalous absorption of waves in magnetoplasmas. The observed spectral broadening of VLF waves is the evidence of the occurrence of this process. Since the density fluctuations may have a broad range of scale lengths, this process is effective in weakening the electromagnetic waves in a wideband. In addition, plasma density fluctuations can scatter waves and diversify the electromagnetic energy. Schemes of generating plasma turbulence and the diagnoses of plasma effects are discussed

  6. Dissipation of a power electromagnetic wave in an inhomogeneous plasma and ''superstrong'' plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sagdeev, R.Z.; Shapiro, V.D.; Shevchenko, V.I.

    1980-01-01

    An attempt is made to analyze two assumptions of the present theory of plasma turbulence, initiated by an electromagnetic wave, as applied to the problem of heating the plasma target. It has been assumed that in the long-scale region (the region of an electromagnetic wave source) and in the inertia range, separating the source region and the short-wave absorption region, there is a permanent pumping. The first assumption consists in simulating a situation in a plasma target when the Langmuir turbulence arises due to an electromagnetic wave incident on the target. The second assumption is valid only at a very high intensity of plasma waves when their energy is significantly less than the thermal energy of plasma W/nsub(c)T 0 is the frequency of an incident electromagnetic wave). At W approximately equal to nsub(c)T the plasma oscillations, arising due to modulation instability from the electromagnetic pumping wave, fall immediately into the absorption region. A phenomenological theory of such a turbulence, called ''superstrong'', is formulated on the assumption that there is a mechanism of ''mixing up'' plasmon phases as a result of their populating the long-wave density fluctuations

  7. Unifying role of radial electric field shear in the confinement trends of transitionless regimes in TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ernst, D.R.; Beer, M.; Batha, S.

    2001-01-01

    Turbulence suppression by radial electric field shear (E r ) is shown to be important in the enhanced confinement of TFTR supershot plasmas. Simulations of supershot ion temperature profiles are performed using an existing parameterization of transport due to toroidal ion temperature gradient modes, extended to include suppression by E r shear. New spectroscopic measurements of E r differ significantly from prior neoclassical estimates. Supershot temperature profiles appear to be consistent with a criterion describing near-complete turbulence suppression by intrinsically generated E r shear. Helium spoiling and xenon puffing experiments are simulated to illustrate the role of E r shear in the confinement changes observed. (author)

  8. Unifying role of radial electric field shear in the confinement trends of transitionless regimes in TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ernst, D.R.; Beer, M.; Batha, S.

    1999-01-01

    Turbulence suppression by radial electric field shear (E r ) is shown to be important in the enhanced confinement of TFTR supershot plasmas. Simulations of supershot ion temperature profiles are performed using an existing parameterization of transport due to toroidal ion temperature gradient modes, extended to include suppression by E r shear. New spectroscopic measurements of E r differ significantly from prior neoclassical estimates. Supershot temperature profiles appear to be consistent with a criterion describing near-complete turbulence suppression by intrinsically generated E r shear. Helium spoiling and xenon puffing experiments are simulated to illustrate the role of E r shear in the confinement changes observed. (author)

  9. Bicuspid aortic valves are associated with increased wall and turbulence shear stress levels compared to trileaflet aortic valves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saikrishnan, Neelakantan; Mirabella, Lucia; Yoganathan, Ajit P

    2015-06-01

    Congenital bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) are associated with accelerated disease progression, such as leaflet calcification and ascending aorta dilatation. Although common underlying genetic factors have been implicated in accelerated disease in BAV patients, several studies have suggested that altered hemodynamics also play a role in this disease process. The present study compares turbulence and wall shear stress (WSS) measurements between various BAV and trileaflet aortic valve (TAV) models to provide information for mechanobiological models of BAV disease. BAV and TAV models were constructed from excised porcine aortic valves to simulate parametric variations in BAV stenosis, hemodynamics and geometry. Particle image velocimetry experiments were conducted at physiological pressure conditions to characterize velocity fields in the ascending aorta. The velocity fields were post-processed to calculate turbulence, viscous and wall shear stresses in the ascending aorta. Stenosed BAV models showed the presence of eccentric systolic jets, causing increased WSS. Lower cardiac output resulted in a narrower jet, lower turbulence and lower viscous shear stress (VSS). The specific severe stenosis BAV model studied here showed reduced WSS due to reduction in non-fused leaflet mobility. Dilation of the aorta did not affect any turbulence or VSS, but reduced the WSS. In comparison with BAVs, TAVs have similar VSS values, but much smaller WSS and turbulence levels. These increased turbulence  and WSS levels in BAVs may play a key role in amplifying the biological responses of the ascending aorta wall and valvular leaflets, and support the hemodynamic underpinnings of BAV disease processes.

  10. Density effects on tokamak edge turbulence and transport with magnetic X-points

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, X.Q.; Cohen, R.H.; Nevins, W.M.; Rognlien, T.D.; Ryutov, D.D.; Umansky, M.V.; Pearlstein, L.D.; Bulmer, R.H.; Russell, D.A.; Myra, J.R.; D'Ippolito, D.A.; Greenwald, M.; Snyder, P.B.; Mahdavi, M.A.

    2005-01-01

    Results are presented from the 3D electromagnetic turbulence code BOUT, the 2D transport code UEDGE, and theoretical analysis of boundary turbulence and transport in a real divertor-plasma geometry and its relationship to the density limit. Key results include: (1) a transition of the boundary turbulence from resistive X-point to resistive-ballooning as a critical plasma density is exceeded; (2) formation of an X-point MARFE in 2D UEDGE transport simulations for increasing outboard radial transport as found by BOUT for increasing density; (3) identification of convective transport by localized plasma 'blobs' in the SOL at high density during neutral fueling, and decorrelation of turbulence between the midplane and the divertor leg due to strong X-point magnetic shear; (4) a new divertor-leg instability driven at high plasma beta by a radial tilt of the divertor plate. (author)

  11. Dependence of the L- to H-mode Power Threshold on Toroidal Rotation and the Link to Edge Turbulence Dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKee, G.; Gohil, P.; Schlossberg, D.; Boedo, J.; Burrell, K.; deGrassie, J.; Groebner, R.; Makowski, M.; Moyer, R.; Petty, C.; Rhodes, T.; Schmitz, L.; Shafer, M.; Solomon, W.; Umansky, M.; Wang, G.; White, A.; Xu, X.

    2008-01-01

    The injected power required to induce a transition from L-mode to H-mode plasmas is found to depend strongly on the injected neutral beam torque and consequent plasma toroidal rotation. Edge turbulence and flows, measured near the outboard midplane of the plasma (0.85 < r/a < 1.0) on DIII-D with the high-sensitivity 2D beam emission spectroscopy (BES) system, likewise vary with rotation and suggest a causative connection. The L-H power threshold in plasmas with the ion (del)B drift away from the X-point decreases from 4-6 MW with co-current beam injection, to 2-3 MW with near zero net injected torque, and to <2 MW with counter injection. Plasmas with the ion (del)B drift towards the X-point exhibit a qualitatively similar though less pronounced power threshold dependence on rotation. 2D edge turbulence measurements with BES show an increasing poloidal flow shear as the L-H transition is approached in all conditions. At low rotation, the poloidal flow of turbulent eddies near the edge reverses prior to the L-H transition, generating a significant poloidal flow shear that exceeds the measured turbulence decorrelation rate. This increased poloidal turbulence velocity shear may facilitate the L-H transition. No such reversal is observed in high rotation plasmas. The poloidal turbulence velocity spectrum exhibits a transition from a Geodesic Acoustic Mode zonal flow to a higher-power, lower frequency, zero-mean-frequency zonal flow as rotation varies from co-current to balanced during a torque scan at constant injected neutral beam power, perhaps also facilitating the L-H transition. This reduced power threshold at lower toroidal rotation may benefit inherently low-rotation plasmas such as ITER

  12. Computer simulation of plasma turbulence in open systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sigov, Yu.S.

    1982-01-01

    A short review of the results of kinetic simulation of collective phenomena in open plasma systems with the variable total energy and number of particles, i.e., the particle and energy fluxes on boundary surfaces and/or their internal sources and channels is given. Three specific problems are considered in different detail for such systems in one-dimensional geometry: the generation and evolution of double layers in a currently unstable plasma; the collisionless relaxation of strongly non-equilibrium electron distributions; the Langmuir collapse and strong electrostatic turbulence in systems with parametric excitation of a plasma by an external pumping wave and with cooling the fast non-Maxwell electrons. In all these cases the non-linearity and a collective character of processes give examples of new dissipative plasma structures that essentially widen our idea about the nature of the plasma turbulence in non-homogeneous open systems. (Auth.)

  13. Determining the effect of turbulent shear on containment aerosol dynamics using microgravity experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, C.K.; Abdelbaky, M.

    1997-01-01

    Determining the characteristics of large aerosol aggregates 'clusters' under turbulent conditions is fundamental for predicting the behaviour of radioactive aerosols inside the reactor containment following a severe accident. Studying such rapidly settling clusters is extremely difficult in ground-based experiments due to the effect of the earth's gravity. In this study, the microgravity environment is exploited to investigate the effect of turbulent shear on the aggregation and breakage of clusters by examining their structure and measuring their strength parameters while suspended under weightlessness conditions. A parametric model is introduced to correlate the experimental results over into nuclear aerosol models. It was demonstrated that the cluster parameters depend mainly on the turbulent field intensity as well as initial powder conditions. (author)

  14. How shear increments affect the flow production branching ratio in CSDX

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, J. C.; Diamond, P. H.

    2018-06-01

    The coupling of turbulence-driven azimuthal and axial flows in a linear device absent magnetic shear (Controlled Shear Decorrelation Experiment) is investigated. In particular, we examine the apportionment of Reynolds power between azimuthal and axial flows, and how the azimuthal flow shear affects axial flow generation and saturation by drift wave turbulence. We study the response of the energy branching ratio, i.e., ratio of axial and azimuthal Reynolds powers, PzR/PyR , to incremental changes of azimuthal and axial flow shears. We show that increasing azimuthal flow shear decreases the energy branching ratio. When axial flow shear increases, this ratio first increases but then decreases to zero. The axial flow shear saturates below the threshold for parallel shear flow instability. The effects of azimuthal flow shear on the generation and saturation of intrinsic axial flows are analyzed. Azimuthal flow shear slows down the modulational growth of the seed axial flow shear, and thus reduces intrinsic axial flow production. Azimuthal flow shear reduces both the residual Reynolds stress (of axial flow, i.e., ΠxzR e s ) and turbulent viscosity ( χzDW ) by the same factor |⟨vy⟩'|-2Δx-2Ln-2ρs2cs2 , where Δx is the distance relative to the reference point where ⟨vy⟩=0 in the plasma frame. Therefore, the stationary state axial flow shear is not affected by azimuthal flow shear to leading order since ⟨vz⟩'˜ΠxzR e s/χzDW .

  15. Quasilinear theory of plasma turbulence. Origins, ideas, and evolution of the method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakunin, O. G.

    2018-01-01

    The quasilinear method of describing weak plasma turbulence is one of the most important elements of current plasma physics research. Today, this method is not only a tool for solving individual problems but a full-fledged theory of general physical interest. The author's objective is to show how the early ideas of describing the wave-particle interactions in a plasma have evolved as a result of the rapid expansion of the research interests of turbulence and turbulent transport theorists.

  16. Long-range correlations and universality in plasma edge turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milligen, B.Ph. van; Pedrosa, M.A.; Carreras, B.A.

    1999-01-01

    Long-range correlations in turbulence, associated with self-similarity of the fluctuations, are a signature of transport by avalanches as occurs in Self-Organized Critical systems. We have investigated long-range correlations in plasma edge fluctuations in a variety of fusion devices, using the Rescaled-Range and similar techniques. We find that the degree of self-similarity in confining devices is high and similar between devices, and much different from non-confining devices where it is low. Likewise, we find that turbulent spectra show a high degree of similarity between devices. These findings strongly indicate the existence of universality in plasma edge (ohmic) turbulence, and demonstrate its non-Gaussian character. (author)

  17. Asymmetry of edge plasma turbulence in biasing experiments on tokamak TF-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Budaev, V.P.

    1994-01-01

    It was observed in tokamaks the suppression of edge turbulence causes by setting a radial electric field at the plasma edge. The poloidal plasma rotation governed by this electric field is likely to result in changes in edge convention and poloidal asymmetry, however there is no experimental evidence about that of the experimental database concerning the biasing and conditions of edge plasma electrostatic turbulence excitation is not still complete. Also a relation between macroscopic convection and small-scale electrostatic turbulence have not yet revealed both in biasing and non biasing plasmas. In this paper results from biasing experiments carried on on ohmically heated tokamak TF-2 are presented. Changes in both equilibrium and fluctuated edge plasma parameters also convection and turbulence driven particle flux were demonstrated in probe measurements with biasing of electrode immersed within Last Closed Flux Surface (LCFS). Poloidal edge plasma structure and charge in asymmetry have demonstrated in the biasing experiments. (author). 6 refs, 4 figs

  18. Comparative analysis of turbulent effects on thermal plasma characteristics inside the plasma torches with rod- and well-type cathodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hur, Min; Hong, Sang Hee

    2002-01-01

    The thermal plasma characteristics inside the two non-transferred plasma torches with rod-type cathode (RTC) and well-type cathode (WTC) are analysed in conjunction with turbulent effects on them in the atmospheric-pressure conditions. A control volume method and a modified semi-implicit pressure linked equations revised algorithm are used for solving the governing equations, i.e. conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy together with a current continuity equation for arc discharge. A cold flow analysis is introduced to find the cathode spot position in the WTC torch, and both the laminar and turbulent models are employed to gain a physical insight into the turbulent effects on the thermal plasma characteristics produced inside the two torches. The numerical analysis for an RTC torch shows that slightly different values of plasma temperature and velocity between the laminar and turbulent calculations occur and the radial temperature profiles are constricted at the axis with increasing the gas flow rate, and that the large turbulent viscosities appear mostly near the anode wall. These calculated results indicate that the turbulent effects on the thermal plasma characteristics are very weak in the whole discharge region inside the RTC torch. On the other hand, the calculated results of the two numerical simulations for a WTC torch present that the significantly different values of plasma characteristics between the two models appear in the whole torch region and the plasma temperatures decrease with increasing the gas flow rate because the relatively strong turbulent effects are prevailing in the entire interior region of the WTC torch. From the comparisons of plasma net powers calculated and measured in this work, the turbulent modelling turns out to provide the more accurately calculated results close to the measured ones compared with the laminar one, especially for the torch with WTC. This is because the turbulent effects are considerably strong in

  19. Stochastic catastrophe theory and instabilities in plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rajkovic, Milan; Skoric, Milos

    2009-01-01

    Full text: A Langevin equation (LE) describing evolution of turbulence amplitude in plasma is analyzed from the aspect of stochastic catastrophe theory (SCT) so that turbulent plasma is considered as a stochastic gradient system. According to SCT the dynamics of the system is completely determined by the stochastic potential function and the maximum likelihood estimates of stable and unstable equilibria are associated with the modes and anti-modes, respectively, of the system's stationary probability density function. First order phase transitions occur at degenerate equilibrium points and the potential function at these points may be represented in a generic way. Since the diffusion function of plasma LE is not constant the probability density function (pdf) is not a reliable estimator of the number of stable states. We show that the generalized pdf represented as the product of the stationary pdf and the diffusion function is a reliable estimator of the stable states and that it can be evaluated from the zero mean crossing analysis of plasma turbulence signal. Stochastic bifurcations, and particularly the sudden (catastrophic) ones, are recognized from the pdf's obtained by the zero crossing analysis and we illustrate the applications of SCT in plasma turbulence on data obtained from the MAST (Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak) for low (L), high (H) and unstable dithering (L/H) confinement regimes. The relationship of the transformation invariant zero-crossing function and SCT is shown to provide important information about the nature of edge localized modes (ELMs) and L-H transition. Finally we show that ELMs occur as a result of catastrophic (hard) bifurcations ruling out the self-organized criticality scenario for their origin. (author)

  20. Anomalous diffusion, clustering, and pinch of impurities in plasma edge turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Priego, M.; Garcia, O.E.; Naulin, V.

    2005-01-01

    The turbulent transport of impurity particles in plasma edge turbulence is investigated. The impurities are modeled as a passive fluid advected by the electric and polarization drifts, while the ambient plasma turbulence is modeled using the two-dimensional Hasegawa-Wakatani paradigm for resistive...... drift-wave turbulence. The features of the turbulent transport of impurities are investigated by numerical simulations using a novel code that applies semi-Lagrangian pseudospectral schemes. The diffusive character of the turbulent transport of ideal impurities is demonstrated by relative...... orientation determined by the charge of the impurity particles. Second, a radial pinch scaling linearly with the mass-charge ratio of the impurities is discovered. Theoretical explanation for these observations is obtained by analysis of the model equations. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics....

  1. Degradation of homogeneous polymer solutions in high shear turbulent pipe flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elbing, B. R.; Winkel, E. S.; Solomon, M. J.; Ceccio, S. L.

    2009-12-01

    This study quantifies degradation of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyacrylamide (PAM) polymer solutions in large diameter (2.72 cm) turbulent pipe flow at Reynolds numbers to 3 × 105 and shear rates greater than 105 1/s. The present results support a universal scaling law for polymer chain scission reported by Vanapalli et al. (2006) that predicts the maximum chain drag force to be proportional to Re 3/2, validating this scaling law at higher Reynolds numbers than prior studies. Use of this scaling gives estimated backbone bond strengths from PEO and PAM of 3.2 and 3.8 nN, respectively. Additionally, with the use of synthetic seawater as a solvent the onset of drag reduction occurred at higher shear rates relative to the pure water solvent solutions, but had little influence on the extent of degradation at higher shear rates. These results are significant for large diameter pipe flow applications that use polymers to reduce drag.

  2. Strong plasma turbulence in the earth's electron foreshock

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, P. A.; Newman, D. L.

    1991-01-01

    A quantitative model is developed to account for the distribution in magnitude and location of the intense plasma waves observed in the earth's electron foreshock given the observed rms levels of waves. In this model, nonlinear strong-turbulence effects cause solitonlike coherent wave packets to form and decouple from incoherent background beam-excited weak turbulence, after which they convect downstream with the solar wind while collapsing to scales as short as 100 m and fields as high as 2 V/m. The existence of waves with energy densities above the strong-turbulence wave-collapse threshold is inferred from observations from IMP 6 and ISEE 1 and quantitative agreement is found between the predicted distribution of fields in an ensemble of such wave packets and the actual field distribution observed in situ by IMP 6. Predictions for the polarization of plasma waves and the bandwidth of ion-sound waves are also consistent with the observations. It is shown that strong-turbulence effects must be incorporated in any comprehensive theory of the propagation and evolution of electron beams in the foreshock. Previous arguments against the existence of strong turbulence in the foreshock are refuted.

  3. Strong plasma turbulence in the earth's electron foreshock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, P.A.; Newman, D.L.

    1991-01-01

    A quantitative model is developed to account for the distribution in magnitude and location of the intense plasma waves observed in the Earth's electron foreshock given the observed rms levels of waves. In this model, nonlinear strong-turbulence effects cause solitonlike coherent wave packets to form and decouple from incoherent background beam-excited weak turbulence, after which they convect downstream with the solar wind while collapsing to scales as short as 100 m and fields as high as 2 V m -1 . The existence of waves with energy densities above the strong-turbulence wave-collapse threshold is inferred from observations from IMP 6 and ISEE 1 and quantitative agreement is found between the predicted distribution of fields in an ensemble of such wave packets and the actual field distribution observed in situ by IMP 6. Predictions for the polarization of plasma waves and the bandwidth of ion-sound waves are also consistent with the observations. It is shown that strong-turbulence effects must be incorporated in any comprehensive theory of the propagation and evolution of electron beams in the foreshock. Previous arguments against the existence of strong turbulence in the foreshock are refuted

  4. Nonlinear dynamics and anisotropic structure of rotating sheared turbulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salhi, A; Jacobitz, F G; Schneider, K; Cambon, C

    2014-01-01

    Homogeneous turbulence in rotating shear flows is studied by means of pseudospectral direct numerical simulation and analytical spectral linear theory (SLT). The ratio of the Coriolis parameter to shear rate is varied over a wide range by changing the rotation strength, while a constant moderate shear rate is used to enable significant contributions to the nonlinear interscale energy transfer and to the nonlinear intercomponental redistribution terms. In the destabilized and neutral cases, in the sense of kinetic energy evolution, nonlinearity cannot saturate the growth of the largest scales. It permits the smallest scale to stabilize by a scale-by-scale quasibalance between the nonlinear energy transfer and the dissipation spectrum. In the stabilized cases, the role of rotation is mainly nonlinear, and interacting inertial waves can affect almost all scales as in purely rotating flows. In order to isolate the nonlinear effect of rotation, the two-dimensional manifold with vanishing spanwise wave number is revisited and both two-component spectra and single-point two-dimensional energy components exhibit an important effect of rotation, whereas the SLT as well as the purely two-dimensional nonlinear analysis are unaffected by rotation as stated by the Proudman theorem. The other two-dimensional manifold with vanishing streamwise wave number is analyzed with similar tools because it is essential for any shear flow. Finally, the spectral approach is used to disentangle, in an analytical way, the linear and nonlinear terms in the dynamical equations.

  5. Generation of sheared poloidal flows by electrostatic and magnetic Reynolds stress in the boundary plasma of HT-7 tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, G.S.; Wan, B.N.; Li, J.

    2005-01-01

    The radial profiles of electrostatic and magnetic Reynolds stress (Maxwell stress) have been measured in the plasma boundary region of HT-7 tokamak. Experimental results show that the radial gradient of electrostatic Reynolds stress (ERS) changes sign across the last closed flux surface, and the neoclassical flow damping and the damping due to charge exchange processes are balanced by the radial gradient of ERS, which sustains the equilibrium sheared flow structure in a steady state. The contribution of magnetic Reynolds stress was found unimportant in a low β plasma. Detailed analyses indicate that the propagation properties of turbulence in radial and poloidal directions and the profiles of potential fluctuation level are responsible for the radial structure of ERS. (author)

  6. Flocculation and floc break-up related to tidally induced turbulent shear in a low-turbidity, microtidal estuary

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Markussen, Thor Nygaard; Andersen, Thorbjørn Joest

    2014-01-01

    flocculation and floc break-up dynamics in the lower part of the water column in the period around slack water. These dynamics were confirmed in the Eulerian deployments and were reoccurring in every tidal cycle. The dynamics were mostly governed by changes in turbulent shear. Strong microflocs with a lower...... mean threshold diameter of 50–60 μm present at high turbulent shear flocculated to form fragile macroflocs with sizes of several hundred microns and mean diameters above 80 μm around slack water periods. A hysteresis in floc break-up and flocculation was found at high water slack (HWS), as flocs formed...

  7. The Dynamics of Turbulent Scalar Mixing near the Edge of a Shear Layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taveira, R. M. R.; da Silva, C. B.; Pereira, J. C. F.

    2011-12-01

    In free shear flows a sharp and convoluted turbulent/nonturbulent (T/NT) interface separates the outer fluid region, where the flow is essentially irrotational, from the shear layer turbulent region. It was found recently that the entrainment mechanism is mainly caused by small scale ("nibbling") motions (Westerweel et al. (2005)). The dynamics of this interface is crucial to understand important exchanges of enstrophy and scalars that can be conceived as a three-stage process of entrainment, dispersion and diffusion (Dimotakis (2005)). A thorough understanding of scalar mixing and transport is of indisputable relevance to control turbulent combustion, propulsion and contaminant dispersion (Stanley et al. (2002)). The present work uses several DNS of turbulent jets at Reynolds number ranging from Reλ = 120 to Reλ = 160 (da Silva & Taveira (2010)) and a Schmidt number Sc = 0.7 to analyze the "scalar interface" and turbulent mixing of a passive scalar. Specifically, we employ conditional statistics, denoted by langlerangleI, in order to eliminate the intermittency that affects statistics close to the jet edge. The physical mechanisms behind scalar mixing near the T/NT interfaces, their scales and topology are investigated detail. Analysis of the instantaneous fields showed intense scalar gradient sheet-like structures along regions of persistent strain, in particular at the T/NT interface. The scalar gradient transport equation, at the jet edge, showed that almost all mixing mechanisms are taking place in a confined region, beyond which they become reduced to an almost in perfect balance between production and dissipation of scalar variance. At the T/NT interface transport mechanisms are the ones responsible for the growth in the scalar fluctuations to the entrained fluid, where convection plays a dominant role, smoothing scalar gradients inside the interface and boosting them as far as

  8. The Dynamics of Turbulent Scalar Mixing near the Edge of a Shear Layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taveira, R M R; Silva, C B da; Pereira, J C F

    2011-01-01

    In free shear flows a sharp and convoluted turbulent/nonturbulent (T/NT) interface separates the outer fluid region, where the flow is essentially irrotational, from the shear layer turbulent region. It was found recently that the entrainment mechanism is mainly caused by small scale ('nibbling') motions (Westerweel et al. (2005)). The dynamics of this interface is crucial to understand important exchanges of enstrophy and scalars that can be conceived as a three-stage process of entrainment, dispersion and diffusion (Dimotakis (2005)). A thorough understanding of scalar mixing and transport is of indisputable relevance to control turbulent combustion, propulsion and contaminant dispersion (Stanley et al. (2002)). The present work uses several DNS of turbulent jets at Reynolds number ranging from Re λ = 120 to Re λ = 160 (da Silva and Taveira (2010)) and a Schmidt number Sc = 0.7 to analyze the 'scalar interface' and turbulent mixing of a passive scalar. Specifically, we employ conditional statistics, denoted by I , in order to eliminate the intermittency that affects statistics close to the jet edge. The physical mechanisms behind scalar mixing near the T/NT interfaces, their scales and topology are investigated detail. Analysis of the instantaneous fields showed intense scalar gradient sheet-like structures along regions of persistent strain, in particular at the T/NT interface. The scalar gradient transport equation, at the jet edge, showed that almost all mixing mechanisms are taking place in a confined region, beyond which they become reduced to an almost in perfect balance between production and dissipation of scalar variance. At the T/NT interface transport mechanisms are the ones responsible for the growth in the scalar fluctuations to the entrained fluid, where convection plays a dominant role, smoothing scalar gradients inside the interface 0.1y I /λ to 1y I /λand boosting them as far as -2.5y I /η θ C .

  9. Parallel plasma fluid turbulence calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leboeuf, J.N.; Carreras, B.A.; Charlton, L.A.; Drake, J.B.; Lynch, V.E.; Newman, D.E.; Sidikman, K.L.; Spong, D.A.

    1994-01-01

    The study of plasma turbulence and transport is a complex problem of critical importance for fusion-relevant plasmas. To this day, the fluid treatment of plasma dynamics is the best approach to realistic physics at the high resolution required for certain experimentally relevant calculations. Core and edge turbulence in a magnetic fusion device have been modeled using state-of-the-art, nonlinear, three-dimensional, initial-value fluid and gyrofluid codes. Parallel implementation of these models on diverse platforms--vector parallel (National Energy Research Supercomputer Center's CRAY Y-MP C90), massively parallel (Intel Paragon XP/S 35), and serial parallel (clusters of high-performance workstations using the Parallel Virtual Machine protocol)--offers a variety of paths to high resolution and significant improvements in real-time efficiency, each with its own advantages. The largest and most efficient calculations have been performed at the 200 Mword memory limit on the C90 in dedicated mode, where an overlap of 12 to 13 out of a maximum of 16 processors has been achieved with a gyrofluid model of core fluctuations. The richness of the physics captured by these calculations is commensurate with the increased resolution and efficiency and is limited only by the ingenuity brought to the analysis of the massive amounts of data generated

  10. Interchange turbulence model for the edge plasma in SOLEDGE2D-EIRENE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bufferand, H.; Marandet, Y. [Aix-Marseille Universite, CNRS, PIIM, Marseille (France); Ciraolo, G.; Ghendrih, P.; Bucalossi, J.; Fedorczak, N.; Gunn, J.; Tamain, P. [CEA, IRFM, Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Colin, C.; Galassi, D.; Leybros, R.; Serre, E. [Aix-Marseille Universite, CNRS, M2P2, Marseille (France)

    2016-08-15

    Cross-field transport in edge tokamak plasmas is known to be dominated by turbulent transport. A dedicated effort has been made to simulate this turbulent transport from first principle models but the numerical cost to run these simulations on the ITER scale remains prohibitive. Edge plasma transport study relies mostly nowadays on so-called transport codes where the turbulent transport is taken into account using effective ad-hoc diffusion coefficients. In this contribution, we propose to introduce a transport equation for the turbulence intensity in SOLEDGE2D-EIRENE to describe the interchange turbulence properties. Going beyond the empirical diffusive model, this system automatically generates profiles for the turbulent transport and hence reduces the number of degrees of freedom for edge plasma transport codes. We draw inspiration from the k-epsilon model widely used in the neutral fluid community. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  11. Homogeneous shear turbulence – bypass concept via interplay of linear transient growth and nonlinear transverse cascade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mamatsashvili, George; Dong, Siwei; Jiménez, Javier; Khujadze, George; Chagelishvili, George; Foysi, Holger

    2016-01-01

    We performed direct numerical simulations of homogeneous shear turbulence to study the mechanism of the self-sustenance of subcritical turbulence in spectrally stable (constant) shear flows. For this purpose, we analyzed the turbulence dynamics in Fourier/wavenumber/spectral space based on the simulation data for the domain aspect ratio 1 : 1 : 1. Specifically, we examined the interplay of linear transient growth of Fourier harmonics and nonlinear processes. The transient growth of harmonics is strongly anisotropic in spectral space. This, in turn, leads to anisotropy of nonlinear processes in spectral space and, as a result, the main nonlinear process appears to be not a direct/inverse, but rather a transverse/angular redistribution of harmonics in Fourier space referred to as the nonlinear transverse cascade. It is demonstrated that the turbulence is sustained by the interplay of the linear transient, or nonmodal growth and the transverse cascade. This course of events reliably exemplifies the wellknown bypass scenario of subcritical turbulence in spectrally stable shear flows. These processes mainly operate at large length scales, comparable to the box size. Consequently, the central, small wavenumber area of Fourier space (the size of which is determined below) is crucial in the self-sustenance and is labeled the vital area. Outside the vital area, the transient growth and the transverse cascade are of secondary importance - Fourier harmonics are transferred to dissipative scales by the nonlinear direct cascade. The number of harmonics actively participating in the self-sustaining process (i.e., the harmonics whose energies grow more than 10% of the maximum spectral energy at least once during evolution) is quite large - it is equal to 36 for the considered box aspect ratio - and obviously cannot be described by low-order models. (paper)

  12. Turbulence spectra, transport, and E × B flows in helical plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, T.-H.; Nunami, M.; Sugama, H.; Satake, S.; Matsuoka, S.; Ishizawa, A.; Tanaka, K.; Maeyama, Shinya

    2012-11-01

    Gyrokinetic simulation of ion temperature gradient turbulence and zonal flows for helical plasmas has been validated against the Large Helical Device experiments with high ion temperature, where a reduced modeling of ion heat transport is also considered. It is confirmed by the entropy transfer analysis that the turbulence spectrum elongated in the radial wavenumber space is associated with successive interactions with zonal flows. A novel multi-scale simulation for turbulence and zonal flows in poloidally-rotating helical plasmas has demonstrated strong zonal flow generation by turbulence, which implies that turbulent transport processes in non-axisymmetric systems are coupled to neoclassical transport through the macroscopic E × B flows determined by the ambipolarty condition for neoclassical particle fluxes. (author)

  13. Turbulent current heating of dense plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suprunenko, V.A.; Sukhomlin, E.A.; Volkov, E.D.; Perepelkij, N.F.

    1976-01-01

    Based upon experimental results an attempt is made for systematizing and analysing conditions of experiments in anomalous resistance and turbulent heating of a plasma. The extensive program of such investigations aims at a direct practical study on quasistationary heating and plasma containment in magnetic traps. It has been shown that in real conditions turbulent heating turns out to be a far more complicated phenomenon than that described within the framework of theories developed so far. It has been established that the phenomenon alters in the transition through the critical values of electric and magnetic fields. This makes it possible to separate four characteristic experimental regimes. For all the regimes the stabilization of the electron current drift rate is typical. On the basis of the experimental results obtained an explanation is given of the sporadic character of the ultrathermal radiation in a quasistationary discharge

  14. Extremely high wall-shear stress events in a turbulent boundary layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Chong; Kwon, Yongseok

    2018-04-01

    The present work studies the fluctuating characteristics of the streamwise wall-shear stress in a DNS of a turbulent boundary layer at Re τ =1500 from a structural view. The two-dimensional field of the fluctuating friction velocity u‧ τ (x,z) is decomposed into the large- and small-scale components via a recently proposed scale separation algorithm, Quasi-bivariate Variational Mode Decomposition (QB-VMD). Both components are found to be dominated by streak-like structures, which can be regarded as the wall signature of the inner-layer streaks and the outer-layer LSMs, respectively. Extreme positive/negative wall-shear stress fluctuation events are detected in the large-scale component. The former’s occurrence frequency is nearly one order of magnitude higher than the latter; therefore, they contribute a significant portion of the long tail of the wall-shear stress distribution. Both two-point correlations and conditional averages show that these extreme positive wall-shear stress events are embedded in the large-scale positive u‧ τ streaks. They seem to be formed by near-wall ‘splatting’ process, which are related to strong finger-like sweeping (Q4) events originated from the outer-layer positive LSMs.

  15. Ion turbulence and thermal transport in laser-produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barr, H.C.; Boyd, T.J.M.

    1982-01-01

    In the interaction of high-intensity lasers with target plasmas the transport of thermal energy from the region in which the radiation is absorbed, to the cold dense plasma in the interior of the target, is an issue of central importance. The role of ion turbulence as a flux limiter is addressed with particular regard to recent experiments in which target plasmas were irradiated by 1.06 μm neodymium laser light at irradiances of 10 15 W cm - 2 and greater. Saturation levels of the ion-acoustic turbulence driven by a combination of a suprathermal electron current and a heat flux are calculated on the basis of perturbed orbit theory. The levels of turbulence are found to be markedly lower than those commonly estimated from simple trapping arguments and too low to explain the thermal flux inhibition observed in the experiments used as a basis for the model. (author)

  16. Heating of plasmas in tokamaks by current-driven turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kluiver, H. de.

    1985-10-01

    Investigations of current-driven turbulence have shown the potential to heat plasmas to elevated temperatures in relatively small cross-section devices. The fundamental processes are rather well understood theoretically. Even as it is shown to be possible to relax the technical requirements on the necessary electric field and the pulse length to acceptable values, the effect of energy generation near the plasma edge, the energy transport, the impurity influx and the variation of the current profile are still unknown for present-day large-radius tokamaks. Heating of plasmas by quasi-stationary weakly turbulent states caused by moderate increases of the resistivity due to higher loop voltages could be envisaged. Power supplies able to furnish power levels 5-10 times higher than the usual values could be used for a demonstration of those regimes. At several institutes and university laboratories the study of turbulent heating in larger tokamaks and stellarators is pursued

  17. Tokamak turbulence in self-regulated differentially rotating flow and L-H transition dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terry, P.W.; Carreras, B.A.; Sidikman, K.

    1992-01-01

    An analytical study of turbulence in the presence of turbulently generated differentially rotating flow is presented as a paradigm for fluctuation dynamics in L- and H-mode plasmas. Using a drift wave model, the role of both flow shear and flow curvature (second radial derivative of the poloidal ExB flow) is detailed in linear and saturated turbulence phases. In the strong turbulence saturated state, finite amplitude-induced modification of the fluctuation structure near low order rational surfaces strongly inhibits flow shear suppression. Suppression by curvature is not diminished, but it occurs through a frequency shift. A description of L-H mode transition dynamics based on the self-consistent linking of turbulence suppression by differentially rotating flow and generation of flow by turbulent momentum transport is presented. In this model, rising edge temperature triggers a transition characterized by spontaneous generation of differentially rotating flow and decreasing turbulence intensity

  18. SECULAR GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY OF A DUST LAYER IN SHEAR TURBULENCE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Michikoshi, Shugo; Kokubo, Eiichiro; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro

    2012-01-01

    We perform a linear stability analysis of a dust layer in a turbulent gas disk. Youdin investigated the secular gravitational instability (GI) of a dust layer using hydrodynamic equations with a turbulent diffusion term. We obtain essentially the same result independently of Youdin. In the present analysis, we restrict the area of interest to small dust particles, while investigating the secular GI in a more rigorous manner. We discuss the time evolution of the dust surface density distribution using a stochastic model and derive the advection-diffusion equation. The validity of the analysis by Youdin is confirmed in the strong drag limit. We demonstrate quantitatively that the finite thickness of a dust layer weakens the secular GI and that the density-dependent diffusion coefficient changes the growth rate. We apply the results obtained to the turbulence driven by the shear instability and find that the secular GI is faster than the radial drift when the gas density is three times as large as that in the minimum-mass disk model. If the dust particles are larger than chondrules, the secular GI grows within the lifetime of a protoplanetary disk.

  19. High density turbulent plasma processes from a shock tube. Final performance report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, J.A. III.

    1997-01-01

    A broad-based set of measurements has begun on high density turbulent plasma processes. This includes determinations of new plasma physics and the initiation of work on new diagnostics for collisional plasmas as follows: (1) A transient increase is observed in both the spectral energy decay rate and the degree of chaotic complexity at the interface of a shock wave and a turbulent ionized gas. Even though the gas is apparently brought to rest by the shock wave, no evidence is found either of prompt relaminarization or of any systematic influence of end-wall material thermal conductivities on the turbulence parameters. (2) Point fluorescence emissions and averaged spectral line evolutions in turbulent plasmas produced in both the primary and the reflected shock wave flows exhibit ergodicity in the standard turbulence parameters. The data show first evidence of a reverse energy cascade in the collisional turbulent plasma. This suggests that the fully turbulent environment can be described using a stationary state formulation. In these same data, the author finds compelling evidence for a turbulent Stark effect on neutral emission lines in these data which is associated with evidence of large coherent structures and dominant modes in the Fourier analyses of the fluctuations in the optical spectra. (3) A neutral beam generator has been assembled by coupling a Colutron Ion Gun to a charge exchange chamber. Beam-target collisions where the target species is neutral and the beam is either singly charged or neutral have been performed using argon as the working gas. Spectral analysis of the emission shows specific radiative transitions characteristic of both Ar I and Ar II, indicating that some ionization of the target gas results. Gas and plasma parameters such as density, pressure, temperature and flow velocity and their fluctuations can now be followed in real time by spectroscopic analysis of carefully chosen radiative emissions

  20. High density turbulent plasma processes from a shock tube

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oyedeji, O.; Johnson, J.A. III

    1991-01-01

    We have finished the first stages of our experimental and theoretical investigations on models for energy and momentum transport and for photon-particle collision processes in a turbulent quasi-stationary high density plasma. The system is explored by beginning to determine the turbulence phenomenology associated with an ionizing shock wave. The theoretical underpinnings are explored for phonon particle collisions by determining the collisional redistribution function, using Lioville Space Green's Function, which will characterize the inelastic scattering of the radiation from one frequency to another. We have observed that a weak magnetic field tends to increase the apparent random-like behaviors in a collisional turbulent plasma. On the theoretical side, we have been able to achieve a form for the collisional redistribution function. It remains to apply these concepts to a stationary turbulent plasma in the reflected ionizing shock wave and to exercise the implications of evaluations of the collisional redistribution function for such a system when it is probed by a strong radiation source. These results are discussed in detail in the publications, which have resulted from the this effort, cited at the end of the report

  1. Momentum Injection in Tokamak Plasmas and Transitions to Reduced Transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parra, F. I.; Highcock, E. G.; Schekochihin, A. A.; Barnes, M.; Cowley, S. C.

    2011-01-01

    The effect of momentum injection on the temperature gradient in tokamak plasmas is studied. A plausible scenario for transitions to reduced transport regimes is proposed. The transition happens when there is sufficient momentum input so that the velocity shear can suppress or reduce the turbulence. However, it is possible to drive too much velocity shear and rekindle the turbulent transport. The optimal level of momentum injection is determined. The reduction in transport is maximized in the regions of low or zero magnetic shear.

  2. Understanding SOL plasma turbulence by interchange motions

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Horáček, Jan; Pitts, R. A.; Nielsen, A.H.; Garcia, O.E.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 52, č. 16 (2007), s. 192-193 ISSN 0003-0503. [Annual meeting of the division of plasma physics/49th./. Orlando , 12.11.2007-16.11.2007] Grant - others:-(XE) European Training fellowships and Grants (Euratom), EDGETURB Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : tokamak * plasma * scrape-off layer * turbulence * interchange instability Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics http://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/DPP07/Event/70125

  3. A reduced model for ion temperature gradient turbulent transport in helical plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nunami, M.; Watanabe, T.-H.; Sugama, H.

    2013-07-01

    A novel reduced model for ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulent transport in helical plasmas is presented. The model enables one to predict nonlinear gyrokinetic simulation results from linear gyrokinetic analyses. It is shown from nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of the ITG turbulence in helical plasmas that the transport coefficient can be expressed as a function of the turbulent fluctuation level and the averaged zonal flow amplitude. Then, the reduced model for the turbulent ion heat diffusivity is derived by representing the nonlinear turbulent fluctuations and zonal flow amplitude in terms of the linear growth rate of the ITG instability and the linear response of the zonal flow potentials. It is confirmed that the reduced transport model results are in good agreement with those from nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations for high ion temperature plasmas in the Large Helical Device. (author)

  4. Intrinsic suppression of turbulence in linear plasma devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leddy, J.; Dudson, B.

    2017-12-01

    Plasma turbulence is the dominant transport mechanism for heat and particles in magnetised plasmas in linear devices and tokamaks, so the study of turbulence is important in limiting and controlling this transport. Linear devices provide an axial magnetic field that serves to confine a plasma in cylindrical geometry as it travels along the magnetic field from the source to the strike point. Due to perpendicular transport, the plasma density and temperature have a roughly Gaussian radial profile with gradients that drive instabilities, such as resistive drift-waves and Kelvin-Helmholtz. If unstable, these instabilities cause perturbations to grow resulting in saturated turbulence, increasing the cross-field transport of heat and particles. When the plasma emerges from the source, there is a time, {τ }\\parallel , that describes the lifetime of the plasma based on parallel velocity and length of the device. As the plasma moves down the device, it also moves azimuthally according to E × B and diamagnetic velocities. There is a balance point in these parallel and perpendicular times that sets the stabilisation threshold. We simulate plasmas with a variety of parallel lengths and magnetic fields to vary the parallel and perpendicular lifetimes, respectively, and find that there is a clear correlation between the saturated RMS density perturbation level and the balance between these lifetimes. The threshold of marginal stability is seen to exist where {τ }\\parallel ≈ 11{τ }\\perp . This is also associated with the product {τ }\\parallel {γ }* , where {γ }* is the drift-wave linear growth rate, indicating that the instability must exist for roughly 100 times the growth time for the instability to enter the nonlinear growth phase. We explore the root of this correlation and the implications for linear device design.

  5. The Mercier Criterion in Reversed Shear Tokamak Plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kessel, C.; Chance, M.S.; Jardin, S.C.

    1999-01-01

    A recent numerical study has found that, contrary to conventional theoretical and experimental expectations, reversed shear plasmas are unstable primarily because the term proportional to the shear in the Mercier criterion is destabilizing. In the present study, the role of the magnetic shear, both local and global, is examined for various tokamak configurations with monotonic and non-monotonic safety factor profiles. The enhancement of the local shear due to the outward shift of the magnetic axis suggests that the latter are less susceptible to interchanges. Furthermore, by regrouping the terms in the criterion, the V'' term when differentiated instead with respect to the toroidal flux, is shown to absorb the dominant shear term. No Mercier instability is found for similar profiles as in the previous study

  6. The role of the sheath in magnetized plasma turbulence and flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loizu, J.

    2013-01-01

    Controlled nuclear fusion could provide our society with a clean, safe, and virtually inexhaustible source of electric power production. The tokamak has proven to be capable of producing large amounts of fusion reactions by conning magnetically the fusion fuel at sufficiently high density and temperature, thus in the plasma state. Because of turbulence, however, high temperature plasma reaches the outermost region of the tokamak, the Scrape-Off Layer (SOL), which features open magnetic field lines that channel particles and heat into a dedicated region of the vacuum vessel. The plasma dynamics in the SOL is crucial in determining the performance of tokamak devices, and constitutes one of the greatest uncertainties in the success of the fusion program. In the last few years, the development of numerical codes based on reduced fluid models has provided a tool to study turbulence in open field line configurations. In particular, the GBS (Global Braginskii Solver) code has been developed at CRPP and is used to perform global, three-dimensional, full-n, flux-driven simulations of plasma turbulence in open field lines. Reaching predictive capabilities is an outstanding challenge that involves a proper treatment of the plasma-wall interactions at the end of the field lines, to well describe the particle and energy losses. This involves the study of plasma sheaths, namely the layers forming at the interface between plasmas and solid surfaces, where the drift and quasi neutrality approximations break down. This is an investigation of general interest, as sheaths are present in all laboratory plasmas. This thesis presents progress in the understanding of plasma sheaths and their coupling with the turbulence in the main plasma. A kinetic code is developed to study the magnetized plasma-wall transition region and derive a complete set of analytical boundary conditions that supply the sheath physics to fluid codes. These boundary conditions are implemented in the GBS code and

  7. Separate structure of two branches of sheared slab ηi mode and effects of plasma rotation shear in weak magnetic shear region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiquan Li; Kishimoto, Y.; Tuda, T.

    2000-01-01

    The separate structure of two branches of the sheared slab η i mode near the minimum-q magnetic surface is analysed and the effects of plasma rotation shears are considered in the weak magnetic shear region. Results show that the separation condition depends on the non-monotonous q profile and the deviation of rational surface from the minimum-q surface. Furthermore, it is found that the diamagnetic rotation shear may suppress the perturbation of the sheared slab η i mode at one side of the minimum-q surface, the poloidal rotation shear from the sheared E-vector x B-vector flow has a similar role to the slab mode structure when it possesses a direction same as the diamagnetic shear. A plausible interrelation between the separate structures of the two branches of the sheared slab mode and the discontinuity or gap of the radially global structure of the drift wave near the minimum-q surface observed in the toroidal particle simulation (Kishimoto Y et al 1998 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 40 A663) is discussed. It seems to support such a viewpoint: the double or/and global branches of the sheared slab η i mode near the minimum-q surface may become a bridge to connect the radially global structures of the drift wave at two sides of the minimum-q surface and the discontinuity may originate from the separate structures of these slab modes for a flatter q profile. (author)

  8. Spectral analysis of turbulence propagation mechanisms in solar wind and tokamaks plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, Yue

    2014-01-01

    This thesis takes part in the study of spectral transfers in the turbulence of magnetized plasmas. We will be interested in turbulence in solar wind and tokamaks. Spacecraft measures, first principle simulations and simple dynamical systems will be used to understand the mechanisms behind spectral anisotropy and spectral transfers in these plasmas. The first part of this manuscript will introduce the common context of solar wind and tokamaks, what is specific to each of them and present some notions needed to understand the work presented here. The second part deals with turbulence in the solar wind. We will present first an observational study on the spectral variability of solar wind turbulence. Starting from the study of Grappin et al. (1990, 1991) on Helios mission data, we bring a new analysis taking into account a correct evaluation of large scale spectral break, provided by the higher frequency data of the Wind mission. This considerably modifies the result on the spectral index distribution of the magnetic and kinetic energy. A second observational study is presented on solar wind turbulence anisotropy using autocorrelation functions. Following the work of Matthaeus et al. (1990); Dasso et al. (2005), we bring a new insight on this statistical, in particular the question of normalisation choices used to build the autocorrelation function, and its consequence on the measured anisotropy. This allows us to bring a new element in the debate on the measured anisotropy depending on the choice of the referential either based on local or global mean magnetic field. Finally, we study for the first time in 3D the effects of the transverse expansion of solar wind on its turbulence. This work is based on a theoretical and numerical scheme developed by Grappin et al. (1993); Grappin and Velli (1996), but never used in 3D. Our main results deal with the evolution of spectral and polarization anisotropy due to the competition between non-linear and linear (Alfven coupling

  9. Generation of parasitic axial flow by drift wave turbulence with broken symmetry: Theory and experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, R.; Li, J. C.; Hajjar, R.; Chakraborty Thakur, S.; Diamond, P. H.; Tynan, G. R.

    2018-05-01

    Detailed measurements of intrinsic axial flow generation parallel to the magnetic field in the controlled shear decorrelation experiment linear plasma device with no axial momentum input are presented and compared to theory. The results show a causal link from the density gradient to drift-wave turbulence with broken spectral symmetry and development of the axial mean parallel flow. As the density gradient steepens, the axial and azimuthal Reynolds stresses increase and radially sheared azimuthal and axial mean flows develop. A turbulent axial momentum balance analysis shows that the axial Reynolds stress drives the radially sheared axial mean flow. The turbulent drive (Reynolds power) for the azimuthal flow is an order of magnitude greater than that for axial flow, suggesting that the turbulence fluctuation levels are set by azimuthal flow shear regulation. The direct energy exchange between axial and azimuthal mean flows is shown to be insignificant. Therefore, the axial flow is parasitic to the turbulence-zonal flow system and is driven primarily by the axial turbulent stress generated by that system. The non-diffusive, residual part of the axial Reynolds stress is found to be proportional to the density gradient and is formed due to dynamical asymmetry in the drift-wave turbulence.

  10. 3D fluid simulations of tokamak edge turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeiler, A.; Biskamp, D.; Drake, J.F.; Guzdar, P.N.

    1995-09-01

    3D simulations of drift resistive ballooning turbulence are presented. The turbulence is basically controlled by a parameter α, the ratio of the drift wave frequency to the ideal ballooning growth rate. If this parameters is small (α≤1, corresponding to Ohmic or L-mode plasmas), the system is dominated by ballooning turbulence, which is strongly peaked at the outside of the torus. If it is large (α≥1, corresponding to H-mode plasmas) field line curvature plays a minor role. The turbulence is nonlinearly sustained even if curvature is removed and all modes are linearly stable due to magnetic shear. In the nonlinear regime without curvature the system obeys a different scaling law compared to the low α regime. The transport scaling is discussed in both regimes and the implications for OH-, L-mode and H-mode transport are discussed. (orig.)

  11. Study of the plasma edge turbulence in tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garbet, X.; Laurent, L.; Mourgues, F.; Roubin, J.P.; Samain, A.

    1990-01-01

    The plasma edge in tokamaks is known to be very turbulent. We investigate here the non linear stability of a test mode in presence of an helical potential perturbation, i.e. a pump mode, which simulates the plasma turbulence. The particle trajectories in this perturbed equilibrium are derived using an hamiltonian formalism. The electrons appear to have trapped trajectories in the potential well of the pump mode, while the ions experience a large convective motion. These two effects have a large influence on the test mode stability. First, non linearly trapped electrons supply an energy source for the test mode. Second, the ion convective motion introduces a radial scale of the test mode larger than the ion Larmor radius, in agreement with experimental data. These two phenomena allow a bifurcation in the turbulence level and provide therefore an explanation for the L-H transition

  12. Modelling the turbulent transport of angular momentum in tokamak plasmas - A quasi-linear gyrokinetic approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cottier, Pierre

    2013-01-01

    The magnetic confinement in tokamaks is for now the most advanced way towards energy production by nuclear fusion. Both theoretical and experimental studies showed that rotation generation can increase its performance by reducing the turbulent transport in tokamak plasmas. The rotation influence on the heat and particle fluxes is studied along with the angular momentum transport with the quasi-linear gyro-kinetic eigenvalue code QuaLiKiz. For this purpose, the QuaLiKiz code is modified in order to take the plasma rotation into account and compute the angular momentum flux. It is shown that QuaLiKiz framework is able to correctly predict the angular momentum flux including the E*B shear induced residual stress as well as the influence of rotation on the heat and particle fluxes. The major approximations of QuaLiKiz formalisms are reviewed, in particular the ballooning representation at its lowest order and the eigenfunctions calculated in the hydrodynamic limit. The construction of the quasi-linear fluxes is also reviewed in details and the quasi-linear angular momentum flux is derived. The different contributions to the turbulent momentum flux are studied and successfully compared both against non-linear gyro-kinetic simulations and experimental data. (author) [fr

  13. Using Field-Particle Correlations to Diagnose the Collisionless Damping of Plasma Turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howes, Gregory; Klein, Kristropher

    2016-10-01

    Plasma turbulence occurs ubiquitously throughout the heliosphere, yet our understanding of how turbulence governs energy transport and plasma heating remains incomplete, constituting a grand challenge problem in heliophysics. In weakly collisional heliospheric plasmas, such as the solar corona and solar wind, damping of the turbulent fluctuations occurs due to collisionless interactions between the electromagnetic fields and the individual plasma particles. A particular challenge in diagnosing this energy transfer is that spacecraft measurements are typically limited to a single point in space. Here we present an innovative field-particle correlation technique that can be used with single-point measurements to estimate the energization of the plasma particles due to the damping of the electromagnetic fields, providing vital new information about this how energy transfer is distributed as a function of particle velocity. This technique has the promise to transform our ability to diagnose the kinetic plasma physical mechanisms responsible for not only the damping of turbulence, but also the energy conversion in both collisionless magnetic reconnection and particle acceleration. The work has been supported by NSF CAREER Award AGS-1054061, NSF AGS-1331355, and DOE DE-SC0014599.

  14. First measurement of the magnetic turbulence induced Reynolds stress in a tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Guosheng; Wan Baonian; Song Mei

    2003-01-01

    Reynolds stress component due to magnetic turbulence was first measured in the plasma edge region of the HT-7 superconducting tokamak using an insertable magnetic probe. A radial gradient of magnetic Reynolds stress was observed to be close to the velocity shear layer location; however, in this experiment its contribution to driving the poloidal flows is small compared to the electrostatic component. The electron heat transport driven by magnetic turbulence is quite small and cannot account for the total energy transport at the plasma edge

  15. Convection of wall shear stress events in a turbulent boundary layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pabon, Rommel; Mills, David; Ukeiley, Lawrence; Sheplak, Mark

    2017-11-01

    The fluctuating wall shear stress is measured in a zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer of Reτ 1700 simultaneously with velocity measurements using either hot-wire anemometry or particle image velocimetry. These experiments elucidate the patterns of large scale structures in a single point measurement of the wall shear stress, as well as their convection velocity at the wall. The wall shear stress sensor is a CS-A05 one-dimensional capacitice floating element from Interdisciplinary Consulting Corp. It has a nominal bandwidth from DC to 5 kHz and a floating element size of 1 mm in the principal sensing direction (streamwise) and 0.2 mm in the cross direction (spanwise), allowing the large scales to be well resolved in the current experimental conditions. In addition, a two sensor array of CS-A05 aligned in the spanwise direction with streamwise separations O (δ) is utilized to capture the convection velocity of specific scales of the shear stress through a bandpass filter and peaks in the correlation. Thus, an average wall normal position for the corresponding convecting event can be inferred at least as high as the equivalent local streamwise velocity. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1315138.

  16. Interstellar turbulence model : A self-consistent coupling of plasma and neutral fluids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaikh, Dastgeer; Zank, Gary P.; Pogorelov, Nikolai

    2006-01-01

    We present results of a preliminary investigation of interstellar turbulence based on a self-consistent two-dimensional fluid simulation model. Our model describes a partially ionized magnetofluid interstellar medium (ISM) that couples a neutral hydrogen fluid to a plasma through charge exchange interactions and assumes that the ISM turbulent correlation scales are much bigger than the shock characteristic length-scales, but smaller than the charge exchange mean free path length-scales. The shocks have no influence on the ISM turbulent fluctuations. We find that nonlinear interactions in coupled plasma-neutral ISM turbulence are influenced substantially by charge exchange processes

  17. Radio wave dissipation in turbulent auroral plasma during the precipitation of energetic electrons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mishin, E.V.; Luk'ianova, L.N.; Makarenko, S.F.; Atamaniuk, B.M.

    1992-01-01

    The results of the theoretical analysis of anomalous (collisionless) radio wave absorption in the turbulent auroral ionosphere during the intrusion of energetic electrons (i.e., in aurorae) are presented. The implications of the plasma turbulent layer (PTL) theory are used. It is shown that the dissipation of radio waves with frequencies much higher than the plasma frequency is caused by the nonlinear (combined) scattering in turbulent plasma of the PTL. In the auroral electrojet layer the principal dissipative process for the radio waves with frequencies close to the plasma frequency is O-Z transformation on the field-aligned, small-scale density fluctuations. The typical dissipation decrements are estimated. 26 refs

  18. Numerical Study of Velocity Shear Stabilization of 3D and Theoretical Considerations for Centrifugally Confined Plasmas and Other Interchange-Limited Fusion Concepts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hassam, Adil [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)

    2015-09-21

    We studied the feasibility of resonantly driving GAMs in tokamaks. A numerical simulation was carried out and showed the essential features and limitations. It was shown further that GAMs can damp by phase-mixing, from temperature gradients, or nonlinear detuning, thus broadening the resonance. Experimental implications of this were quantified. Theoretical support was provided for the Maryland Centrifugal Experiment, funded in a separate grant by DOE. Plasma diamagnetism from supersonic rotation was established. A theoretical model was built to match the data. Additional support to the experiment in terms of numerical simulation of the interchange turbulence was provided. Spectra from residual turbulence on account of velocity shear suppression were obtained and compared favorably to experiment. A new drift wave, driven solely by the thermal force, was identified.

  19. Validation study of a drift-wave turbulence model for CSDX linear plasma device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaezi, P.; Holland, C.; Thakur, S. C.; Tynan, G. R.

    2017-09-01

    A validation study of self-regulating drift-wave turbulence/zonal flow dynamics in the Controlled Shear Decorrelation Experiment linear plasma device using Langmuir probe synthetic diagnostics is presented in this paper. We use a set of nonlocal 3D equations, which evolve density, vorticity, and electron temperature fluctuations, and include proper sheath boundary conditions. Nonlinear simulations of these equations are carried out using BOUndary Turbulence (BOUT++) framework. To identify the dominant parametric dependencies of the model, a linear growth rate sensitivity analysis is performed using input parameter uncertainties, which are taken from the experimental measurements. For the direct comparison of nonlinear simulation results to experiment, we use synthetic Langmuir probe diagnostics to generate a set of synthetic ion saturation current and floating potential fluctuations. In addition, comparisons of azimuthal velocities determined via time-delay estimation, and nonlinear energy transfer are shown. We observe a significant improvement of model-experiment agreement relative to the previous 2D simulations. An essential component of this improved agreement is found to be the effect of electron temperature fluctuations on floating potential measurements, which introduces clear amplitude and phase shifts relative to the plasma potential fluctuations in synthetically measured quantities, where the simulations capture the experimental measurements in the core of plasma. However, the simulations overpredict the fluctuation levels at larger radii. Moreover, systematic simulation scans show that the self-generated E × B zonal flows profile is very sensitive to the steepening of density equilibrium profile. This suggests that evolving both fluctuations and equilibrium profiles, along with the inclusion of modest axial variation of radial profiles in the model are needed for further improvement of simulation results against the experimental measurements.

  20. Time dependent plasma viscosity and relation between neoclassical transport and turbulent transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaing, K.C.

    2005-01-01

    Time dependent plasma viscosities for asymmetric toroidal plasmas in various collisionality regimes are calculated. It is known that in the symmetric limit the time dependent plasma viscosities accurately describe plasma flow damping rate. Thus, time dependent plasma viscosities are important in modeling the radial electric field of the zonal flow. From the momentum balance equation, it is shown that, at the steady state, the balance of the viscosity force and the momentum source determines the radial electric field of the zonal flow. Thus, for a fixed source, the smaller the viscous force is, the larger the value of the radial electric field is, which in turn suppresses the turbulence fluctuations more and improves turbulence transport. However, the smaller the viscous force also implies the smaller the neoclassical transport fluxes based on the neoclassical flux-force relationship. We thus show that when neoclassical transport fluxes are improved so are the turbulent fluxes in toroidal plasmas. (author)

  1. Wave launching as a diagnostic tool to investigate plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsui, H.Y.W.; Bengtson, R.D.; Li, G.X.; Richards, B.; Uglum, J.; Wootton, A.J.; Uckan, T.

    1994-01-01

    An experimental scheme to extend the investigation of plasma turbulence has been implemented. It involves driving waves into the plasma to modify the statistical properties of the fluctuations; the dynamic balance of the turbulence is perturbed via the injection of waves at selected spectral regions. A conditional sampling technique is used in conjunction with correlation analyses to study the wave launching and the wave-wave coupling processes. Experimental results from TEXT-U tokamak show that the launched waves interact with the intrinsic fluctuations both linearly and nonlinearly. The attainment of driven nonlinearity is necessary for this diagnostic scheme to work. It is also the key to an active modification and control of edge turbulence in tokamaks

  2. Plasma shaping effects on tokamak scrape-off layer turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riva, Fabio; Lanti, Emmanuel; Jolliet, Sébastien; Ricci, Paolo

    2017-03-01

    The impact of plasma shaping on tokamak scrape-off layer (SOL) turbulence is investigated. The drift-reduced Braginskii equations are written for arbitrary magnetic geometries, and an analytical equilibrium model is used to introduce the dependence of turbulence equations on tokamak inverse aspect ratio (ε ), Shafranov’s shift (Δ), elongation (κ), and triangularity (δ). A linear study of plasma shaping effects on the growth rate of resistive ballooning modes (RBMs) and resistive drift waves (RDWs) reveals that RBMs are strongly stabilized by elongation and negative triangularity, while RDWs are only slightly stabilized in non-circular magnetic geometries. Assuming that the linear instabilities saturate due to nonlinear local flattening of the plasma gradient, the equilibrium gradient pressure length {L}p=-{p}e/{{\

  3. Microstructures (clumps) in turbulent plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balescu, R.; Misguich, J.H.

    1977-01-01

    A general analysis of binary correlations in a turbulent plasma leads to a functional relation relating correlations to the one-particle distribution function. Such a relation allows to understand the mechanism of generation of the microstructures or clumps introduced by Dupree. The expressions introduced by this author appear as a lowest approximation of the general equation. The features and interpretation of these microstructures are briefly discussed [fr

  4. Fluid model of the magnetic presheath in a turbulent plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stanojevic, M; Duhovnik, J; Jelic, N; Kendl, A; Kuhn, S

    2005-01-01

    A fluid model of the magnetic presheath in a turbulent boundary plasma is presented. Turbulent transport corrections of the classical three-dimensional fluid transport equations, which can be used to study magnetic presheaths in various geometries, are derived by means of the ensemble averaging procedure from the statistical theory of plasma turbulence. Then, the magnetic presheath in front of an infinite plane surface is analysed in detail. The linearized planar magnetic presheath equations are applied to the plasma-presheath-magnetic-presheath boundary (i.e. the magnetic presheath edge), whereas the original non-linear planar magnetic presheath equations are used for the entire magnetic presheath, allowing for various sets of experimentally relevant free model parameters to be applied. Important new results of this study are, among others, new expressions for the fluid Bohm criterion at the Debye sheath edge and for the ion flux density perpendicular to the wall. These new results, which exhibit corrections due to the turbulent charged particle transport, can qualitatively explain the fact that whenever the angle between the magnetic field and the wall is very small (i.e. several degrees) or zero, electric currents, measured by Langmuir probes in the boundary regions of nuclear fusion devices and in various low-temperature plasmas, are anomalously enhanced in comparison with those expected or predicted by other theoretical models

  5. Coarse Grained Transport Model for Neutrals in Turbulent SOL Plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marandet, Y.; Mekkaoui, A.; Genesio, P.; Rosato, J.; Capes, H.; Godbert-Mouret, L.; Koubiti, M.; Stamm, R., E-mail: yannick.marandet@univ-amu.fr [PIIM, CNRS/Aix-Marseille University, Marseille (France); Reiter, D.; Boerner, P. [IEK4, FZJ, Juelich (Germany)

    2012-09-15

    Full text: Edge plasmas of magnetic fusion devices exhibit strong intermittent turbulence, which governs perpendicular transport of particles and heat. Turbulent fluxes result from the coarse graining procedure used to derive the transport equation, which entails time averaging of the underlying equations governing the turbulent evolution of the electron and ion fluids. In previous works, we have pointed out that this averaging is not carried out on the Boltzmann equation that describes the transport of neutral particles (atoms, molecules) in current edge code suites (such as SOLPS). Since fluctuations in the far SOL are of order unity, calculating the transport of neutral particles, hence the source terms in plasma fluid equations, in the average plasma background might lead to misleading results. In particular, retaining the effects of fluctuations could affect the estimation of the importance of main chamber recycling, hence first wall sputtering by charge exchange atoms, as well as main chamber impurity contamination and transport. In this contribution, we obtain an exact coarse-grained equation for the average neutral density, assuming that density fluctuations are described by multivariate Gamma statistics. This equation is a scattering free Boltzmann equation, where the ionization rate has been renormalized to account for fluctuations. The coarse grained transport model for neutrals has been implemented in the EIRENE code, and applications in 2D geometry with ITER relevant plasma parameters are presented. Our results open the way for the implementation of the effects of turbulent fluctuations on the transport of neutral particles in coupled plasma/neutral edge codes like B2-EIRENE. (author)

  6. Numerical investigation of kinetic turbulence in relativistic pair plasmas - I. Turbulence statistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhdankin, Vladimir; Uzdensky, Dmitri A.; Werner, Gregory R.; Begelman, Mitchell C.

    2018-02-01

    We describe results from particle-in-cell simulations of driven turbulence in collisionless, magnetized, relativistic pair plasma. This physical regime provides a simple setting for investigating the basic properties of kinetic turbulence and is relevant for high-energy astrophysical systems such as pulsar wind nebulae and astrophysical jets. In this paper, we investigate the statistics of turbulent fluctuations in simulations on lattices of up to 10243 cells and containing up to 2 × 1011 particles. Due to the absence of a cooling mechanism in our simulations, turbulent energy dissipation reduces the magnetization parameter to order unity within a few dynamical times, causing turbulent motions to become sub-relativistic. In the developed stage, our results agree with predictions from magnetohydrodynamic turbulence phenomenology at inertial-range scales, including a power-law magnetic energy spectrum with index near -5/3, scale-dependent anisotropy of fluctuations described by critical balance, lognormal distributions for particle density and internal energy density (related by a 4/3 adiabatic index, as predicted for an ultra-relativistic ideal gas), and the presence of intermittency. We also present possible signatures of a kinetic cascade by measuring power-law spectra for the magnetic, electric and density fluctuations at sub-Larmor scales.

  7. Low-dimensional model of resistive interchange convection in magnetized plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bazdenkov, S.; Sato, Tetsuya

    1997-09-01

    Self-organization and generation of large shear flow component in turbulent resistive interchange convection in magnetized plasma is considered. The effect of plasma density-electrostatic potential coupling via the inertialess electron dynamics along the magnetic field is shown to play significant role in the onset of shear component. The results of large-scale numerical simulation and low-dimensional (reduced) model are presented and compared. (author)

  8. Langmuir turbulence in space plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goldman, M.V. [Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO (United States); Newman, D.L. [Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO (United States); Wang, J.G. [Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO (United States); Muschietti, L. [California Univ., Berkeley (United States). Space Sciences Lab.

    1996-11-01

    Recent developments in theoretical and numerical modeling of Langmuir turbulence in space and laboratory plasmas are addressed. Kinetic effects, which have been missing from (fluid) traditional Zakharov equation models are explored using Vlasov code simulations. These studies are motivated by beam-driven Langmuir waves and particle distributions measured in earth`s foreshock region, and by beam-driven Langmuir waves and beams that underlie type III solar radio emission in the solar wind. The nonlinear physical processes studied in these 1-D Vlasov simulations include both wave-wave interactions and acceleration of particles by waves-leading to electron-beam flattening. We study bump-on-tail instabilities as boundary value problems, and determine the interplay in space and time between beam plateau formation, stimulated wave-wave backscatter cascades, and strong turbulence wave-packet collapse. (orig.).

  9. Self-consistent dynamo-like activity in turbulent plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhattacharjee, A.; Hameiri, E.

    1986-05-01

    The evolution of turbulent plasmas is investigated within the framework of resistive magnetohydrodynamics. The functional form of the mean electric field is derived for fluctuations generated by tearing and resistive interchange modes. It is shown that a bath of such local and global modes in pinches causes toroidal field-reversal with finite pressure gradients in the plasma

  10. Characterization and parametric dependencies of low wavenumber pedestal turbulence in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, D. R.; Fonck, R. J.; McKee, G. R.; Thompson, D. S. [Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Bell, R. E.; Diallo, A.; Guttenfelder, W.; Kaye, S. M.; LeBlanc, B. P.; Podesta, M. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

    2013-05-15

    The spherical torus edge region is among the most challenging regimes for plasma turbulence simulations. Here, we measure the spatial and temporal properties of ion-scale turbulence in the steep gradient region of H-mode pedestals during edge localized mode-free, MHD quiescent periods in the National Spherical Torus Experiment. Poloidal correlation lengths are about 10 ρ{sub i}, and decorrelation times are about 5 a/c{sub s}. Next, we introduce a model aggregation technique to identify parametric dependencies among turbulence quantities and transport-relevant plasma parameters. The parametric dependencies show the most agreement with transport driven by trapped-electron mode, kinetic ballooning mode, and microtearing mode turbulence, and the least agreement with ion temperature gradient turbulence. In addition, the parametric dependencies are consistent with turbulence regulation by flow shear and the empirical relationship between wider pedestals and larger turbulent structures.

  11. Simulations of drift resistive ballooning L-mode turbulence in the edge plasma of the DIII-D tokamak

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cohen, B. I.; Umansky, M. V.; Nevins, W. M.; Makowski, M. A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Boedo, J. A.; Rudakov, D. L. [University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); McKee, G. R.; Yan, Z. [University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Groebner, R. J. [General Atomics, P.O. Box 85608, San Diego, California 92186 (United States)

    2013-05-15

    Results from simulations of electromagnetic drift-resistive ballooning turbulence for tokamak edge turbulence in realistic single-null geometry are reported. The calculations are undertaken with the BOUT three-dimensional fluid code that solves Braginskii-based fluid equations [X. Q. Xu and R. H. Cohen, Contrib. Plasma Phys. 36, 158 (1998)]. The simulation setup models L-mode edge plasma parameters in the actual magnetic geometry of the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon et al., Fusion Sci. Technol. 48, 807 (2002)]. The computations track the development of drift-resistive ballooning turbulence in the edge region to saturation. Fluctuation amplitudes, fluctuation spectra, and particle and thermal fluxes are compared to experimental data near the outer midplane from Langmuir probe and beam-emission-spectroscopy for a few well-characterized L-mode discharges in DIII-D. The simulations are comprised of a suite of runs in which the physics model is varied to include more fluid fields and physics terms. The simulations yield results for fluctuation amplitudes, correlation lengths, particle and energy fluxes, and diffusivities that agree with measurements within an order of magnitude and within factors of 2 or better for some of the data. The agreement of the simulations with the experimental measurements varies with respect to including more physics in the model equations within the suite of models investigated. The simulations show stabilizing effects of sheared E × B poloidal rotation (imposed zonal flow) and of lower edge electron temperature and density.

  12. Communication through a plasma sheet around a fast moving vehicle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sotnikov, V. I.; Mudaliar, S.; Genoni, T.; Rose, D.; Oliver, B. V.; Mehlhorn, T. A.

    2011-10-01

    Investigation of the complicated problem of scattering of electromagnetic waves on turbulent pulsations induced by a sheared flow inside a plasma sheath is important for many applications including communication with hypersonic and re-entry vehicles. Theoretical and computational work aimed at improving the understanding of electromagnetic wave scattering processes in such turbulent plasmas is presented. We analyze excitation of low frequency ion-acoustic type oscillations in a compressible plasma flow with flow velocity shear and influence of such turbulent pulsations on scattering of high frequency electromagnetic waves used for communication purposes. We have appropriately included in our analysis the presence of electron and ion collisions with neutrals as well as electron - ion collisions. Results of numerical solutions for plasma density and electric field perturbations for different velocity profiles have been used in the derived expressions for scattered wave energy and scattering cross section. Work supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory and Air Force Office Of Scientific Research Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, A Lockheed Martin Company, under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

  13. Tripolar vortices of dust-drift waves in dusty plasma with shear flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Yinhua; Wang Ge

    2002-01-01

    Nonlinear equations governing dust-drift waves in magnetized dusty plasma with transverse shear flow are derived. For the specific profiles of flow and the plasma equilibrium density, a new type of solution in the form of tripolar vortices is found. The results show that the peak magnitude of tripolar vortices increases with increasing shear intensity and dust content

  14. Streaming instability in a velocity–sheared dusty plasma | Duwa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A two-stream instability, obtained from kinetic theory, of strongly velocity-sheared inhomogeneous streaming electron in a magnetized plasma in the presence of negatively charged dust is discussed. Various cold plasma approximations were considered and it is shown that when the diamagnetic effect of ion can be ignored ...

  15. Suppression of turbulent resistivity in turbulent Couette flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Si, Jiahe; Colgate, Stirling A.; Sonnenfeld, Richard G.; Nornberg, Mark D.; Li, Hui; Colgate, Arthur S.; Westpfahl, David J.; Romero, Van D.; Martinic, Joe

    2015-07-01

    Turbulent transport in rapidly rotating shear flow very efficiently transports angular momentum, a critical feature of instabilities responsible both for the dynamics of accretion disks and the turbulent power dissipation in a centrifuge. Turbulent mixing can efficiently transport other quantities like heat and even magnetic flux by enhanced diffusion. This enhancement is particularly evident in homogeneous, isotropic turbulent flows of liquid metals. In the New Mexico dynamo experiment, the effective resistivity is measured using both differential rotation and pulsed magnetic field decay to demonstrate that at very high Reynolds number rotating shear flow can be described entirely by mean flow induction with very little contribution from correlated velocity fluctuations.

  16. Suppression of turbulent resistivity in turbulent Couette flow

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Si, Jiahe, E-mail: jsi@nmt.edu; Sonnenfeld, Richard G.; Colgate, Arthur S.; Westpfahl, David J.; Romero, Van D.; Martinic, Joe [New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico 87801 (United States); Colgate, Stirling A.; Li, Hui [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544 (United States); Nornberg, Mark D. [University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

    2015-07-15

    Turbulent transport in rapidly rotating shear flow very efficiently transports angular momentum, a critical feature of instabilities responsible both for the dynamics of accretion disks and the turbulent power dissipation in a centrifuge. Turbulent mixing can efficiently transport other quantities like heat and even magnetic flux by enhanced diffusion. This enhancement is particularly evident in homogeneous, isotropic turbulent flows of liquid metals. In the New Mexico dynamo experiment, the effective resistivity is measured using both differential rotation and pulsed magnetic field decay to demonstrate that at very high Reynolds number rotating shear flow can be described entirely by mean flow induction with very little contribution from correlated velocity fluctuations.

  17. Suppression of turbulent resistivity in turbulent Couette flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Si, Jiahe; Sonnenfeld, Richard G.; Colgate, Arthur S.; Westpfahl, David J.; Romero, Van D.; Martinic, Joe; Colgate, Stirling A.; Li, Hui; Nornberg, Mark D.

    2015-01-01

    Turbulent transport in rapidly rotating shear flow very efficiently transports angular momentum, a critical feature of instabilities responsible both for the dynamics of accretion disks and the turbulent power dissipation in a centrifuge. Turbulent mixing can efficiently transport other quantities like heat and even magnetic flux by enhanced diffusion. This enhancement is particularly evident in homogeneous, isotropic turbulent flows of liquid metals. In the New Mexico dynamo experiment, the effective resistivity is measured using both differential rotation and pulsed magnetic field decay to demonstrate that at very high Reynolds number rotating shear flow can be described entirely by mean flow induction with very little contribution from correlated velocity fluctuations

  18. Bispectral experimental estimation of the nonlinear energy transfer in two-dimensional plasma turbulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manz, P.; Ramisch, M.; Stroth, U.

    2008-01-01

    Experimental density and potential fluctuation data from a 2D probe array have been analysed to study the turbulent cascade in a toroidally confined magnetized plasma. The bispectral analysis technique used is from Ritz et al ( 1989 Phys. Fluids B 1 153) and Kim et al ( 1996 Phys. Plasmas 3 3998...... scales. This is the first experimental evidence for the dual turbulent cascade in a magnetized plasma....

  19. Progress in gyrokinetic simulations of toroidal ITG turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nevins, W.M.; Dimits, A.M.; Cohen, B.I.; Shumaker, D.E.

    2001-01-01

    The 3-D nonlinear toroidal gyrokinetic simulation code PG3EQ is used to study toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven turbulence - a key cause of the anomalous transport that limits tokamak plasma performance. Systematic studies of the dependence of ion thermal transport on various parameters and effects are presented, including dependence on E-vectorxB-vector and toroidal velocity shear, sensitivity to the force balance in simulations with radial temperature gradient variation, and the dependences on magnetic shear and ion temperature gradient. (author)

  20. Plasma turbulence imaging using high-power laser Thomson scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zweben, S. J.; Caird, J.; Davis, W.; Johnson, D. W.; Le Blanc, B. P.

    2001-01-01

    The two-dimensional (2D) structure of plasma density turbulence in a magnetically confined plasma can potentially be measured using a Thomson scattering system made from components of the Nova laser of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. For a plasma such as the National Spherical Torus Experiment at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, the laser would form an ≈10-cm-wide plane sheet beam passing vertically through the chamber across the magnetic field. The scattered light would be imaged by a charge coupled device camera viewing along the direction of the magnetic field. The laser energy required to make 2D images of density turbulence is in the range 1-3 kJ, which can potentially be obtained from a set of frequency-doubled Nd:glass amplifiers with diameters in the range of 208-315 mm. A laser pulse width of ⩽100 ns would be short enough to capture the highest frequency components of the expected density fluctuations.

  1. Controls on Turbulent Mixing in a Strongly Stratified and Sheared Tidal River Plume

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jurisa, Joseph T.; Nash, Jonathan D.; Moum, James N.; Kilcher, Levi F.

    2016-08-01

    Considerable effort has been made to parameterize turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate ..epsilon.. and mixing in buoyant plumes and stratified shear flows. Here, a parameterization based on Kunze et al. is examined, which estimates ..epsilon.. as the amount of energy contained in an unstable shear layer (Ri < Ric) that must be dissipated to increase the Richardson number Ri = N2/S2 to a critical value Ric within a turbulent decay time scale. Observations from the tidal Columbia River plume are used to quantitatively assess the relevant parameters controlling ..epsilon.. over a range of tidal and river discharge forcings. Observed ..epsilon.. is found to be characterized by Kunze et al.'s form within a factor of 2, while exhibiting slightly decreased skill near Ri = Ric. Observed dissipation rates are compared to estimates from a constant interfacial drag formulation that neglects the direct effects of stratification. This is found to be appropriate in energetic regimes when the bulk-averaged Richardson number Rib is less than Ric/4. However, when Rib > Ric/4, the effects of stratification must be included. Similarly, ..epsilon.. scaled by the bulk velocity and density differences over the plume displays a clear dependence on Rib, decreasing as Rib approaches Ric. The Kunze et al. ..epsilon.. parameterization is modified to form an expression for the nondimensional dissipation rate that is solely a function of Rib, displaying good agreement with the observations. It is suggested that this formulation is broadly applicable for unstable to marginally unstable stratified shear flows.

  2. Structure of high and low shear-stress events in a turbulent boundary layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomit, G.; de Kat, R.; Ganapathisubramani, B.

    2018-01-01

    Simultaneous particle image velocimetry (PIV) and wall-shear-stress sensor measurements were performed to study structures associated with shear-stress events in a flat plate turbulent boundary layer at a Reynolds number Reτ≈4000 . The PIV field of view covers 8 δ (where δ is the boundary layer thickness) along the streamwise direction and captures the entire boundary layer in the wall-normal direction. Simultaneously, wall-shear-stress measurements that capture the large-scale fluctuations were taken using a spanwise array of hot-film skin-friction sensors (spanning 2 δ ). Based on this combination of measurements, the organization of the conditional wall-normal and streamwise velocity fluctuations (u and v ) and of the Reynolds shear stress (-u v ) can be extracted. Conditional averages of the velocity field are computed by dividing the histogram of the large-scale wall-shear-stress fluctuations into four quartiles, each containing 25% of the occurrences. The conditional events corresponding to the extreme quartiles of the histogram (positive and negative) predominantly contribute to a change of velocity profile associated with the large structures and in the modulation of the small scales. A detailed examination of the Reynolds shear-stress contribution related to each of the four quartiles shows that the flow above a low wall-shear-stress event carries a larger amount of Reynolds shear stress than the other quartiles. The contribution of the small and large scales to this observation is discussed based on a scale decomposition of the velocity field.

  3. Transport of thermal plasma above the auroral ionosphere in the presence of electrostatic ion-cyclotron turbulence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. E. Zakharov

    Full Text Available The electron component of intensive electric currents flowing along the geomagnetic field lines excites turbulence in the thermal magnetospheric plasma. The protons are then scattered by the excited electromagnetic waves, and as a result the plasma is stable. As the electron and ion temperatures of the background plasma are approximately equal each other, here electrostatic ion-cyclotron (EIC turbulence is considered. In the nonisothermal plasma the ion-acoustic turbulence may occur additionally. The anomalous resistivity of the plasma causes large-scale differences of the electrostatic potential along the magnetic field lines. The presence of these differences provides heating and acceleration of the thermal and energetic auroral plasma. The investigation of the energy and momentum balance of the plasma and waves in the turbulent region is performed numerically, taking the magnetospheric convection and thermal conductivity of the plasma into account. As shown for the quasi-steady state, EIC turbulence may provide differences of the electric potential of ΔV≈1–10 kV at altitudes of 500 < h < 10 000 km above the Earth's surface. In the turbulent region, the temperatures of the electrons and protons increase only a few times in comparison with the background values.

    Key words. Magnetospheric physics (electric fields; plasma waves and instabilities

     

  4. Radio images of the interplanetary turbulent plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlasov, V.I.

    1979-01-01

    The results of the interplanetary scintillation daily observations of approximately 140 radio sources are given. The observations were carried out at the radiotelescope VLPA FIAN during 24 days in October-November 1975 and 6 days in April 1976. The maps (radio images) of interplanetary turbulent plasma are presented. The analysis of the maps reveals the presence of large-scale irregularities in the interplanetary plasma. The variability in large-scale structure of the interplanetary plasma is due mainly to transport of matter from the Sun. A comparison of the scintillation with the geomagnetic activity index detected the presence of a straight connection between them

  5. Intermittent and global transitions in plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlad, M.; Spineanu, F.; Itoh, K.; Itoh, S.-I.

    2003-07-01

    The dynamics of the transition processes in plasma turbulence described by the nonlinear Langevin equation (1) is studied. We show that intermittent or global transitions between metastable states can appear. The conditions for the generation of these transitions and their statistical characteristics are determined. (author)

  6. ENERGY DISSIPATION AND LANDAU DAMPING IN TWO- AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL PLASMA TURBULENCE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Tak Chu; Howes, Gregory G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States); Klein, Kristopher G. [Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States); TenBarge, Jason M. [IREAP, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States)

    2016-12-01

    Plasma turbulence is ubiquitous in space and astrophysical plasmas, playing an important role in plasma energization, but the physical mechanisms leading to dissipation of the turbulent energy remain to be definitively identified. Kinetic simulations in two dimensions (2D) have been extensively used to study the dissipation process. How the limitation to 2D affects energy dissipation remains unclear. This work provides a model of comparison between two- and three-dimensional (3D) plasma turbulence using gyrokinetic simulations; it also explores the dynamics of distribution functions during the dissipation process. It is found that both 2D and 3D nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of a low-beta plasma generate electron velocity-space structures with the same characteristics as that of the linear Landau damping of Alfvén waves in a 3D linear simulation. The continual occurrence of the velocity-space structures throughout the turbulence simulations suggests that the action of Landau damping may be responsible for the turbulent energy transfer to electrons in both 2D and 3D, and makes possible the subsequent irreversible heating of the plasma through collisional smoothing of the velocity-space fluctuations. Although, in the 2D case where variation along the equilibrium magnetic field is absent, it may be expected that Landau damping is not possible, a common trigonometric factor appears in the 2D resonant denominator, leaving the resonance condition unchanged from the 3D case. The evolution of the 2D and 3D cases is qualitatively similar. However, quantitatively, the nonlinear energy cascade and subsequent dissipation is significantly slower in the 2D case.

  7. Statistical theory of plasmas turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Eun-jin; Anderson, Johan

    2009-01-01

    We present a statistical theory of intermittency in plasma turbulence based on short-lived coherent structures (instantons). In general, the probability density functions (PDFs) of the flux R are shown to have an exponential scaling P(R) ∝ exp (-cR s ) in the tails. In ion-temperature-gradient turbulence, the exponent takes the value s=3/2 for momentum flux and s=3 for zonal flow formation. The value of s follows from the order of the highest nonlinear interaction term and the moments for which the PDFs are computed. The constant c depends on the spatial profile of the coherent structure and other physical parameters in the model. Our theory provides a powerful mechanism for ubiquitous exponential scalings of PDFs, often observed in various tokamaks. Implications of the results, in particular, on structure formation are further discussed. (author)

  8. Mean wall-shear stress measurements using the micro-pillar shear-stress sensor MPS3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Große, S; Schröder, W

    2008-01-01

    A new sensor to measure the mean turbulent wall-shear stress in turbulent flows is described. The wall-shear stress sensor MPS 3 has been tested in a well-defined fully developed turbulent pipe flow at Reynolds numbers Re b based on the bulk velocity U b and the pipe diameter D in the range of Re b = 10 000–20 000. The results demonstrate a convincing agreement of the mean wall-shear stress obtained with the new sensor technique with analytical and experimental results from the literature. The sensor device consists of a flexible micro-pillar that extends from the wall into the viscous sublayer. Bending due to the exerting fluid forces, the pillar-tip deflection serves as a measure for the local wall-shear stress. The sensor concept, calibration techniques, the achievable accuracy and error estimates, the fields of application and the sensor limits will be discussed. Furthermore, a first estimate of the pillar dynamic response will be derived showing the potential of the sensor to also measure the turbulent fluctuating wall-shear stress

  9. Sheared flow layer formation in tokamak plasmas with reversed magnetic shear

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, J.Q.; Long, Y.X.; Mou, Z.Z.; Zhang, J.H.; Li, J.Q.

    2005-01-01

    Sheared flow layer (SFL) formation due to magnetic energy release through tearing-reconnections in tokamak plasmas is investigated. The characteristics of the SFLs created in the development of double tearing mode, mediated by electron viscosity in configurations with non-monotonic safety factor q profiles and, therefore, two rational flux surfaces of same q value, are analyzed in detail as an example. Quasi-linear simulations demonstrate that the sheared flows induced by the mode have desirable characteristics (lying at the boundaries of the magnetic islands), and sufficient levels required for internal transport barrier (ITB) formation. A possible correlation of the SFLs with experimental observations, that double transport barrier structures are preferentially formed in proximity of the two rational surfaces, is also proffered. (author)

  10. Energy Transfer and Dual Cascade in Kinetic Magnetized Plasma Turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plunk, G. G.; Tatsuno, T.

    2011-01-01

    The question of how nonlinear interactions redistribute the energy of fluctuations across available degrees of freedom is of fundamental importance in the study of turbulence and transport in magnetized weakly collisional plasmas, ranging from space settings to fusion devices. In this Letter, we present a theory for the dual cascade found in such plasmas, which predicts a range of new behavior that distinguishes this cascade from that of neutral fluid turbulence. These phenomena are explained in terms of the constrained nature of spectral transfer in nonlinear gyrokinetics. Accompanying this theory are the first observations of these phenomena, obtained via direct numerical simulations using the gyrokinetic code AstroGK. The basic mechanisms that are found provide a framework for understanding the turbulent energy transfer that couples scales both locally and nonlocally.

  11. Energy Transfer and Dual Cascade in Kinetic Magnetized Plasma Turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plunk, G. G.; Tatsuno, T.

    2011-04-01

    The question of how nonlinear interactions redistribute the energy of fluctuations across available degrees of freedom is of fundamental importance in the study of turbulence and transport in magnetized weakly collisional plasmas, ranging from space settings to fusion devices. In this Letter, we present a theory for the dual cascade found in such plasmas, which predicts a range of new behavior that distinguishes this cascade from that of neutral fluid turbulence. These phenomena are explained in terms of the constrained nature of spectral transfer in nonlinear gyrokinetics. Accompanying this theory are the first observations of these phenomena, obtained via direct numerical simulations using the gyrokinetic code AstroGK. The basic mechanisms that are found provide a framework for understanding the turbulent energy transfer that couples scales both locally and nonlocally.

  12. Final Report for Grant DE-FG03-99ER54551. [Turbulent plasma transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David Newman

    2003-01-01

    The approach to treating plasma transport based on the paradigm of self-organized criticality (SOC) is largely due to the success of this paradigm as an explanation for some of the discrepancies between theoretical predictions of turbulent transport and the experimental observations. Characteristics of SOC systems are that they maintain average profiles that are linearly stable and yet are able to sustain active transport dynamics (as often observed in experiment). The dominant transport scales in SOC systems are not the underlying local fluctuation scales but are the scales of the system (again as often observed). Finally, in the presence of sheared flow, the transport can exhibit a large reduction in system sized transport. This reduction is accompanied by an increase in fluctuation (bursty) events needed to maintain the constant flux, this too is something that has been observed

  13. Intrinsic non-inductive current driven by ETG turbulence in tokamaks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Rameswar; Kaw, P. K.; Singh, R.; Gürcan, Ã.-. D.

    2017-10-01

    Motivated by observations and physics understanding of the phenomenon of intrinsic rotation, it is suggested that similar considerations for electron dynamics may result in intrinsic current in tokamaks. We have investigated the possibility of intrinsic non-inductive current in the turbulent plasma of tokamaks. Ohm's law is generalized to include the effect of turbulent fluctuations in the mean field approach. This clearly leads to the identification of sources and the mechanisms of non-inductive current drive by electron temperature gradient turbulence. It is found that a mean parallel electro-motive force and hence a mean parallel current can be generated by (1) the divergence of residual current flux density and (2) a non-flux like turbulent source from the density and parallel electric field correlations. Both residual flux and the non-flux source require parallel wave-number k∥ symmetry breaking for their survival which can be supplied by various means like mean E × B shear, turbulence intensity gradient, etc. Estimates of turbulence driven current are compared with the background bootstrap current in the pedestal region. It is found that turbulence driven current is nearly 10% of the bootstrap current and hence can have a significant influence on the equilibrium current density profiles and current shear driven modes.

  14. Arc Voltage Fluctuation in DC Laminar and Turbulent Plasma Jets Generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Wenxia; Meng Xian; Wu Chengkang

    2006-01-01

    Arc voltage fluctuations in a direct current (DC) non-transferred arc plasma generator are experimentally studied, in generating a jet in the laminar, transitional and turbulent regimes. The study is with a view toward elucidating the mechanism of the fluctuations and their relationship with the generating parameters, arc root movement and flow regimes. Results indicate that the existence of a 300 Hz alternating current (AC) component in the power supply ripples does not cause the transition of the laminar plasma jet into a turbulent state. There exists a high frequency fluctuation at 4 kHz in the turbulent jet regime. It may be related to the rapid movement of the anode attachment point of the arc

  15. STURM: Resuspension mesocosms with realistic bottom shear stress and water column turbulence for benthic-pelagic coupling studies: Design and Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanford, L. P.; Porter, E.; Porter, F. S.; Mason, R. P.

    2016-02-01

    Shear TUrbulence Resuspension Mesocosm (STURM) tanks, with high instantaneous bottom shear stress and realistic water column mixing in a single system, allow more realistic benthic-pelagic coupling studies that include sediment resuspension. The 1 m3 tanks can be programmed to produce tidal or episodic sediment resuspension over extended time periods (e.g. 4 weeks), over muddy sediments with or without infaunal organisms. The STURM tanks use a resuspension paddle that produces uniform bottom shear stress across the sediment surface while gently mixing a 1 m deep overlying water column. The STURM tanks can be programmed to different magnitudes, frequencies, and durations of bottom shear stress (and thus resuspension) with proportional water column turbulence levels over a wide range of mixing settings for benthic-pelagic coupling experiments. Over eight STURM calibration settings, turbulence intensity ranged from 0.55 to 4.52 cm s-1, energy dissipation rate from 0.0032 to 2.65 cm2 s-3, the average bottom shear stress from 0.0068 to 0.19 Pa, and the instantaneous bottom shear stress from 0.07 to 2.0 Pa. Mixing settings can be chosen as desired and/or varied over the experiment, based on the scientific question at hand. We have used the STURM tanks for four 4-week benthic-pelagic coupling ecosystem experiments with tidal resuspension with or without infaunal bivalves, for stepwise erosion experiments with and without infaunal bivalves, for experiments on oyster biodeposit resuspension, to mimic storms overlain on tidal resuspension, and for experiments on the effects of varying frequency and duration of resuspension on the release of sedimentary contaminants. The large size of the tanks allows water quality and particle measurements using standard oceanographic instrumentation. The realistic scale and complexity of the contained ecosystems has revealed indirect feedbacks and responses that are not observable in smaller, less complex experimental systems.

  16. Direct test of a nonlinear constitutive equation for simple turbulent shear flows using DNS data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitt, François G.

    2007-10-01

    Several nonlinear constitutive equations have been proposed to overcome the limitations of the linear eddy-viscosity models to describe complex turbulent flows. These nonlinear equations have often been compared to experimental data through the outputs of numerical models. Here we perform a priori analysis of nonlinear eddy-viscosity models using direct numerical simulation (DNS) of simple shear flows. In this paper, the constitutive equation is directly checked using a tensor projection which involves several invariants of the flow. This provides a 3 terms development which is exact for 2D flows, and a best approximation for 3D flows. We provide the quadratic nonlinear constitutive equation for the near-wall region of simple shear flows using DNS data, and estimate their coefficients. We show that these coefficients have several common properties for the different simple shear flow databases considered. We also show that in the central region of pipe flows, where the shear rate is very small, the coefficients of the constitutive equation diverge, indicating the failure of this representation for vanishing shears.

  17. Turbulence in two-phase flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sullivan, J.P.; Houze, R.N.; Buenger, D.E.; Theofanous, T.G.

    1981-01-01

    Hot film Anemometry and Laser Doppler Velocimetry have been employed in this work to study the turbulence characteristics of Bubbly and Stratified two-phase flows, respectively. Extensive consistency checks were made to establish the reliability and hence the utility of these experimental techniques for the measurement of turbulence in two-phase flows. Buoyancy-driven turbulence in vertical bubbly flows has been identified experimentally and correlated in terms of a shear velocity superposition approach. This approach provides a criterion for the demarcation of the buoyancy-driven turbulence region from the wall shear-generated turbulence region. Our data confirm the roughly isotropic behavior expected for buoyancy-driven turbulence. Upgrading of our experimental system will permit investigations of the wall-shear dominated regime (i.e., isotropy, superposition approach, etc.). The stratified flow data demonstrate clearly that the maximum in the mean velocity profile does not coincide with the zero shear plane, indicating the existence of a negative eddy viscosity region. Previous studies do not take into account this difference and thus they yield incorrect friction factor data in addition to certain puzzling behavior in the upper wall region. The conditioned turbulence data in the wavy region indicate interesting trends and that an appropriate normalization of intensities must take into account the shear velocity at the interfacial (wavy) region

  18. Analysis of zonal flow bifurcations in 3D drift wave turbulence simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kammel, Andreas

    2012-01-01

    The main issue of experimental magnetic fusion devices lies with their inherently high turbulent transport, preventing long-term plasma confinement. A deeper understanding of the underlying transport processes is therefore desirable, especially in the high-gradient tokamak edge which marks the location of the drift wave regime as well as the outer boundary of the still badly understood high confinement mode. One of the most promising plasma features possibly connected to a complete bifurcation theory for the transition to this H-mode is found in large-scale phenomena capable of regulating radial transport through vortex shearing - i.e. zonal flows, linearly stable large-scale poloidal vector E x vector B-modes based on radial flux surface averages of the potential gradient generated through turbulent self-organization. Despite their relevance, few detailed turbulence studies of drift wave-based zonal flows have been undertaken, and none of them have explicitly targeted bifurcations - or, within a resistive sheared-slab environment, observed zonal flows at all. In this work, both analytical means and the two-fluid code NLET are used to analyze a reduced set of Hasegawa-Wakatani equations, describing a sheared collisional drift wave system without curvature. The characteristics of the drift waves themselves, as well as those of the drift wave-based zonal flows and their retroaction on the drift wave turbulence are examined. The single dimensionless parameter ρ s proposed in previous analytical models is examined numerically and shown to divide the drift wave scale into two transport regimes, the behavioral characteristics of which agree perfectly with theoretical expectations. This transport transition correlates with a transition from pure drift wave turbulence at low ρ s into the high-ρ s zonal flow regime. The associated threshold has been more clearly identified by tracing it back to a tipping of the ratio between a newly proposed frequency gradient length at

  19. Scaling of plasma turbulence resulting from parametric instabilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ott, E.

    1976-01-01

    Dimensional analysis is used to obtain results on the turbulent state resulting from parametric instabilities of an initially cold plasma. The results include the possibility of an applied magnetic field, multiple ion species, and arbitrary dimensionality

  20. Spontaneous emission of electromagnetic radiation in turbulent plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ziebell, L. F., E-mail: luiz.ziebell@ufrgs.br [Instituto de Física, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil); Yoon, P. H., E-mail: yoonp@umd.edu [School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Gyeonggi 446-701, South Korea and University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States); Simões, F. J. R.; Pavan, J. [Instituto de Física e Matemática, UFPel, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil); Gaelzer, R. [Instituto de Física, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil); Instituto de Física e Matemática, UFPel, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil)

    2014-01-15

    Known radiation emission mechanisms in plasmas include bremmstrahlung (or free-free emission), gyro- and synchrotron radiation, cyclotron maser, and plasma emission. For unmagnetized plasmas, only bremmstrahlung and plasma emissions are viable. Of these, bremmstrahlung becomes inoperative in the absence of collisions, and the plasma emission requires the presence of electron beam, followed by various scattering and conversion processes. The present Letter proposes a new type of radiation emission process for plasmas in a state of thermodynamic quasi-equilibrium between particles and enhanced Langmuir turbulence. The radiation emission mechanism proposed in the present Letter is not predicted by the linear theory of thermal plasmas, but it relies on nonlinear wave-particle resonance processes. The electromagnetic particle-in-cell numerical simulation supports the new mechanism.

  1. Turbulence simulations of blob formation and radial propagation in toroidally magnetized plasmas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garcia, O.E.; Naulin, V.; Nielsen, A.H.

    2006-01-01

    the presence of long- range correlations in the particle density fluctuations. Finally, conditional statistics of the particle flux demonstrates the intermittency of the turbulent plasma transport and the quasi-periodic apparency of blob structures due to bursting in the global turbulence level....... of particles and heat, which is coupled to a scrape-off layer with linear damping terms for all dependent variables corresponding to transport along open magnetic field lines. The formation of blob structures is related to profile variations caused by bursting in the global turbulence level, which is due...... to a dynamical regulation by self- sustained differential rotation of the plasma layer. Radial propagation of the blob structures follows from a vertical charge polarization due to magnetic guiding centre drifts in the toroidally magnetized plasma. Statistical analysis of the particle density, radial electric...

  2. Statistical analysis of anomalous transport in resistive interchange turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugama, Hideo; Wakatani, Masahiro.

    1992-01-01

    A new anomalous transport model for resistive interchange turbulence is derived from statistical analysis applying two-scale direct-interaction approximation to resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations with a gravity term. Our model is similar to the K-ε model for eddy viscosity of turbulent shear flows in that anomalous transport coefficients are expressed in terms of by the turbulent kinetic energy K and its dissipation rate ε while K and ε are determined by transport equations. This anomalous transport model can describe some nonlocal effects such as those from boundary conditions which cannot be treated by conventional models based on the transport coefficients represented by locally determined plasma parameters. (author)

  3. FAST MAGNETIC FIELD AMPLIFICATION IN THE EARLY UNIVERSE: GROWTH OF COLLISIONLESS PLASMA INSTABILITIES IN TURBULENT MEDIA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Falceta-Gonçalves, D. [SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Kowal, G. [Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Arlindo Bettio, 1000, São Paulo, SP 03828-000 (Brazil)

    2015-07-20

    In this work we report on a numerical study of the cosmic magnetic field amplification due to collisionless plasma instabilities. The collisionless magnetohydrodynamic equations derived account for the pressure anisotropy that leads, in specific conditions, to the firehose and mirror instabilities. We study the time evolution of seed fields in turbulence under the influence of such instabilities. An approximate analytical time evolution of the magnetic field is provided. The numerical simulations and the analytical predictions are compared. We found that (i) amplification of the magnetic field was efficient in firehose-unstable turbulent regimes, but not in the mirror-unstable models; (ii) the growth rate of the magnetic energy density is much faster than the turbulent dynamo; and (iii) the efficient amplification occurs at small scales. The analytical prediction for the correlation between the growth timescales and pressure anisotropy is confirmed by the numerical simulations. These results reinforce the idea that pressure anisotropies—driven naturally in a turbulent collisionless medium, e.g., the intergalactic medium, could efficiently amplify the magnetic field in the early universe (post-recombination era), previous to the collapse of the first large-scale gravitational structures. This mechanism, though fast for the small-scale fields (∼kpc scales), is unable to provide relatively strong magnetic fields at large scales. Other mechanisms that were not accounted for here (e.g., collisional turbulence once instabilities are quenched, velocity shear, or gravitationally induced inflows of gas into galaxies and clusters) could operate afterward to build up large-scale coherent field structures in the long time evolution.

  4. Turbulence effect on Ohm's law in partially ionized plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Numano, M.

    1977-01-01

    An investigation of the effect of nonuniformity on electric current flow in partially ionized plasmas is made. An Ohm's law for a nonuniform plasma was derived, from which Rosa's equation is obtained as a special case. Making use of this new Ohm's law, the effective electrical conductivity and Hall coefficient are determined for isotropically turbulent plasmas. They are found to be in good agreement with the results obtained previously. (author)

  5. Coherent structures and turbulence evolution in magnetized non-neutral plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romé, M.; Chen, S.; Maero, G.

    2018-01-01

    The evolution of turbulence of a magnetized pure electron plasma confined in a Penning-Malmberg trap is investigated by means of a two-dimensional particle-in-cell numerical code. The transverse plasma dynamics is studied both in the case of free evolution and under the influence of non-axisymmetric, multipolar radio-frequency drives applied on the circular conducting boundary. In the latter case the radio-frequency fields are chosen in the frequency range of the low-order azimuthal (diocotron) modes of the plasma in order to investigate their effect on the insurgence of azimuthal instabilities and the formation and evolution of coherent structures, possibly preventing the relaxation to a fully-developed turbulent state. Different initial density distributions (rings and spirals) are considered, so that evolutions characterized by different levels of turbulence and intermittency are obtained. The time evolution of integral and spectral quantities of interest are computed using a multiresolution analysis based on a wavelet decomposition of density maps. Qualitative features of turbulent relaxation are found to be similar in conditions of both free and forced evolution, but the analysis allows one to highlight fine details of the flow beyond the self-similarity turbulence properties, so that the influence of the initial conditions and the effect of the external forcing can be distinguished. In particular, the presence of small inhomogeneities in the initial density configuration turns out to lead to quite different final states, especially in the presence of competing unstable diocotron modes characterized by similar growth rates.

  6. Investigation of small-scale tokamak plasma turbulence by correlative UHR backscattering diagnostics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gusakov, E Z; Gurchenko, A D; Altukhov, A B; Bulanin, V V; Esipov, L A; Kantor, M Yu; Kouprienko, D V; Lashkul, S I; Petrov, A V; Stepanov, A Yu

    2006-01-01

    Fine scale turbulence is considered nowadays as a possible candidate for the explanation of anomalous ion and electron energy transport in magnetized fusion plasmas. The unique correlative upper hybrid resonance backscattering (UHR BS) technique is applied at the FT-2 tokamak for investigation of density fluctuations excited in this turbulence. The measurements are carried out in Ohmic discharge at several values of plasma current and density and during current ramp up experiment. The moveable focusing antennas set have been used in experiments allowing probing out of equatorial plane. The radial wave number spectra of the small-scale component of tokamak turbulence are determined from the correlation data with high spatial resolution. Two small-scale modes possessing substantially different phase velocities are observed in plasma under conditions when the threshold for the electron temperature gradient mode excitation is overcome. The possibility of plasma poloidal velocity profile determination using the UHR BS signal is demonstrated

  7. Kinetic electromagnetic instabilities in an ITB plasma with weak magnetic shear

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, W.; Yu, D. L.; Ma, R. R.; Shi, P. W.; Li, Y. Y.; Shi, Z. B.; Du, H. R.; Ji, X. Q.; Jiang, M.; Yu, L. M.; Yuan, B. S.; Li, Y. G.; Yang, Z. C.; Zhong, W. L.; Qiu, Z. Y.; Ding, X. T.; Dong, J. Q.; Wang, Z. X.; Wei, H. L.; Cao, J. Y.; Song, S. D.; Song, X. M.; Liu, Yi.; Yang, Q. W.; Xu, M.; Duan, X. R.

    2018-05-01

    Kinetic Alfvén and pressure gradient driven instabilities are very common in magnetized plasmas, both in space and the laboratory. These instabilities will be easily excited by energetic particles (EPs) and/or pressure gradients in present-day fusion and future burning plasmas. This will not only cause the loss and redistribution of the EPs, but also affect plasma confinement and transport. Alfvénic ion temperature gradient (AITG) instabilities with the frequency ω_BAE<ω<ω_TAE and the toroidal mode numbers n=2{-}8 are found to be unstable in NBI internal transport barrier plasmas with weak shear and low pressure gradients, where ω_BAE and ω_TAE are the frequencies of the beta- and toroidicity-induced Alfvén eigenmodes, respectively. The measured results are consistent with the general fishbone-like dispersion relation and kinetic ballooning mode equation, and the modes become more unstable the smaller the magnetic shear is in low pressure gradient regions. The interaction between AITG activity and EPs also needs to be investigated with greater attention in fusion plasmas, such as ITER (Tomabechi and The ITER Team 1991 Nucl. Fusion 31 1135), since these fluctuations can be enhanced by weak magnetic shear and EPs.

  8. Turbulence in Wendelstein 7-AS plasmas measured by collective light scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Basse, Nils Plesner

    2002-08-01

    This Ph.D. thesis contains theoretical and experimental work on plasma turbulence measurements using collective light scattering. The motivation for measuring turbulence in hot fusion plasmas is, along with the method used and results obtained, the subject of chapter 1. The theoretical part is divided into three chapters. Chapter 2 contains a full analytical derivation of the expected dependency of the detected signal on plasma parameters. Thereafter, spatial resolution of the measurements using different methods is treated in chapter 3. Finally, the spectral analysis tools used later in the thesis are described and illustrated in chapter 4. The experimental part is divided into four chapters. In chapter 5 transport concepts relevant to the thesis are outlined. Main parameters of the Wendelstein 7-AS (W7-AS) stellarator in which measurements were made are collected in chapter 6. The setup used to study fluctuations in the electron density of W7-AS plasmas is covered in chapter 7. This localised turbulence scattering (LOTUS) diagnostic is based on a CO{sub 2} laser radiating at a wavelength of 10.59 {mu}m. Fast, heterodyne, dual volume detection at variable wavenumbers between 14 and 62 cm{sup -1} is performed. The central chapter of the thesis, chapter 8, contains an analysis of the measured density fluctuations before, during and after several confinement transition types. The aim was to achieve a better understanding of the connection between turbulence and the confinement quality of the plasma. Conclusions and suggestions for further work are summarised in chapter 9. (au)

  9. Turbulence in Wendelstein 7-AS plasmas measured by collective light scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basse, Nils Plesner

    2002-08-01

    This Ph.D. thesis contains theoretical and experimental work on plasma turbulence measurements using collective light scattering. The motivation for measuring turbulence in hot fusion plasmas is, along with the method used and results obtained, the subject of chapter 1. The theoretical part is divided into three chapters. Chapter 2 contains a full analytical derivation of the expected dependency of the detected signal on plasma parameters. Thereafter, spatial resolution of the measurements using different methods is treated in chapter 3. Finally, the spectral analysis tools used later in the thesis are described and illustrated in chapter 4. The experimental part is divided into four chapters. In chapter 5 transport concepts relevant to the thesis are outlined. Main parameters of the Wendelstein 7-AS (W7-AS) stellarator in which measurements were made are collected in chapter 6. The setup used to study fluctuations in the electron density of W7-AS plasmas is covered in chapter 7. This localised turbulence scattering (LOTUS) diagnostic is based on a CO 2 laser radiating at a wavelength of 10.59 μm. Fast, heterodyne, dual volume detection at variable wavenumbers between 14 and 62 cm -1 is performed. The central chapter of the thesis, chapter 8, contains an analysis of the measured density fluctuations before, during and after several confinement transition types. The aim was to achieve a better understanding of the connection between turbulence and the confinement quality of the plasma. Conclusions and suggestions for further work are summarised in chapter 9. (au)

  10. Structure functions and intermittency in ionospheric plasma turbulence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Dyrud

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Low frequency electrostatic turbulence in the ionospheric E-region is studied by means of numerical and experimental methods. We use the structure functions of the electrostatic potential as a diagnostics of the fluctuations. We demonstrate the inherently intermittent nature of the low level turbulence in the collisional ionospheric plasma by using results for the space-time varying electrostatic potential from two dimensional numerical simulations. An instrumented rocket can not directly detect the one-point potential variation, and most measurements rely on records of potential differences between two probes. With reference to the space observations we demonstrate that the results obtained by potential difference measurements can differ significantly from the one-point results. It was found, in particular, that the intermittency signatures become much weaker, when the proper rocket-probe configuration is implemented. We analyze also signals from an actual ionospheric rocket experiment, and find a reasonably good agreement with the appropriate simulation results, demonstrating again that rocket data, obtained as those analyzed here, are unlikely to give an adequate representation of intermittent features of the low frequency ionospheric plasma turbulence for the given conditions.

  11. Simulations of Turbulence in Tokamak Edge and Effects of Self-Consistent Zonal Flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Bruce; Umansky, Maxim

    2013-10-01

    Progress is reported on simulations of electromagnetic drift-resistive ballooning turbulence in the tokamak edge. This extends previous work to include self-consistent zonal flows and their effects. The previous work addressed simulation of L-mode tokamak edge turbulence using the turbulence code BOUT that solves Braginskii-based plasma fluid equations in tokamak edge domain. The calculations use realistic single-null geometry and plasma parameters of the DIII-D tokamak and produce fluctuation amplitudes, fluctuation spectra, and particle and thermal fluxes that compare favorably to experimental data. In the effect of sheared ExB poloidal rotation is included with an imposed static radial electric field fitted to experimental data. In the new work here we include the radial electric field self-consistently driven by the microturbulence, which contributes to the sheared ExB poloidal rotation (zonal flow generation). We present simulations with/without zonal flows for both cylindrical geometry, as in the UCLA Large Plasma Device, and for the DIII-D tokamak L-mode cases in to quantify the influence of self-consistent zonal flows on the microturbulence and the concomitant transport. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

  12. Turbulence-assisted shear exfoliation of graphene using household detergent and a kitchen blender

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varrla, Eswaraiah; Paton, Keith R.; Backes, Claudia; Harvey, Andrew; Smith, Ronan J.; McCauley, Joe; Coleman, Jonathan N.

    2014-09-01

    To facilitate progression from the lab to commercial applications, it will be necessary to develop simple, scalable methods to produce high quality graphene. Here we demonstrate the production of large quantities of defect-free graphene using a kitchen blender and household detergent. We have characterised the scaling of both graphene concentration and production rate with the mixing parameters: mixing time, initial graphite concentration, rotor speed and liquid volume. We find the production rate to be invariant with mixing time and to increase strongly with mixing volume, results which are important for scale-up. Even in this simple system, concentrations of up to 1 mg ml-1 and graphene masses of >500 mg can be achieved after a few hours mixing. The maximum production rate was ~0.15 g h-1, much higher than for standard sonication-based exfoliation methods. We demonstrate that graphene production occurs because the mean turbulent shear rate in the blender exceeds the critical shear rate for exfoliation.To facilitate progression from the lab to commercial applications, it will be necessary to develop simple, scalable methods to produce high quality graphene. Here we demonstrate the production of large quantities of defect-free graphene using a kitchen blender and household detergent. We have characterised the scaling of both graphene concentration and production rate with the mixing parameters: mixing time, initial graphite concentration, rotor speed and liquid volume. We find the production rate to be invariant with mixing time and to increase strongly with mixing volume, results which are important for scale-up. Even in this simple system, concentrations of up to 1 mg ml-1 and graphene masses of >500 mg can be achieved after a few hours mixing. The maximum production rate was ~0.15 g h-1, much higher than for standard sonication-based exfoliation methods. We demonstrate that graphene production occurs because the mean turbulent shear rate in the blender exceeds

  13. Turbulence induced radial transport of toroidal momentum in boundary plasma of EAST tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, N.; Yan, N.; Xu, G. S.; Wang, H. Q.; Wang, L.; Ding, S. Y.; Chen, R.; Chen, L.; Zhang, W.; Hu, G. H.; Shao, L. M.; Wang, Z. X.

    2016-01-01

    Turbulence induced toroidal momentum transport in boundary plasma is investigated in H-mode discharge using Langmuir-Mach probes on EAST. The Reynolds stress is found to drive an inward toroidal momentum transport, while the outflow of particles convects the toroidal momentum outwards in the edge plasma. The Reynolds stress driven momentum transport dominates over the passive momentum transport carried by particle flux, which potentially provides a momentum source for the edge plasma. The outflow of particles delivers a momentum flux into the scrape-off layer (SOL) region, contributing as a momentum source for the SOL flows. At the L-H transitions, the outward momentum transport suddenly decreases due to the suppression of edge turbulence and associated particle transport. The SOL flows start to decelerate as plasma entering into H-mode. The contributions from turbulent Reynolds stress and particle transport for the toroidal momentum transport are identified. These results shed lights on the understanding of edge plasma accelerating at L-H transitions.

  14. Intrinsic momentum generation by a combined neoclassical and turbulence mechanism in diverted DIII-D plasma edge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seo, Janghoon; Choe, W. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Chang, C. S.; Ku, S. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Kwon, J. M. [National Fusion Research institute, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Müller, Stefan H. [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Garching 85748 (Germany); Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States)

    2014-09-15

    Fluid Reynolds stress from turbulence has usually been considered to be responsible for the anomalous toroidal momentum transport in tokamak plasma. Experiment by Müller et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 115001 (2011)], however, reported that neither the observed edge rotation profile nor the inward momentum transport phenomenon at the edge region of an H-mode plasma could be explained by the fluid Reynolds stress measured with reciprocating Langmuir-probe. The full-function gyrokinetic code XGC1 is used to explain, for the first time, Müller et al.'s experimental observations. It is discovered that, unlike in the plasma core, the fluid Reynolds stress from turbulence is not sufficient for momentum transport physics in plasma edge. The “turbulent neoclassical” physics arising from the interaction between kinetic neoclassical orbit dynamics and plasma turbulence is key in the tokamak edge region across the plasma pedestal into core.

  15. Statistics of turbulent structures in a thermal plasma jet

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hlína, Jan; Šonský, Jiří; Něnička, Václav; Zachar, Andrej

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 38, - (2005), s. 1760-1768 ISSN 0022-3727 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA1057202; GA ČR(CZ) GA202/05/0728 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20570509 Keywords : turbulent structures * thermal plasma jet Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 1.957, year: 2005

  16. Symposium on Turbulent Shear Flows, 6th, Universite de Toulouse III, France, Sept. 7-9, 1987, Proceedings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1987-01-01

    This symposium includes topics on wall flows, unsteady flows, scalar and buoyant transport, instrumentation and techniques, combustion, aerodynamic flows, free flows, geophysical flows, complex flows, separated flows, coherent structures, closures, numerical simulation, and two-phase flows. Papers are presented on the effect of favorable pressure gradients on turbulent boundary layers, the models of hydrodynamic resonances in separated shear flows, the transport of passive scalars in a turbulent channel flow, a pulsed hot-wire probe for near-wall measurements, and vortex dynamics in diffusion flames. Consideration is also given to time-dependent structure in wing-body junction flows, bifurcating air jets at high subsonic speeds, the wake of an axisymmetric body with or without tail separation, coherent structures in quasi-geostrophic jets, and separated flow predictions using a new turbulence model. Additional papers are on stochastic estimation of organized structures in turbulent channel flow, a comparative study of eleven models of turbulence, and a numerical study of a stably stratified mixing layer

  17. Experimental observation of electron-temperature-gradient turbulence in a laboratory plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattoo, S K; Singh, S K; Awasthi, L M; Singh, R; Kaw, P K

    2012-06-22

    We report the observation of electron-temperature-gradient (ETG) driven turbulence in the laboratory plasma of a large volume plasma device. The removal of unutilized primary ionizing and nonthermal electrons from uniform density plasma and the imposition and control of the gradient in the electron temperature (T[Symbol: see text] T(e)) are all achieved by placing a large (2 m diameter) magnetic electron energy filter in the middle of the device. In the dressed plasma, the observed ETG turbulence in the lower hybrid range of frequencies ν = (1-80 kHz) is characterized by a broadband with a power law. The mean wave number k perpendicular ρ(e) = (0.1-0.2) satisfies the condition k perpendicular ρ(e) ≤ 1, where ρ(e) is the electron Larmor radius.

  18. PLASMA EMISSION BY WEAK TURBULENCE PROCESSES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ziebell, L. F.; Gaelzer, R. [Instituto de Física, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Yoon, P. H. [Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Pavan, J., E-mail: luiz.ziebell@ufrgs.br, E-mail: rudi.gaelzer@ufrgs.br, E-mail: yoonp@umd.edu, E-mail: joel.pavan@ufpel.edu.br [Instituto de Física e Matemática, UFPel, Pelotas, RS (Brazil)

    2014-11-10

    The plasma emission is the radiation mechanism responsible for solar type II and type III radio bursts. The first theory of plasma emission was put forth in the 1950s, but the rigorous demonstration of the process based upon first principles had been lacking. The present Letter reports the first complete numerical solution of electromagnetic weak turbulence equations. It is shown that the fundamental emission is dominant and unless the beam speed is substantially higher than the electron thermal speed, the harmonic emission is not likely to be generated. The present findings may be useful for validating reduced models and for interpreting particle-in-cell simulations.

  19. Generation and evolution of anisotropic turbulence and related energy transfer in drifting proton-alpha plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maneva, Y. G.; Poedts, S.

    2018-05-01

    The power spectra of magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind typically follow a power-law dependence with respect to the observed frequencies and wave-numbers. The background magnetic field often influences the plasma properties, setting a preferential direction for plasma heating and acceleration. At the same time the evolution of the solar-wind turbulence at the ion and electron scales is influenced by the plasma properties through local micro-instabilities and wave-particle interactions. The solar-wind-plasma temperature and the solar-wind turbulence at sub- and sup-ion scales simultaneously show anisotropic features, with different components and fluctuation power in parallel with and perpendicular to the orientation of the background magnetic field. The ratio between the power of the magnetic field fluctuations in parallel and perpendicular direction at the ion scales may vary with the heliospheric distance and depends on various parameters, including the local wave properties and nonthermal plasma features, such as temperature anisotropies and relative drift speeds. In this work we have performed two-and-a-half-dimensional hybrid simulations to study the generation and evolution of anisotropic turbulence in a drifting multi-ion species plasma. We investigate the evolution of the turbulent spectral slopes along and across the background magnetic field for the cases of initially isotropic and anisotropic turbulence. Finally, we show the effect of the various turbulent spectra for the local ion heating in the solar wind.

  20. Possible accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry in a sheared toroidal plasma conversion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kravtsov, Y.A.; Chrzanowski, J.

    2011-01-01

    The Cotton-Mouton effect in the sheared plasma with helical magnetic lines is studied, using the equation for the complex amplitude ratio (CAR). A simple model for helical magnetic lines in plasma of toroidal configuration is suggested. Equation for CAR is solved perturbatively, treating the shear angle variations as a small perturbation, caused by the spiral form of the magnetic lines. It is shown that the uncertainty of the polarization measurements in the toroidal plasma with a spiral form of the magnetic lines does not exceed 1.0-2.0%, which determines the limiting accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry. It is furthermore pointed out that the method of a priori subtraction of the '' sheared '' term may significantly improve the accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry. (authors)

  1. Relaxation oscillations and transport barrier dynamics in tokamak edge plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benkadda, Sadruddin; Beyer, Peter; Fuhr-Chaudier, Guillaume; Garbet, Xavier; Ghendrih, Philippe; Sarazin, Yanick

    2004-01-01

    Oscillations of turbulent transport of particles and energy in magnetically confined plasmas can be easily observed in simulations of a variety of turbulence models. These oscillations typically involve a mechanism of energy exchange between fluctuations and a poloidal shear flow. This kind of ''predator-prey'' mechanism is found to be not relevant for transport barrier relaxations. In RBM simulations of resistive ballooning turbulence with transport barrier, relaxation oscillations of the latter are observed even in the case of frozen poloidal shear flow. These relaxations are due to a transitory growth of a mode localized at the barrier center. A one-dimensional model for the evolution of such a mode in the presence of a shear flow describes a transitory growth of an initial perturbation. Oscillations in the case of a finite steady-state shear flow are possible due to the coupling of the mode to the dynamics of the pressure profile. (author)

  2. Destabilizing turbulence in pipe flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kühnen, Jakob; Song, Baofang; Scarselli, Davide; Budanur, Nazmi Burak; Riedl, Michael; Willis, Ashley P.; Avila, Marc; Hof, Björn

    2018-04-01

    Turbulence is the major cause of friction losses in transport processes and it is responsible for a drastic drag increase in flows over bounding surfaces. While much effort is invested into developing ways to control and reduce turbulence intensities1-3, so far no methods exist to altogether eliminate turbulence if velocities are sufficiently large. We demonstrate for pipe flow that appropriate distortions to the velocity profile lead to a complete collapse of turbulence and subsequently friction losses are reduced by as much as 90%. Counterintuitively, the return to laminar motion is accomplished by initially increasing turbulence intensities or by transiently amplifying wall shear. Since neither the Reynolds number nor the shear stresses decrease (the latter often increase), these measures are not indicative of turbulence collapse. Instead, an amplification mechanism4,5 measuring the interaction between eddies and the mean shear is found to set a threshold below which turbulence is suppressed beyond recovery.

  3. Turbulent transport modeling in the edge plasma of tokamaks: verification, validation, simulation and synthetic diagnostics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colin-Bellot, Clothilde

    2015-01-01

    The possibility to produce power by using magnetically confined fusion is a scientific and technological challenge. The perspective of ITER conveys strong signals to intensify modeling effort on magnetized fusion plasmas. The success of the fusion operation is conditioned by the quality of plasma confinement in the core of the reactor and by the control of plasma exhaust on the wall. Both phenomena are related to turbulent cross-field transport that is at the heart of the notion of magnetic confinement studies, particle and heat losses. The study of edge phenomena is therefore complicated by a particularly complex magnetic geometry.This calls for an improvement of our capacity to develop numerical tools able to reproduce turbulent transport properties reliable to predict particle and energy fluxes on the plasma facing components. This thesis introduces the TOKAM3X fluid model to simulate edge plasma turbulence. A special focus is made on the code Verification and the Validation. It is a necessary step before using a code as a predictive tool. Then new insights on physical properties of the edge plasma turbulence are explored. In particular, the poloidal asymmetries induced by turbulence and observed experimentally in the Low-Field-Side of the devices are investigated in details. Great care is dedicated to the reproduction of the MISTRAL base case which consists in changing the magnetic configuration and observing the impact on parallel flows in the poloidal plane. The simulations recover experimental measurements and provide new insights on the effect of the plasma-wall contact position location on the turbulent features, which were not accessible in experiments. (author) [fr

  4. Coherent structures and transport in drift wave plasma turbulence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bang Korsholm, S.

    2011-12-15

    Fusion energy research aims at developing fusion power plants providing safe and clean energy with abundant fuels. Plasma turbulence induced transport of energy and particles is a performance limiting factor for fusion devices. Hence the understanding of plasma turbulence is important for optimization. The present work is a part of the puzzle to understand the basic physics of transport induced by drift wave turbulence in the edge region of a plasma. The basis for the study is the Hasegawa-Wakatani model. Simulation results for 3D periodic and nonperiodic geometries are presented. The Hasegawa-Wakatani model is further expanded to include ion temperature effects. Another expansion of the model is derived from the Braginskii electron temperature equation. The result is a self-consistent set of equations describing the dynamical evolution of the drift wave fluctuations of the electron density, electron temperature and the potential in the presence of density and temperature gradients. 3D simulation results of the models are presented. Finally, the construction and first results from the MAST fluctuation reflectometer is described. The results demonstrate how L- to H-mode transitions as well as edge-localized-modes can be detected by the relatively simple diagnostic system. The present Risoe report is a slightly updated version of my original PhD report which was submitted in April 2002 and defended in August 2002. (Author)

  5. Coherent structures and transport in drift wave plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bang Korsholm, S.

    2011-12-01

    Fusion energy research aims at developing fusion power plants providing safe and clean energy with abundant fuels. Plasma turbulence induced transport of energy and particles is a performance limiting factor for fusion devices. Hence the understanding of plasma turbulence is important for optimization. The present work is a part of the puzzle to understand the basic physics of transport induced by drift wave turbulence in the edge region of a plasma. The basis for the study is the Hasegawa-Wakatani model. Simulation results for 3D periodic and nonperiodic geometries are presented. The Hasegawa-Wakatani model is further expanded to include ion temperature effects. Another expansion of the model is derived from the Braginskii electron temperature equation. The result is a self-consistent set of equations describing the dynamical evolution of the drift wave fluctuations of the electron density, electron temperature and the potential in the presence of density and temperature gradients. 3D simulation results of the models are presented. Finally, the construction and first results from the MAST fluctuation reflectometer is described. The results demonstrate how L- to H-mode transitions as well as edge-localized-modes can be detected by the relatively simple diagnostic system. The present Risoe report is a slightly updated version of my original PhD report which was submitted in April 2002 and defended in August 2002. (Author)

  6. Shear flow effects on ion thermal transport in tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tajima, T.; Horton, W.; Dong, J.Q.; Kishimoto, Y.

    1995-03-01

    From various laboratory and numerical experiments, there is clear evidence that under certain conditions the presence of sheared flows in a tokamak plasma can significantly reduce the ion thermal transport. In the presence of plasma fluctuations driven by the ion temperature gradient, the flows of energy and momentum parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field are coupled with each other. This coupling manifests itself as significant off-diagonal coupling coefficients that give rise to new terms for anomalous transport. The authors derive from the gyrokinetic equation a set of velocity moment equations that describe the interaction among plasma turbulent fluctuations, the temperature gradient, the toroidal velocity shear, and the poloidal flow in a tokamak plasma. Four coupled equations for the amplitudes of the state variables radially extended over the transport region by toroidicity induced coupling are derived. The equations show bifurcations from the low confinement mode without sheared flows to high confinement mode with substantially reduced transport due to strong shear flows. Also discussed is the reduced version with three state variables. In the presence of sheared flows, the radially extended coupled toroidal modes driven by the ion temperature gradient disintegrate into smaller, less elongated vortices. Such a transition to smaller spatial correlation lengths changes the transport from Bohm-like to gyrobohm-like. The properties of these equations are analyzed. The conditions for the improved confined regime are obtained as a function of the momentum-energy deposition rates and profiles. The appearance of a transport barrier is a consequence of the present theory

  7. The calculation of turbulence phenomena in plasma focus dynamics using REDUCE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayd, A.; Maurer, M.; Meinke, P.; Kaeppeler, H.J.

    1982-05-01

    Based on previous calculations of the development of highly turbulent plasma states resulting from m=0 instabilities and the application to the turbulent development in the late stage of a plasma focus experiment, using REDUE, the treatment of plasma focus dynamics is extended to the compression stage and 'intermediate' stage between maximum density and m = o onset. For this, a two-fluid model of the magneto-fluid dynamic equations is employed. The non-linear development is again treated in ω, k-space and transformed back into r, t-space to obtain local dynamic variables as functions of time. The calculation is applied to the Stuttgart plasma focus experiment POSEIDON. It is shown that for relatively high pinch currents, neutron production also appears in the 'intermediate' phase, the life-time of which increases with increasing pinch current. (orig.)

  8. A comprehensive study of electrostatic turbulence and transport in the laboratory basic plasma device TORPEX

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furno, I.; Fasoli, A.; Avino, F.; Bovet, A.; Gustafson, K.; Iraji, D.; Labit, B.; Loizu, J.; Ricci, P.; Theiler, C.

    2012-04-01

    TORPEX is a toroidal device located at the CRPP-EPFL in Lausanne. In TORPEX, a vertical magnetic field superposed on a toroidal field creates helicoidal field lines with both ends terminating on the torus vessel. The turbulence driven by magnetic curvature and plasma gradients causes plasma transport in the radial direction while at the same time plasma is progressively lost along the field lines. The relatively simple magnetic geometry and diagnostic access of the TORPEX configuration facilitate the experimental study of low frequency instabilities and related turbulent transport, and make an accurate comparison between simulations and experiments possible. We first present a detailed investigation of electrostatic interchange turbulence, associated structures and their effect on plasma using high-resolution diagnostics of plasma parameters and wave fields throughout the whole device cross-section, fluid models and numerical simulations. Interchange modes nonlinearly develop blobs, radially propagating filaments of enhanced plasma pressure. Blob velocities and sizes are obtained from probe measurements using pattern recognition and are described by an analytical expression that includes ion polarization currents, parallel sheath currents and ion-neutral collisions. Then, we describe recent advances of a non-perturbative Li 6+ miniaturized ion source and a detector for the investigation of the interaction between supra thermal ions and interchange-driven turbulence. We present first measurements of the spatial and energy space distribution of the fast ion beam in different plasma scenarios, in which the plasma turbulence is fully characterized. The experiments are interpreted using two-dimensional fluid simulations describing the low-frequency interchange turbulence, taking into account the plasma source and plasma losses at the torus vessel. By treating fast ions as test particles, we integrate their equations of motion in the simulated electromagnetic fields, and

  9. Observation of neoclassical transport in reverse shear plasmas on the tokamak fusion test reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Efthimion, P.C.; Goeler, S. von; Houlberg, W.A.

    2001-01-01

    Perturbative experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) have investigated the transport of multiple ion species in reverse shear plasmas. The profile evolution of trace tritium and helium, and intrinsic carbon indicate the formation of core particle transport barriers in ERS plasmas. There is an order of magnitude reduction in the particle diffusivity inside the reverse shear region. The diffusivities for these species in ERS plasmas agree with neoclassical theory. (author)

  10. Observation of neoclassical transport in reverse shear plasmas on the tokamak fusion test reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Efthimion, P.C.; Von Goeler, S.; Houlberg, W.A.

    1999-01-01

    Perturbative experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) have investigated the transport of multiple ion species in reverse shear plasmas. The profile evolution of trace tritium and helium, and intrinsic carbon indicate the formation of core particle transport barriers in ERS plasmas. There is an order of magnitude reduction in the particle diffusivity inside the reverse shear region. The diffusivities for these species in ERS plasmas agree with neoclassical theory. (author)

  11. Physics of increased edge electron temperature and density turbulence during ELM-free QH-mode operation on DIII-D

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sung, C.; Rhodes, T. L.; Staebler, G. M.; Yan, Z.; McKee, G. R.; Smith, S. P.; Osborne, T. H.; Peebles, W. A.

    2018-05-01

    For the first time, we report increased edge electron temperature and density turbulence levels ( T˜ e and n˜ e) in Edge Localized Mode free Quiescent H-mode (ELM-free QH-mode) plasmas as compared to the ELMing time period. ELMs can severely damage plasma facing components in fusion plasma devices due to their large transient energy transport, making ELM-free operation a highly sought after goal. The QH-mode is a candidate for this goal as it is ELM-free for times limited only by hardware constraints. It is found that the driving gradients decrease during the QH-mode compared to the ELMing phase, however, a significant decrease in the ExB shearing rate is also observed that taken together is consistent with the increased turbulence. These results are significant as the prediction and control of ELM-free H-mode regimes are crucial for the operation of future fusion devices such as ITER. The changes in the linear growth rates calculated by CGYRO [Candy et al., J. Comput. Phys. 324, 73 (2016)] and the measured ExB shearing rate between ELMing and QH-mode phases are qualitatively consistent with these turbulence changes. Comparison with ELMing and 3D fields ELM suppressed H-mode finds a similar increase in T˜ e and n˜ e, however, with distinctly different origins, the increased driving gradients rather than the changes in the ExB shearing rate in 3D fields ELM suppressed the H-mode. However, linear gyrokinetic calculation results are generally consistent with the increased turbulence in both ELM-controlled discharges.

  12. Shukla-Spatschek diffusion effects on surface plasma waves in astrophysical turbulent plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Myoung-Jae; Jung, Young-Dae

    2017-02-01

    The effects of Shukla-Spatschek turbulent diffusion on a temporal mode of surface waves propagating at the interface of an astrophysical turbulent plasma are investigated. The damping rates for high and low modes of surface wave are kinetically derived by employing the Vlasov-Poisson equation and the specular reflection boundary condition. We found that the diffusion caused by the fluctuating electric fields leads to damping for both high and low modes of surface waves. The high-mode damping is enhanced with an increase of the wavenumber and the diffusion coefficient, but suppressed by an increase of electron thermal energy. By contrast, the low-mode damping is suppressed as the wavenumber and the thermal energy increase although it is enhanced as the diffusion increases. The variation of the damping rate due to the Shukla-Spatschek turbulent diffusion is also discussed.

  13. Multifractal analysis of plasma turbulence in biasing experiments on Castor tokamak

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Budaev, V.P.; Dufková, Edita; Nanobashvili, S.; Weinzettl, Vladimír; Zajac, Jaromír

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 55, C (2005), s. 1615-1621 ISSN 0011-4626. [Workshop “Electric Fields, Structures and Relaxation in Edge Plasmas". Tarragona, 5.7.2005-5.7.2005] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : plasma turbulence * multifractal analysis Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 0.360, year: 2005

  14. Self-consistent mean field forces in turbulent plasmas: Current and momentum relaxation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hegna, C.C.

    1997-08-01

    The properties of turbulent plasmas are described using the two-fluid equations. Under some modest assumptions, global constraints for the turbulent mean field forces that act on the ion and electron fluids are derived. These constraints imply a functional form for the parallel mean field forces in the Ohm's law and the momentum balance equation. These forms suggest that the fluctuations attempt to relax the plasma to a state where both the current and the bulk plasma momentum are aligned along the mean magnetic field with proportionality constants that are global constants. Observations of flow profile evolution during discrete dynamo activity in reversed field pinch experiments are interpreted

  15. Low Frequency Turbulence as the Source of High Frequency Waves in Multi-Component Space Plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khazanov, George V.; Krivorutsky, Emmanuel N.; Uritsky, Vadim M.

    2011-01-01

    Space plasmas support a wide variety of waves, and wave-particle interactions as well as wavewave interactions are of crucial importance to magnetospheric and ionospheric plasma behavior. High frequency wave turbulence generation by the low frequency (LF) turbulence is restricted by two interconnected requirements: the turbulence should be strong enough and/or the coherent wave trains should have the appropriate length. These requirements are strongly relaxed in the multi-component plasmas, due to the heavy ions large drift velocity in the field of LF wave. The excitation of lower hybrid waves (LHWs), in particular, is a widely discussed mechanism of interaction between plasma species in space and is one of the unresolved questions of magnetospheric multi-ion plasmas. It is demonstrated that large-amplitude Alfven waves, in particular those associated with LF turbulence, may generate LHW s in the auroral zone and ring current region and in some cases (particularly in the inner magnetosphere) this serves as the Alfven wave saturation mechanism. We also argue that the described scenario can playa vital role in various parts of the outer magnetosphere featuring strong LF turbulence accompanied by LHW activity. Using the data from THEMIS spacecraft, we validate the conditions for such cross-scale coupling in the near-Earth "flow-braking" magnetotail region during the passage of sharp injection/dipolarization fronts, as well as in the turbulent outflow region of the midtail reconnection site.

  16. Transport and turbulence in a magnetized plasma (application to tokamak plasmas); Transport et turbulence dans un plasma magnetise (application aux plasmas de tokamaks)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sarazin, Y

    2004-03-01

    This document gathers the lectures made in the framework of a Ph.D level physics class dedicated to plasma physics. This course is made up of 3 parts : 1) collisions and transport, 2) transport and turbulence, and 3) study of a few exchange instabilities. More precisely the first part deals with the following issues: thermonuclear fusion, Coulomb collisions, particles trajectories in a tokamak, neo-classical transport in tokamaks, the bootstrap current, and ware pinch. The second part involves: particle transport in tokamaks, quasi-linear transport, resonance islands, resonance in tokamaks, from quasi to non-linear transport, and non-linear saturation of turbulence. The third part deals with: shift velocities in fluid theory, a model for inter-change instabilities, Rayleigh-Benard instability, Hasegawa-Wakatani model, and Hasegawa-Mima model. This document ends with a series of appendices dealing with: particle-wave interaction, determination of the curvature parameter G, Rossby waves.

  17. Non-diffusive transport in 3-D pressure driven plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Del-Castillo-Negrete, D.; Carreras, B.A.; Lynch, V.

    2005-01-01

    Numerical evidence of non-diffusive transport in 3-dimensional, resistive, pressure-gradient-driven plasma turbulence is presented. It is shown that the probability density function (pdf) of tracers is strongly non-Gaussian and exhibits algebraic decaying tails. To describe these results, a transport model using fractional derivative operators in proposed. The model incorporates in a unified way non-locality (i.e., non-Fickian transport), memory effects (i.e., non-Markovian transport), and non-diffusive scaling features known to be present in fusion plasmas. There is quantitative agreement between the model and the turbulent transport numerical calculations. In particular, the model reproduces the shape and space-time scaling of the pdf, and the super-diffusive scaling of the moments. (author)

  18. Analysis of density fluctuations in the Tore Supra tokamak. Up-down asymmetries and limiter effect on plasma turbulence; Etude des fluctuations de density dans les plasmas du tokamak Tore Supra. Asymetries haut-bas et effet du limiteur sur la turbulence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fenzi, Ch

    1999-10-29

    In magnetic fusion devices, the optimisation of the power deposition profile on plasma facing components crucially depends on the heat diffusivity across the magnetic field fines, which is determined by the plasma edge turbulence. In this regard, spatial asymmetries of plasma edge turbulence are of great interest. In this work, we interest in up-down asymmetries of density fluctuations which are usually observed in Tore Supra, using a coherent light scattering experiment. It is shown that these asymmetries are correlated to the plasma edge geometrical configuration (plasma facing components, limiters). In fact, the plasma-limiter interaction induces locally in the plasma edge and the SOL (r/a > 0.9) an additional turbulence with short correlation length along the magnetic field fines, which spreads in the plasma core (0.9 {>=} r/a {>=} 0.5). The resultant up-down asymmetry weakly depends on density, increases with the edge safety factor, and inverts when the plasma current direction is reversed. Such up-down asymmetry observations bring strong impact on edge turbulence and transport models, which usually predict a ballooning of the turbulence in the high-field side but not an up-down asymmetry. A possible model is proposed here, based on the Kelvin Helmholtz instability. (author)

  19. Instabilities responsible for magnetic turbulence in laboratory rotating plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mikhailovskii, A.B.; Lominadze, J.G.; Churikov, A.P.; Erokhin, N.N.; Pustovitov, V.D.; Konovalov, S.V.

    2008-01-01

    Instabilities responsible for magnetic turbulence in laboratory rotating plasma are investigated. It is shown that the plasma compressibility gives a new driving mechanism in addition to the known Velikhov effect due to the negative rotation frequency gradient. This new mechanism is related to the perpendicular plasma pressure gradient, while the density gradient gives an additional drive depending also on the pressure gradient. It is shown that these new effects can manifest themselves even in the absence of the equilibrium magnetic field, which corresponds to nonmagnetic instabilities

  20. Influence of pinches on magnetic reconnection in turbulent space plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olshevsky, Vyacheslav; Lapenta, Giovanni; Markidis, Stefano; Divin, Andrey

    A generally accepted scenario of magnetic reconnection in space plasmas is the breakage of magnetic field lines in X-points. In laboratory, reconnection is widely studied in pinches, current channels embedded into twisted magnetic fields. No model of magnetic reconnection in space plasmas considers both null-points and pinches as peers. We have performed a particle-in-cell simulation of magnetic reconnection in a three-dimensional configuration where null-points are present nitially, and Z-pinches are formed during the simulation. The X-points are relatively stable, and no substantial energy dissipation is associated with them. On contrary, turbulent magnetic reconnection in the pinches causes the magnetic energy to decay at a rate of approximately 1.5 percent per ion gyro period. Current channels and twisted magnetic fields are ubiquitous in turbulent space plasmas, so pinches can be responsible for the observed high magnetic reconnection rates.

  1. Active probing of plasma edge turbulence and feedback studies on the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uckan, T.; Carreras, B.A.; Richards, B.; Bengtson, R.D.; Crockett, D.B.; Gentle, K.W.; Li, G.X.; Hurwitz, P.D.; Rowan, W.L.; Tsui, H.Y.W.; Wootton, A.J.

    1993-01-01

    The edge fluctuations play a critical role in the overall tokamak confinement. Experiments on TEXT show that electrostatic fluctuations in the edge plasma are the dominant mechanism for energy and particle transport. The basic mechanisms responsible for the edge turbulence are the subject of ongoing research in fusion devices. To understand the driving forces responsible for edge fluctuations, a novel experiment is underway on TEXT to actively modify the turbulence at the plasma edge by launching waves using electrostatic probes in the shadow of the limiter. This technique permits active probing of the spectral properties of the edge turbulence. This new approach to the study of edge fluctuations can provide more insight into the basic dynamics of the turbulence and may, in turn, enable detailed comparison with the theory. These experiments, which rely on the use of oscillating electric fields at the plasma edge, complement edge fluctuation control studies that are presently limited to the use of applied dc biasing to influence the edge electric field profile. These experiments have been extended to control of the edge plasma fluctuation level, using feedback to explore its effects on the edge turbulence characteristics as well as on confinement

  2. How do changes in suspended sediment concentration alone influence the size of mud flocs under steady turbulent shearing?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Duc; Kuprenas, Rachel; Strom, Kyle

    2018-04-01

    Modeling the size and settling velocity of sediment under the influence of flocculation is crucial for the accurate prediction of mud movement and deposition in sediment transport modeling of environments such as agricultural streams, large coastal rivers, estuaries, river plumes, and turbidity currents. Yet, collecting accurate and high resolution data on mud flocs is difficult. As a result, models that account for the influence of flocculation on mud settling velocity are based on sparse data that often present non-congruent relationship in floc properties with basic influencers of flocculations such as suspended sediment concentration. This study examines the influence of suspended sediment concentration on floc size populations within a turbulent suspension. Specifically, the work investigates: (1) the relationship between the equilibrium floc size and suspended sediment concentration under conditions of steady concentration and turbulent shearing; and (2) the speed at which mature flocs adapt to an unsteady drop in the concentration when turbulent shear is constant. Two sets of experiments were used to investigate the target processes. All work was conducted in laboratory mixing tanks using a floc camera and a newly developed image acquisition method. The new method allows for direct imaging and sizing of flocs within turbulent suspensions of clay in concentrations ranging from 15 to 400 mg/L, so that no transfer of the sample to another settling column or imaging tank is needed. The primary conclusions from the two sets of experiments are: (1) that the equilibrium floc size in an energetic turbulent suspension is linearly and positively related to concentration over the range of C = 50 to 400 mg/L, yet with a smaller-than-expected slope based on previous data and models from low-energy environments; and (2) that floc sizes decrease quickly (with a time lag on the order of 1-15 min) to time-varying decreases in concentration at turbulent shearing of G = 50s-1

  3. Nonlinear simulation of electromagnetic current diffusive interchange mode turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yagi, M.; Itoh, S.I.; Fukuyama, A.

    1998-01-01

    The anomalous transport in toroidal plasmas has been investigated extensively. It is pointed out that the nonlinear instability is important in driving the microturbulence[1], i.e., the self-sustained plasma turbulence. This concept is explained as follows; when the electron motion along the magnetic field line is resisted by the background turbulence, it gives rise to the effective resistivity and enhances the level of the turbulence. The nonlinear simulation of the electrostatic current diffusive interchange mode (CDIM) in the two dimensional sheared slab geometry has been performed as an example. The occurrence of the nonlinear instability and the self-sustainment of the plasma turbulence were confirmed by this simulation[2]. On the other hand, the electromagnetic turbulence is sustained in the high pressure limit. The possibility of the self-organization with more variety has been pointed out[3]. It is important to study the electromagnetic turbulence based on the nonlinear simulation. In this paper, the model equation for the electrostatic CDIM turbulence[2] is extended for both electrostatic and electromagnetic turbulence. (1) Not only E x B convective nonlinearity but also the electromagnetic nonlinearity which is related to the parallel flow are incorporated into the model equation. (2) The electron and ion pressure evolution equations are solved separately, making it possible to distinguish the electron and ion thermal diffusivities. The two dimensional nonlinear simulation of the electromagnetic CDIM is performed based on the extended fluid model. This paper is organized as follows. The model equation is explained in section II. The result of simulation is shown in section III. The conclusion and discussion are given in section IV. (author)

  4. Confinement improvement in H-mode-like plasmas in helical systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoh, K.; Sanuki, H.; Itoh, S.; Fukuyama, A.; Yagi, M.

    1993-06-01

    The reduction of the anomalous transport due to the inhomogeneous radial electric field is theoretically studied for toroidal helical plasmas. The self-sustained interchange-mode turbulence is analysed for the system with magnetic shear and magnetic hill. For the system with magnetic well like conventional stellarators, the ballooning mode turbulence is studied. Influence of the radial electric field inhomogeneity on the transport coefficients and fluctuations are quantitatively shown. Unified theory of the transport coefficients in the L-mode and H-mode-like plasmas are presented. (author)

  5. Interaction of supra-thermal ions with turbulence in a magnetized toroidal plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plyushchev, G.

    2009-01-01

    This thesis addresses the interaction of a supra-thermal ion beam with turbulence in the simple magnetized toroidal plasma of TORPEX. The first part of the Thesis deals with the ohmic assisted discharges on TORPEX. The aim of these discharges is the investigation of the open to closed magnetic field line transition. The relevant magnetic diagnostics were developed. Ohmic assisted discharges with a maximum plasma current up to 1 kA are routinely obtained. The equilibrium conditions on the vacuum magnetic field configuration were investigated. In the second part of the Thesis, the design of the fast ion source and detector are discussed. The accelerating electric field needed for the fast ion source was optimized. The fast ion source was constructed and commissioned. To detect the fast ions a specially designed gridded energy analyzer was used. The electron energy distribution function was obtained to demonstrate the efficiency of the detector. The experiments with the fast ion beam were conducted in different plasma regions of TORPEX. In the third part of the Thesis, numerical simulations are used to interpret the measured fast ion beam behavior. It is shown that a simple single particle equation of motion explains the beam behavior in the experiments in the absence of plasma. To explain the fast ion beam experiments with the plasma a turbulent electric field must be used. The model that takes into account this turbulent electrical field qualitatively explains the shape of the fast ion current density profile in the different plasma regions of TORPEX. The vertically elongated fast ion current density profiles are explained by a spread in the fast ion velocity distribution. The theoretically predicted radial fast ion beam spreading due to the turbulent electric field was observed in the experiment. (author)

  6. Large scale structures in a turbulent boundary layer and their imprint on wall shear stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pabon, Rommel; Barnard, Casey; Ukeiley, Lawrence; Sheplak, Mark

    2015-11-01

    Experiments were performed on a turbulent boundary layer developing on a flat plate model under zero pressure gradient flow. A MEMS differential capacitive shear stress sensor with a 1 mm × 1 mm floating element was used to capture the fluctuating wall shear stress simultaneously with streamwise velocity measurements from a hot-wire anemometer traversed in the wall normal direction. Near the wall, the peak in the cross correlation corresponds to an organized motion inclined 45° from the wall. In the outer region, the peak diminishes in value, but is still significant at a distance greater than half the boundary layer thickness, and corresponds to a structure inclined 14° from the wall. High coherence between the two signals was found for the low-frequency content, reinforcing the belief that large scale structures have a vital impact on wall shear stress. Thus, estimation of the wall shear stress from the low-frequency velocity signal will be performed, and is expected to be statistically significant in the outer boundary layer. Additionally, conditionally averaged mean velocity profiles will be presented to assess the effects of high and low shear stress. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1315138.

  7. Rational surfaces, ExB sheared flows and transport interplay in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, Carlos; Pedrosa, Maria A.; Erents, Kevin

    2001-01-01

    Experimental evidence of a strong interplay between magnetic topology (rational surfaces) and the generation of ExB sheared flows has been observed in the plasma edge region of stellarator (TJ-II) and tokamak (JET) devices. Constant and varying in time ExB sheared flows are close to the critical value to trigger the transition to improved confinement regimes. The plasma conditions where this has been observed are clearly below the power threshold to trigger the formation of transport barriers. Flows driven by fluctuations are candidates to explain these experimental results. (author)

  8. Simulations of Tokamak Edge Turbulence Including Self-Consistent Zonal Flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Bruce; Umansky, Maxim

    2013-10-01

    Progress on simulations of electromagnetic drift-resistive ballooning turbulence in the tokamak edge is summarized in this mini-conference talk. A more detailed report on this work is presented in a poster at this conference. This work extends our previous work to include self-consistent zonal flows and their effects. The previous work addressed the simulation of L-mode tokamak edge turbulence using the turbulence code BOUT. The calculations used realistic single-null geometry and plasma parameters of the DIII-D tokamak and produced fluctuation amplitudes, fluctuation spectra, and particle and thermal fluxes that compare favorably to experimental data. In the effect of sheared ExB poloidal rotation is included with an imposed static radial electric field fitted to experimental data. In the new work here we include the radial electric field self-consistently driven by the microturbulence, which contributes to the sheared ExB poloidal rotation (zonal flow generation). We present simulations with/without zonal flows for both cylindrical geometry, as in the UCLA Large Plasma Device, and for the DIII-D tokamak L-mode cases in to quantify the influence of self-consistent zonal flows on the microturbulence and the concomitant transport. This work was performed under the auspices of the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

  9. Hall MHD Stability and Turbulence in Magnetically Accelerated Plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    H. R. Strauss

    2012-11-27

    The object of the research was to develop theory and carry out simulations of the Z pinch and plasma opening switch (POS), and compare with experimental results. In the case of the Z pinch, there was experimental evidence of ion kinetic energy greatly in excess of the ion thermal energy. It was thought that this was perhaps due to fine scale turbulence. The simulations showed that the ion energy was predominantly laminar, not turbulent. Preliminary studies of a new Z pinch experiment with an axial magnetic field were carried out. The axial magnetic is relevant to magneto - inertial fusion. These studies indicate the axial magnetic field makes the Z pinch more turbulent. Results were also obtained on Hall magnetohydrodynamic instability of the POS.

  10. Low-to-High Confinement Transition Mediated by Turbulence Radial Wave Number Spectral Shift in a Fusion Plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, G S; Wan, B N; Wang, H Q; Guo, H Y; Naulin, V; Rasmussen, J Juul; Nielsen, A H; Wu, X Q; Yan, N; Chen, L; Shao, L M; Chen, R; Wang, L; Zhang, W

    2016-03-04

    A new model for the low-to-high (L-H) confinement transition has been developed based on a new paradigm for turbulence suppression by velocity shear [G. M. Staebler et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 055003 (2013)]. The model indicates that the L-H transition can be mediated by a shift in the radial wave number spectrum of turbulence, as evidenced here, for the first time, by the direct observation of a turbulence radial wave number spectral shift and turbulence structure tilting prior to the L-H transition at tokamak edge by direct probing. This new mechanism does not require a pretransition overshoot in the turbulent Reynolds stress, shunting turbulence energy to zonal flows for turbulence suppression as demonstrated in the experiment.

  11. Simultaneous wall-shear-stress and wide-field PIV measurements in a turbulent boundary layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomit, Guillaume; Fourrie, Gregoire; de Kat, Roeland; Ganapathisubramani, Bharathram

    2015-11-01

    Simultaneous particle image velocimetry (PIV) and hot-film shear stress sensor measurements were performed to study the large-scale structures associated with shear stress events in a flat plate turbulent boundary layer at a high Reynolds number (Reτ ~ 4000). The PIV measurement was performed in a streamwise-wall normal plane using an array of six high resolution cameras (4 ×16MP and 2 ×29MP). The resulting field of view covers 8 δ (where δ is the boundary layer thickness) in the streamwise direction and captures the entire boundary layer in the wall-normal direction. The spatial resolution of the measurement is approximately is approximately 70 wall units (1.8 mm) and sampled each 35 wall units (0.9 mm). In association with the PIV setup, a spanwise array of 10 skin-friction sensors (spanning one δ) was used to capture the footprint of the large-scale structures. This combination of measurements allowed the analysis of the three-dimensional conditional structures in the boundary layer. Particularly, from conditional averages, the 3D organisation of the wall normal and streamwise velocity components (u and v) and the Reynolds shear stress (-u'v') related to a low and high shear stress events can be extracted. European Research Council Grant No-277472-WBT.

  12. Transition in multiple-scale-lengths turbulence in plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Itoh, S.-I.; Yagi, M.; Kawasaki, M.; Kitazawa, A. [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Research Inst. for Applied Mechanics; Itoh, K. [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan)

    2002-02-01

    The statistical theory of strong turbulence in inhomogeneous plasmas is developed for the cases where fluctuations with different scale-lengths coexist. Statistical nonlinear interactions between semi-micro and micro modes are first kept in the analysis as the drag, noise and drive. The nonlinear dynamics determines both the fluctuation levels and the cross field turbulent transport for the fixed global parameters. A quenching or suppressing effect is induced by their nonlinear interplay, even if both modes are unstable when analyzed independently. Influence of the inhomogeneous global radial electric field is discussed. A new insight is given for the physics of internal transport barrier. The thermal fluctuation of the scale length of {lambda}{sub D} is assumed to be statistically independent. The hierarchical structure is constructed according to the scale lengths. Transitions in turbulence are found and phase diagrams with cusp type catastrophe are obtained. Dynamics is followed. Statistical properties of the subcritical excitation are discussed. The probability density function (PDF) and transition probability are obtained. Power-laws are obtained in the PDF as well as in the transition probability. Generalization for the case where turbulence is composed of three-classes of modes is also developed. A new catastrophe of turbulent sates is obtained. (author)

  13. Transition in multiple-scale-lengths turbulence in plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoh, S.-I.; Yagi, M.; Kawasaki, M.; Kitazawa, A.

    2002-02-01

    The statistical theory of strong turbulence in inhomogeneous plasmas is developed for the cases where fluctuations with different scale-lengths coexist. Statistical nonlinear interactions between semi-micro and micro modes are first kept in the analysis as the drag, noise and drive. The nonlinear dynamics determines both the fluctuation levels and the cross field turbulent transport for the fixed global parameters. A quenching or suppressing effect is induced by their nonlinear interplay, even if both modes are unstable when analyzed independently. Influence of the inhomogeneous global radial electric field is discussed. A new insight is given for the physics of internal transport barrier. The thermal fluctuation of the scale length of λ D is assumed to be statistically independent. The hierarchical structure is constructed according to the scale lengths. Transitions in turbulence are found and phase diagrams with cusp type catastrophe are obtained. Dynamics is followed. Statistical properties of the subcritical excitation are discussed. The probability density function (PDF) and transition probability are obtained. Power-laws are obtained in the PDF as well as in the transition probability. Generalization for the case where turbulence is composed of three-classes of modes is also developed. A new catastrophe of turbulent sates is obtained. (author)

  14. Comments on the dispersion equation of a turbulent plasma - an inhomogeneous, magnetoactive case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ag, A.

    1978-03-01

    A weakly turbulent, magnetoactive plasma is considered in an inhomogeneous case with anisotropic temperature distribution. The dispersion relation is established following a method developed by Tsytovich and Nekrasov. The correction coefficients are calculated in the three principal scaling modes: (1) the turbulent frequencies predominate, (2) the cyclotronic velocities of the macroinstabilities predominate, (3) the turbulent frequencies are lower. (D.P.)

  15. Laser-Driven Hydrodynamic Experiments in the Turbulent Plasma Regime: from OMEGA to NIF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robey, H F; Miles, A R; Hansen, J F; Blue, B E; Drake, R P

    2003-01-01

    There is a great deal of interest in studying the evolution of hydrodynamic phenomena in high energy density plasmas that have transitioned beyond the initial phases of instability into an Ely developed turbulent state. Motivation for this study arises both in fusion plasmas as well as in numerous astrophysical applications where the understanding of turbulent mixing is essential. Double-shell ignition targets, for example, are subject to large growth of short wavelength perturbations on both surfaces of the high-Z inner shell. These perturbations, initiated by Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities, can transition to a turbulent state and will lead to deleterious mixing of the cooler shell material with the hot burning fuel. In astrophysical plasmas, due to the extremely large scale, turbulent hydrodynamic mixing is also of wide-spread interest. The radial mixing that occurs in the explosion phase of core-collapse supernovae is an example that has received much attention in recent years and yet remains only poorly understood. In all of these cases, numerical simulation of the flow field is very difficult due to the large Reynolds number and corresponding wide range of spatial scales characterizing the plasma. Laboratory experiments on high energy density facilities that can access this regime are therefore of great interest. Experiments exploring the transition to turbulence that are currently being conducted on the Omega laser will be described. We will also discuss experiments being planned for the initial commissioning phases of the NIF as well as the enhanced experimental parameter space that will become available, as additional quads are made operational

  16. Turbulence and transport characteristics of a barrier in a toroidal plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujisawa, A; Shimizu, A; Nakano, H; Ohsima, S; Itoh, K; Iguchi, H; Yoshimura, Y; Minami, T; Nagaoka, K; Takahashi, C; Kojima, M; Nishimura, S; Isobe, M; Suzuki, C; Akiyama, T; Nagashima, Y; Ida, K; Toi, K; Ido, T; Itoh, S-I; Matsuoka, K; Okamura, S; Diamond, P H

    2006-01-01

    Turbulence and zonal flow at a transport barrier are studied with twin heavy ion beam probes in a toroidal helical plasma. A wavelet analysis is used to extract turbulence properties, e.g. spectra of both density and potential fluctuations, the coherence and the phase between them and the dispersion relation. Particle transport estimated from the fundamental characteristics is found to clearly rise with their intermittent activities after the barrier is broken down. Time-dependent analysis reveals that the intermittency of turbulence is correlated with the evolution of the stationary zonal flow

  17. Turbulence and transport characteristics of a barrier in a toroidal plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujisawa, A.; Shimizu, A.; Nakano, H.

    2005-10-01

    Turbulence and zonal flow at a transport barrier are studied with twin heavy ion beam probes in a toroidal helical plasma. A wavelet analysis is used to extract turbulence properties, e.g., spectra of both density and potential fluctuations, coherence and phase between them, and the dispersion relation. Particle transport estimated from the fundamental characteristics is found to clearly rise with their intermittent activities after the barrier is broken down. The time-dependent analysis reveals that intermittency of turbulence is correlated with evolution of stationary zonal flow. (author)

  18. Diagnosis of Magnetic Structures and Intermittency in Space Plasma Turbulence using the Method of Surrogate Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahraoui, Fouad; Goldstein, Melvyn

    2008-01-01

    Several observations in space plasmas have reported the presence of coherent structures at different plasma scales. Structure formation is believed to be a direct consequence of nonlinear interactions between the plasma modes, which depend strongly on phase synchronization of those modes. Despite this important role of the phases in turbulence, very limited work has been however devoted to study the phases as a potential tracers of nonlinearities in comparison with the wealth of literature on power spectra of turbulence where phases are totally missed. We present a method based on surrogate data to systematically detect coherent structures in turbulent signals. The new method has been applied successfully to magnetosheath turbulence (Sahraoui, Phys. Rev. E, 2008, in press), where the relationship between the identified phase coherence and intermittency (classically identified as non Gaussian tails of the PDFs) as well as the energy cascade has been studied. Here we review the main results obtained in that study and show further applications to small scale solar wind turbulence. Implications of the results on theoretical modelling of space turbulence (applicability of weak/wave turbulence, its validity limits and its connection to intermittency) will be discussed.

  19. Dynamical interplay between fluctuations, electric fields and transport in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, C.; Pedrosa, M.A.; Goncalves, B.

    2003-01-01

    A view of recent experimental results and progress in the characterization of the statistical properties of electrostatic turbulence in magnetically confined devices is given. An empirical similarity in the scaling properties of the probability distribution function (PDF) of turbulent transport has been observed in the plasma edge region in fusion plasmas. The investigation of the dynamical interplay between fluctuation in gradients, turbulent transport and radial electric fields has shows that these parameters are strongly coupled both in tokamak and stellarator plasmas. The bursty behaviour of turbulent transport is linked with a departure from the most probable radial gradient. The dynamical relation between fluctuations in gradients and transport is strongly affected by the presence of sheared poloidal flows which organized themselves near marginal stability. These results emphasize the importance of the statistical description of transport processes in fusion plasmas as an alternative approach to the traditional way to characterize transport based on the computation of effective transport coefficients. (author)

  20. Active probing of plasma edge turbulence and feedback studies on the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uckan, T.; Richards, B.; Bengtson, R.D.

    1993-01-01

    The edge fluctuations play a critical role in the overall tokamak confinement. Experiments on TEXT show that electrostatic fluctuations in the edge plasma are the dominant mechanism for energy and particle transport. The basic mechanisms responsible for the edge turbulence are the subject of ongoing research in fusion devices. To understand the driving forces responsible for edge fluctuations, a novel experiment is underway on TEXT to actively modify the turbulence at the plasma edge by launching waves using electrostatic probes in the shadow of the limiter. This technique permits active probing of the spectral properties of the edge turbulence. This new approach to the study of edge fluctuations can provide more insight into the basic dynamics of the turbulence and may, in turn, enable detailed comparison with the theory. These experiments, which rely on the use of oscillating electric fields at the plasma edge, complement edge fluctuation control studies that are presently limited to the use of applied dc biasing to influence the edge electric field profile. These experiments have been extended to control of the edge plasma fluctuation level, using feedback to explore its effects on the edge turbulence characteristics as well as on confinement. (author) 8 refs., 7 figs

  1. Kinetic theory of instabilities responsible for magnetic turbulence in laboratory rotating plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mikhailovskii, A.B.; Lominadze, J.G.; Churikov, A.P.; Pustovitov, V.D.; Erokhin, N.N.; Konovalov, S.V.

    2008-01-01

    The problem of instabilities responsible for magnetic turbulence in collisionless laboratory rotating plasma is investigated. It is shown that the standard mechanism of driving the magnetorotational instability (MRI), due to negative rotation frequency gradient, disappears in such a plasma. Instead of it, a new driving mechanism due to plasma pressure gradient is predicted

  2. Modification of Edge Plasma Turbulence by External Magnetic Pertubations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boedo, J.; McKee, G.; Rudakov, D.; Reiser, D.; Evans, T.; Moyer, R.; Schaffer, M.; Watkins, J.; Allen, S.; Fenstermacher, M.; Groth, M.; Holland, C.; Hollmann, E.; Lasnier, C.; Leonard, A.; Mahdavi, M.; McLean, A.; Tynan, G.; Wang, G.; West, W.; Zeng, L.

    2006-01-01

    Magnetostatic perturbations applied to the DIII-D plasma using a n=3 coil set have significant impact on the plasma edge, such as edge localized mode (ELM) suppression [1], but also affect the background turbulence levels. Discharges with parameters R=1.75 m, a=0.56 m, B T ∼ 1.6 T, I p ∼ 1 MA and n e ∼ 3 x 10 13 cm -3 -n e ∼ 7 x 10 13 cm -3 (low, v* e ∼ 0.1 and moderate, v* e ∼ 1 electron pedestal collisionality) were used as a target for the perturbation, [applied at 3 s Fig. 1(a) and 2 s Fig. 1(b)]. The global density and energy content, among many other parameters, are unaffected, raising the issue of what mechanism replaces the particle and heat exhaust otherwise mediated by ELMs. Mixed ELMs (high frequency, low amplitude Type II ELMs interspersed with Type I) in the moderate collisionality regime and Type I ELMs in the low collisionality regime, are replaced by intermittency and broadband turbulence or semiperiodic events. It is important to notice that the coils can be energized in high poloidal mode spectra (upper and lower coils produce fields in the same direction) or odd configuration (upper and lower coils produce fields in the opposite direction) and also rotated 60 deg toroidally. Although we will focus on scanning probe [2] data obtained in the scrape-off layer (SOL), other diagnostics, beam emission spectroscopy (BES), reflectometry [3], were used to study the changes in the plasma turbulence when the ELMs are suppressed and the underlying turbulence and transport change. Thomson scattering n e and T e profiles (Fig. 2) accumulated over 200 ms before (red) and during (blue) I-coil perturbation are fitted with y = a + b* tanh[(r-c)/d] resulting in a,b staying constant while d varies from -0.009 to -0.011 and c from -0.013 to -0.009, i.e. the profiles mostly broaden and shift outward, changes which may be connected to an increase in radial turbulent transport assuming no deformation of the separatrix. This broadening is seen in both low and

  3. Nonlinear drift waves in a dusty plasma with sheared flows

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vranjes, J. [K.U. Leuven (Belgium). Center for Plasma Astrophysics; Shukla, R.K. [Ruhr-Univ. Bochum (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik IV

    2002-01-01

    Nonlinear properties of dust-modified drift waves and dust-drift waves in a dusty magnetoplasma with equilibrium sheared flows are examined. For this purpose, the relevant nonlinear equations for drift waves are analyzed for various profiles of the perpendicular and parallel plasma flows, and a variety of nonlinear solutions (viz. single and double vortex chains accompanied with zonal flows, tripolar and global vortices), which are driven by nommiform shear flows and nommiform dust density, is presented.

  4. Nonlinear drift waves in a dusty plasma with sheared flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vranjes, J.; Shukla, R.K.

    2002-01-01

    Nonlinear properties of dust-modified drift waves and dust-drift waves in a dusty magnetoplasma with equilibrium sheared flows are examined. For this purpose, the relevant nonlinear equations for drift waves are analyzed for various profiles of the perpendicular and parallel plasma flows, and a variety of nonlinear solutions (viz. single and double vortex chains accompanied with zonal flows, tripolar and global vortices), which are driven by nommiform shear flows and nommiform dust density, is presented

  5. Recent Progress on the magnetic turbulence experiment at the Bryn Mawr Plasma Laboratory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaffner, D. A.; Cartagena-Sanchez, C. A.; Johnson, H. K.; Fahim, L. E.; Fiedler-Kawaguchi, C.; Douglas-Mann, E.

    2017-10-01

    Recent progress is reported on the construction, implementation and testing of the magnetic turbulence experiment at the Bryn Mawr Plasma Laboratory (BMPL). The experiment at the BMPL consists of an ( 300 μs) long coaxial plasma gun discharge that injects magnetic helicity into a flux-conserving chamber in a process akin to sustained slow-formation of spheromaks. A 24cm by 2m cylindrical chamber has been constructed with a high density axial port array to enable detailed simultaneous spatial measurements of magnetic and plasma fluctuations. Careful positioning of the magnetic structure produced by the three separately pulsed coils (one internal, two external) are preformed to optimize for continuous injection of turbulent magnetized plasma. High frequency calibration of magnetic probes is also underway using a power amplifier.

  6. Interaction between plasma synthetic jet and subsonic turbulent boundary layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zong, Haohua; Kotsonis, Marios

    2017-04-01

    This paper experimentally investigates the interaction between a plasma synthetic jet (PSJ) and a subsonic turbulent boundary layer (TBL) using a hotwire anemometer and phase-locked particle imaging velocimetry. The PSJ is interacting with a fully developed turbulent boundary layer developing on the flat wall of a square wind tunnel section of 1.7 m length. The Reynolds number based on the freestream velocity (U∞ = 20 m/s) and the boundary layer thickness (δ99 = 34.5 mm) at the location of interaction is 44 400. A large-volume (1696 mm3) three-electrode plasma synthetic jet actuator (PSJA) with a round exit orifice (D = 2 mm) is adopted to produce high-speed (92 m/s) and short-duration (Tjet = 1 ms) pulsed jets. The exit velocity variation of the adopted PSJA in a crossflow is shown to remain almost identical to that in quiescent conditions. However, the flow structures emanating from the interaction between the PSJ and the TBL are significantly different from what were observed in quiescent conditions. In the midspan xy plane (z = 0 mm), the erupted jet body initially follows a wall-normal trajectory accompanied by the formation of a distinctive front vortex ring. After three convective time scales the jet bends to the crossflow, thus limiting the peak penetration depth to approximately 0.58δ99. Comparison of the normalized jet trajectories indicates that the penetration ability of the PSJ is less than steady jets with the same momentum flow velocity. Prior to the jet diminishing, a recirculation region is observed in the leeward side of the jet body, experiencing first an expansion and then a contraction in the area. In the cross-stream yz plane, the signature structure of jets in a crossflow, the counter-rotating vortex pair (CVP), transports high-momentum flow from the outer layer to the near-wall region, leading to a fuller velocity profile and a drop in the boundary layer shape factor (1.3 to 1.2). In contrast to steady jets, the CVP produced by the PSJ

  7. Intermittency, avalanche statistics, and long-term correlations in a turbulent plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castellanos, Omar; Sentíes, José M; Anabitarte, Ernesto; López, Juan M

    2013-01-01

    We study the turbulent dynamics of a helium plasma in a non-confining cylindrical configuration. Our experimental setup allows us to analyze particle transport in different plasma regions. We find that, whereas the transport is diffusive in the innermost regions of the plasma, distinctive non-diffusive features appear in regions away from the center. Indeed, at the plasma edge we find that particle flux exhibits a power-law distribution of avalanche durations, intermittency, and long-term correlations. (paper)

  8. Sudden Relaminarization and Lifetimes in Forced Isotropic Turbulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linkmann, Moritz F; Morozov, Alexander

    2015-09-25

    We demonstrate an unexpected connection between isotropic turbulence and wall-bounded shear flows. We perform direct numerical simulations of isotropic turbulence forced at large scales at moderate Reynolds numbers and observe sudden transitions from a chaotic dynamics to a spatially simple flow, analogous to the laminar state in wall bounded shear flows. We find that the survival probabilities of turbulence are exponential and the typical lifetimes increase superexponentially with the Reynolds number. Our results suggest that both isotropic turbulence and wall-bounded shear flows qualitatively share the same phase-space dynamics.

  9. Hybrid simulations of current-carrying instabilities in Z-pinch plasmas with sheared axial flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sotnikov, Vladimir I.; Makhin, Volodymyr; Bauer, Bruno S.; Hellinger, Petr; Travnicek, Pavel; Fiala, Vladimir; Leboeuf, Jean-Noel

    2002-01-01

    The development of instabilities in z-pinch plasmas has been studied with three-dimensional (3D) hybrid simulations. Plasma equilibria without and with sheared axial flow have been considered. Results from the linear phase of the hybrid simulations compare well with linear Hall magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) calculations for sausage modes. The hybrid simulations show that sheared axial flow has a stabilizing effect on the development of both sausage and kink modes

  10. Comparison of turbulence measurements from DIII-D low-mode and high-performance plasmas to turbulence simulations and models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rhodes, T.L.; Leboeuf, J.-N.; Sydora, R.D.; Groebner, R.J.; Doyle, E.J.; McKee, G.R.; Peebles, W.A.; Rettig, C.L.; Zeng, L.; Wang, G.

    2002-01-01

    Measured turbulence characteristics (correlation lengths, spectra, etc.) in low-confinement (L-mode) and high-performance plasmas in the DIII-D tokamak [Luxon et al., Proceedings Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research 1986 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1987), Vol. I, p. 159] show many similarities with the characteristics determined from turbulence simulations. Radial correlation lengths Δr of density fluctuations from L-mode discharges are found to be numerically similar to the ion poloidal gyroradius ρ θ,s , or 5-10 times the ion gyroradius ρ s over the radial region 0.2 θ,s or 5-10 times ρ s , an experiment was performed which modified ρ θs while keeping other plasma parameters approximately fixed. It was found that the experimental Δr did not scale as ρ θ,s , which was similar to low-resolution UCAN simulations. Finally, both experimental measurements and gyrokinetic simulations indicate a significant reduction in the radial correlation length from high-performance quiescent double barrier discharges, as compared to normal L-mode, consistent with reduced transport in these high-performance plasmas

  11. Visco-instability of shear viscoelastic collisional dusty plasma systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahdavi-Gharavi, M.; Hajisharifi, K.; Mehidan, H.

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, the stability of Newtonian and non-Newtonian viscoelastic collisional shear-velocity dusty plasmas is studied, using the framework of a generalized hydrodynamic (GH) model. Motivated by Banerjee et al.'s work (Banerjee et al., New J. Phys., vol. 12 (12), 2010, p. 123031), employing linear perturbation theory as well as the local approximation method in the inhomogeneous direction, the dispersion relations of the Fourier modes are obtained for Newtonian and non-Newtonian dusty plasma systems in the presence of a dust-neutral friction term. The analysis of the obtained dispersion relation in the non-Newtonian case shows that the inhomogeneous viscosity force depending on the velocity shear profile can be the genesis of a free energy source which leads the shear system to be unstable. Study of the dust-neutral friction effect on the instability of the considered systems using numerical analysis of the dispersion relation in the Newtonian case demonstrates that the maximum growth rate decreases considerably by increasing the collision frequency in the hydrodynamic regime, while this reduction can be neglected in the kinetic regime. Results show a more significant stabilization role of the dust-neutral friction term in the non-Newtonian cases, through decreasing the maximum growth rate at any fixed wavenumber and construction of the instable wavenumber region. The results of the present investigation will greatly contribute to study of the time evolution of viscoelastic laboratory environments with externally applied shear; where in these experiments the dust-neutral friction process can play a considerable role.

  12. Local regulation of interchange turbulence in a dipole-confined plasma torus using current-collection feedback

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roberts, T. M.; Mauel, M. E.; Worstell, M. W.

    2015-01-01

    Turbulence in plasma confined by a magnetic dipole is dominated by interchange fluctuations with complex dynamics and short spatial coherence. We report the first use of local current-collection feedback to modify, amplify, and suppress these fluctuations. The spatial extent of turbulence regulation is limited to a correlation length near the collector. Changing the gain and phase of collection results in power either extracted from or injected into the turbulence. The measured plasma response shows some agreement with calculations of the linear response of global interchange-like MHD and entropy modes to current-collection feedback

  13. Laminar turbulent transition in heated free jet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krejci, L.; Marsik, F.; Nenicka, V.

    1998-01-01

    The evolution of heat and mass transfer in the initial region of a transitional plasma plume is investigated and discussed. The results show that these transport processes are controlled and limited by the plume shear layer instability. The process of laminar-turbulent transition is consecutively controlled by the plume core shear layer instability where interrelation of the effective thickness of the shear temperature and density layers play decisive role. When the absolute instability occurs the resonances in the jet and arc chamber must be taken into account. These processes are manifested in three events. Between the first and second phase, there is a maximum of arc heater exit average enthalpy. The other two thresholds occur at maximum and minimum stagnation heat flux from the plume core. It seems that these processes also influence the thermal energy production in the arc chamber cavity. (author)

  14. A turbulent radio jet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kahn, F.D.

    1983-01-01

    A relativistic plasma flow can explain many of the observations on the one-sided jets, which are associated with radio sources that show superluminal motions in their cores. The pressure from the ambient medium will communicate across the jet in a relatively short distance, typically 30 kpc. The friction between the jet and the external medium then makes the flow go turbulent. As a result the jet dissipates energy and will be brought to rest within a few hundred kpc, if it does not strike an obstacle before. The mean flow in the jet is strongly sheared and stretches the lines of force of any magnetic field frozen into the plasma. The dominant field direction, as seen from the rest frame of the plasma, is therefore parallel to the length of the jet. Polarization measurements have shown that this is in fact the case. (author)

  15. Time behaviours of visible lines in turbulently heated TRIAM-1 plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hiraki, N; Nakamura, K; Nakamura, Y; Itoh, S [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Research Inst. for Applied Mechanics

    1981-08-01

    Spectroscopic studies were carried out on turbulently heated TRIAM-1 tokamak plasma. The temporal evolutions of the line radiance of visible lines were measured and two types of time behaviours of the line radiance were identified. The observed remarkable reduction of the line radiance of visible lines which have low ionization potential and are localized in the skin-layer due to the application of a pulsed electric-field for turbulent heating is attributed to the strong plasma heating in the peripherical region. Spatial profiles of neutrals and ions which are related to these lines are calculated, and the temporal variations of these profiles caused by the application of the heating pulse are discussed.

  16. Control of a three-dimensional turbulent shear layer by means of oblique vortices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jürgens, Werner; Kaltenbach, Hans-Jakob

    2018-04-01

    The effect of local forcing on the separated, three-dimensional shear layer downstream of a backward-facing step is investigated by means of large-eddy simulation for a Reynolds number based on the step height of 10,700. The step edge is either oriented normal to the approaching turbulent boundary layer or swept at an angle of 40°. Oblique vortices with different orientation and spacing are generated by wavelike suction and blowing of fluid through an edge parallel slot. The vortices exhibit a complex three-dimensional structure, but they can be characterized by a wavevector in a horizontal section plane. In order to determine the step-normal component of the wavevector, a method is developed based on phase averages. The dependence of the wavevector on the forcing parameters can be described in terms of a dispersion relation, the structure of which indicates that the disturbances are mainly convected through the fluid. The introduced vortices reduce the size of the recirculation region by up to 38%. In both the planar and the swept case, the most efficient of the studied forcings consists of vortices which propagate in a direction that deviates by more than 50° from the step normal. These vortices exhibit a spacing in the order of 2.5 step heights. The upstream shift of the reattachment line can be explained by increased mixing and momentum transport inside the shear layer which is reflected in high levels of the Reynolds shear stress -ρ \\overline{u'v'}. The position of the maximum of the coherent shear stress is found to depend linearly on the wavelength, similar to two-dimensional free shear layers.

  17. 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.

  18. A dynamical model for plasma confinement transitions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pilarczyk, Paweł; García, Luis; Carreras, Benjamin A; Llerena, Irene

    2012-01-01

    A three-equation model describing the evolution of the turbulence level, averaged shear flow and sheared zonal flow is analyzed using topological properties of the asymptotic solutions. An exploration in parameter space is done, identifying the attractor sets, which are fixed points and limit cycles. Then a more detailed analysis of all Morse sets is conducted using topological-combinatorial computations. This model allows the description of different types of transitions to improved plasma confinement regimes. (paper)

  19. On the interplay between turbulence and poloidal flows in plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, C.; Pedrosa, M.A.; Garcia-Cortes, I.

    1999-01-01

    The radial profile of Reynolds stress has been measured in the plasma boundary region of tokamaks and stellarator plasmas. The electrostatic Reynolds stress (proportional to r E-tilde θ >) shows a radial gradient close to the velocity shear layer location, showing that this mechanism can drive significant poloidal flows in the plasma boundary region of fusion plasmas. The generation of poloidal flows by Ion Bernstein Wave (IBW) is under investigation in toroidal plasmas. The radial gradient in the Reynolds stress increases with RF power and radial electric fields are modified at the RF resonance layer. (author)

  20. Structure function analysis of long-range correlations in plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, C.X.; Gilmore, M.; Peebles, W.A.; Rhodes, T.L.

    2003-01-01

    Long-range correlations (temporal and spatial) have been predicted in a number of different turbulence models, both analytical and numerical. These long-range correlations are thought to significantly affect cross-field turbulent transport in magnetically confined plasmas. The Hurst exponent, H - one of a number of methods to identify the existence of long-range correlations in experimental data - can be used to quantify self-similarity scalings and correlations in the mesoscale temporal range. The Hurst exponent can be calculated by several different algorithms, each of which has particular advantages and disadvantages. One method for calculating H is via structure functions (SFs). The SF method is a robust technique for determining H with several inherent advantages that has not yet been widely used in plasma turbulence research. In this article, the SF method and its advantages are discussed in detail, using both simulated and measured fluctuation data from the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon and L. G. Davis, Fusion Technol. 8, 441 (1985)]. In addition, it is shown that SFs used in conjunction with rescaled range analysis (another method for calculating H) can be used to mitigate the effects of coherent modes in some cases

  1. Flux-driven simulations of turbulence collapse

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, G. Y.; Kim, S. S.; Jhang, Hogun; Rhee, T. [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Diamond, P. H. [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); CASS and Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0429 (United States); Xu, X. Q. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States)

    2015-03-15

    Using three-dimensional nonlinear simulations of tokamak turbulence, we show that an edge transport barrier (ETB) forms naturally once input power exceeds a threshold value. Profiles, turbulence-driven flows, and neoclassical coefficients are evolved self-consistently. A slow power ramp-up simulation shows that ETB transition is triggered by the turbulence-driven flows via an intermediate phase which involves coherent oscillation of turbulence intensity and E×B flow shear. A novel observation of the evolution is that the turbulence collapses and the ETB transition begins when R{sub T} > 1 at t = t{sub R} (R{sub T}: normalized Reynolds power), while the conventional transition criterion (ω{sub E×B}>γ{sub lin} where ω{sub E×B} denotes mean flow shear) is satisfied only after t = t{sub C} ( >t{sub R}), when the mean flow shear grows due to positive feedback.

  2. 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.

  3. Ion transport in turbulent edge plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Helander, P.; Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA; Hazeltine, R.D.; Catto, P.J.

    1996-02-01

    Edge plasmas, such as the tokamak scrape-off layer, exist as a consequence of a balance between cross-field diffusion and parallel losses. The former is usually anomalous, and is widely thought to be driven by strong electrostatic turbulence. It is shown that the anomalous diffusion affects the parallel ion transport by giving rise to a new type of thermal force between different ion species. This force is parallel to the magnetic field, but arises entirely because of perpendicular gradients, and could be important for impurity retention in the tokamak divertor. (author)

  4. Investigation of the dynamics of HF plasma turbulence by means of artificial ionospheric radio emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sergeev, E.N.; Boiko, G.N.; Frolov, V.L.

    1994-01-01

    The results of measurements of the growth and decay characteristics of artificial ionospheric radio emission and their dependence on the level of low-frequency artificial turbulence, time of day, and pump-wave frequency are presented. A time delay of the onset of the exponential nature of the decay process is detected, and its characteristics are studied. It is shown that the effect is determined by nonlinear pumping over the spectrum of high-frequency plasma turbulence. The experimental results demonstrate the possibilities of using artificial radio emission to study the properties of high-frequency plasma turbulence. Areas of future research are discussed

  5. Three-dimensional simulations of turbulent spectra in the local interstellar medium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Shaikh

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Three-dimensional time dependent numerical simulations of compressible magnetohydrodynamic fluids describing super-Alfvénic, supersonic and strongly magnetized space and laboratory plasmas show a nonlinear relaxation towards a state of near incompressibility. The latter is characterized essentially by a subsonic turbulent Mach number. This transition is mediated dynamically by disparate spectral energy dissipation rates in compressible magnetosonic and shear Alfvénic modes. Nonlinear cascades lead to super-Alfvénic turbulent motions decaying to a sub-Alfvénic regime that couples weakly with (magnetoacoustic cascades. Consequently, the supersonic plasma motion is transformed into highly subsonic motion and density fluctuations experience a passive convection. This model provides a self-consistent explaination of the ubiquitous nature of incompressible magnetoplasma fluctuations in the solar wind and the interstellar medium.

  6. Comparison of simulations and theory of low-frequency plasma turbulence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    LoDestro, L L; Cohen, B I; Cohen, R H; Dimits, A M; Matsuda, Y; Nevins, W M; Newcomb, W A; Williams, T J; Koniges, A E; Dannevik, W P; Crotinger, J A; Amala, P A.K. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA); Sydora, R D; Dawson, J M; Ma, S; Decyk, V K [California Univ., Los Angeles, CA (USA). Dept. of Physics; Lee, W W; Hahm, T S [Princeton Univ., NJ (USA). Plasma Physics Lab.; Naitou, H

    1990-08-15

    We use a combination of computational and analytic methods to study low-frequency turbulence and turbulent transport in a strongly magnetized plasma. We describe two major computational efforts, one based on gyrokinetic-particle simulation and the second on numerical solution of closure approximations to fluid equations. These codes are used to study instabilities on the drift timescale, and to assess the validity of qualitative predictions of energy-transport scalings based on dimensional analysis and on analytic versions of closure approximations. 27 refs., 2 figs.

  7. Shear and Turbulence Estimates for Calculation of Wind Turbine Loads and Responses Under Hurricane Strength Winds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosovic, B.; Bryan, G. H.; Haupt, S. E.

    2012-12-01

    Schwartz et al. (2010) recently reported that the total gross energy-generating offshore wind resource in the United States in waters less than 30m deep is approximately 1000 GW. Estimated offshore generating capacity is thus equivalent to the current generating capacity in the United States. Offshore wind power can therefore play important role in electricity production in the United States. However, most of this resource is located along the East Coast of the United States and in the Gulf of Mexico, areas frequently affected by tropical cyclones including hurricanes. Hurricane strength winds, associated shear and turbulence can affect performance and structural integrity of wind turbines. In a recent study Rose et al. (2012) attempted to estimate the risk to offshore wind turbines from hurricane strength winds over a lifetime of a wind farm (i.e. 20 years). According to Rose et al. turbine tower buckling has been observed in typhoons. They concluded that there is "substantial risk that Category 3 and higher hurricanes can destroy half or more of the turbines at some locations." More robust designs including appropriate controls can mitigate the risk of wind turbine damage. To develop such designs good estimates of turbine loads under hurricane strength winds are essential. We use output from a large-eddy simulation of a hurricane to estimate shear and turbulence intensity over first couple of hundred meters above sea surface. We compute power spectra of three velocity components at several distances from the eye of the hurricane. Based on these spectra analytical spectral forms are developed and included in TurbSim, a stochastic inflow turbulence code developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, http://wind.nrel.gov/designcodes/preprocessors/turbsim/). TurbSim provides a numerical simulation including bursts of coherent turbulence associated with organized turbulent structures. It can generate realistic flow conditions that an operating turbine

  8. Final technical report on studies of plasma transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Neil, T.M.; Driscoll, C.F.; Malmberg, J.H.

    1997-01-01

    This document gives an overview of the scientific results obtained under the DOE grant, and references the journal articles which give more complete descriptions of the various topics. Recently, the research has been focused on 2-dimensional vortices and turbulence: experiments using a new camera-diagnosed electron plasma apparatus have given surprising results which both clarify and challenge theories. Here, the crossfield E x B flow of the electron plasma is directly analogous to the 2-d flow of an ideal fluid such as water, and may also give insight into more complicated poloidal flows exhibited in toroidal plasmas. The shear-flow instabilities, turbulence, and vortices can be accurately observed, and the free relaxation of this turbulence has been characterized. The physical processes underlying the complicated turbulent evolution can also be studied in more controlled near-linear regimes. The original experimental focus of this program was on radial particle transport from applied external field asymmetries. Here, this research program clearly identified the importance of the collective response of the plasma, giving smaller fields from shielding, or enhanced fields from resonant modes. Experiments and theory work have also elucidated the flow of a plasma along the magnetic field. Finally, some theory was pursued for direct application to fusion plasmas, and to gravitating gas clouds in astrophysics. This program was highly successful in clarifying basic plasma transport processes

  9. Electrostatic instabilities and turbulence in a toroidal magnetized plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poli, F. M.

    2007-06-01

    This Thesis aims at characterizing the linear properties of electrostatic drift instabilities arising in a toroidal plasma and the mechanisms leading to their development into turbulence. The experiments are performed on the TORoidal Plasma EXperiment (TORPEX) at CRPP-EPFL, Lausanne. The first part of the Thesis focuses on the identification of the nature of the instabilities observed in TORPEX, using a set of electrostatic probes, designed and built for this purpose. The global features of fluctuations, analyzed for different values of control parameters such as the magnetic field, the neutral gas pressure and the injected microwave power, are qualitatively similar in different experimental scenarios. The maximum of fluctuations is observed on the low field side, where the pressure gradient and the gradient of the magnetic field are co-linear, indicating that the curvature of the magnetic field lines has an important role in the destabilization of the waves. The power spectrum is dominated by electrostatic fluctuations with frequencies much lower than the ion cyclotron frequency. Taking advantage of the extended diagnostics coverage, the spectral properties of fluctuations are measured over the whole poloidal cross-section. Both drift and interchange instabilities develop and propagate on TORPEX, with the stability of both being affected by the curvature of the magnetic field. It is shown that modes of different nature are driven at separate locations over the plasma cross-section and that the wavenumber and frequency spectra, narrow at the location where the instabilities are generated, broaden during convection, suggesting an increase in the degree of turbulence. The transition from coherent to turbulent spectral features and the role of nonlinear coupling between modes in the development of turbulence are treated in the second part of this work. It is found that nonlinear mode-mode coupling is responsible for the redistribution of spectral energy from the

  10. Statistical characterization of turbulence in the boundary plasma of EAST

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yan, Ning; Nielsen, Anders Henry; Xu, G.S.

    2013-01-01

    In Ohmic heated low confinement mode (L-mode) discharges, the intermittent statistical characteristics of turbulent fluctuations have been investigated in the edge and the scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma on EAST (the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak) by fast reciprocating Langmuir probe...

  11. The mitigation effect of sheared axial flow on the rayleigh-taylor instability in Z-pinch plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Yang

    2005-01-01

    A magnetohydrodynamic formulation is derived to investigate the mitigation effects of the sheared axial flow on the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability in Z-pinch plasma. The dispersion relation of the compressible model is given. The mitigation effects of sheared axial flow on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of Z-pinch plasma in the compressible and incompressible models are compared respectively, and the effect of compressible on the instability of system with sheared axial flow is discussed. It is found that, compressibility effects can stabilize the Rayleigh-Taylor/Kelvin-Helmholtz (RT/KH) instability, and this allows the sheared axial flow mitigate the RT instability far more effectively. The authors also find that, at the early stage of the implosion, if the temperature of the plasma is not very high, the compressible model is much more suitable to describing the state of system than the incompressible one. (author)

  12. Introduction to turbulent transport in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garbet, X.

    2006-01-01

    This introduction presents the main instabilities responsible for turbulence in tokamak plasmas, and the prominent features of the resulting transport. The usual techniques to construct reduced transport models are described. These models can be tested by analysing steady state and transient regimes. Another way to test the theory is to use a similarity principle, similar to the one used in fluid mechanics. Finally, the physics involved in the formation and sustainment of transport barriers is presented. (author)

  13. Turbulent and neoclassical toroidal momentum transport in tokamak plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abiteboul, J.

    2012-10-01

    The goal of magnetic confinement devices such as tokamaks is to produce energy from nuclear fusion reactions in plasmas at low densities and high temperatures. Experimentally, toroidal flows have been found to significantly improve the energy confinement, and therefore the performance of the machine. As extrinsic momentum sources will be limited in future fusion devices such as ITER, an understanding of the physics of toroidal momentum transport and the generation of intrinsic toroidal rotation in tokamaks would be an important step in order to predict the rotation profile in experiments. Among the mechanisms expected to contribute to the generation of toroidal rotation is the transport of momentum by electrostatic turbulence, which governs heat transport in tokamaks. Due to the low collisionality of the plasma, kinetic modeling is mandatory for the study of tokamak turbulence. In principle, this implies the modeling of a six-dimensional distribution function representing the density of particles in position and velocity phase-space, which can be reduced to five dimensions when considering only frequencies below the particle cyclotron frequency. This approximation, relevant for the study of turbulence in tokamaks, leads to the so-called gyrokinetic model and brings the computational cost of the model within the presently available numerical resources. In this work, we study the transport of toroidal momentum in tokamaks in the framework of the gyrokinetic model. First, we show that this reduced model is indeed capable of accurately modeling momentum transport by deriving a local conservation equation of toroidal momentum, and verifying it numerically with the gyrokinetic code GYSELA. Secondly, we show how electrostatic turbulence can break the axisymmetry and generate toroidal rotation, while a strong link between turbulent heat and momentum transport is identified, as both exhibit the same large-scale avalanche-like events. The dynamics of turbulent transport are

  14. Stationary shear flows in CGL anisotropic toroidal plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pastukhov, V.P.; Ilgisonis, V.I.

    1996-01-01

    Recently a general structure of stationary shear flows in toroidal plasmas was obtained in the frame of ideal isotropic-pressure MHD model. The structure of the stationary plasma flows was shown to be determined by a hidden symmetry of MHD equations inherent in the toroidal systems with nested magnetic surfaces. However, the characteristic frequencies of the stationary plasma motion can considerably exceed the collisional frequencies in real plasma experiments. In this case the CGL collisionless MHD model seems to be more adequate than the simplified isotropic-pressure MHD model to describe the stationary plasma flows. In this paper we have generalized our approach to analyze the stationary plasma flows in the frame of the collisionless CGL model. We have found again that the hidden symmetry inherent in the toroidal topology results in two integral invariants which depend on two independent surface functions. The structure of stationary flows for CGL model is still the same as for isotropic MHD, however, the pressure tensor components satisfy a appreciably modifies the steady state force-balance equation. These results are applied to analyze the generalized equilibrium in axisymmetric (tokamak-like) magnetic confinement systems

  15. The dynamics of marginality and self-organized criticality as a paradigm for turbulent transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Newman, D.E.; Carreras, B.A.; Diamond, P.H.; Hahm, T.S.

    1995-01-01

    A general paradigm, based on the concept of self-organized criticality (SOC), for turbulent transport in magnetically confined plasmas has been recently suggested as an explanation for some of the apparent discrepancies between most theoretical models of turbulent transport and experimental observations of the transport in magnetically confined plasmas. This model describes the dynamics of the transport without relying on the underlying local fluctuation mechanisms. Computations based on a cellular automata realization of such a model have found that noise driven SOC systems can maintain average profiles that are linearly stable (submarginal) and yet are able to sustain active transport dynamics. It is also found that the dominant scales in the transport dynamics in the absence of sheared flow are system scales rather than the underlying local fluctuation scales. The addition of sheared flow into the dynamics leads to a large reduction of the system-scale transport events and a commensurate increase in the fluctuation-scale transport events needed to maintain the constant flux. The dynamics of these models and the potential ramifications for transport studies are discussed

  16. Development of the Megahertz Planar Laser-induced Fluorescence Diagnostic for Plasma Turbulence Visualization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuritsyn, Aleksey; Levinton, Fred M.

    2004-01-01

    A megahertz LIF-based diagnostic system for measuring ion density fluctuations in two spatial dimensions is described. Well resolved spatial and temporal 2D images of turbulent structures will be useful in understanding ion turbulence in magnetically confined plasmas which is a key factor in the performance of fusion experimental devices. A sheet beam of a megahertz repetition rate tunable Alexandrite laser is used to excite ion emission from argon plasma. The fluorescence emitted from the plane of the laser beam is detected with a narrow band interference filter and intensified ultra-fast CCD camera providing 2D images of relative ion density fluctuations every microsecond. It is expected that the edge plasma on fusion devices will be accessible to this technique

  17. Shear viscosity for dense plasmas by equilibrium molecular dynamics in asymmetric Yukawa ionic mixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haxhimali, Tomorr; Rudd, Robert E.; Cabot, William H.; Graziani, Frank R.

    2015-11-01

    We present molecular dynamics (MD) calculations of shear viscosity for asymmetric mixed plasma for thermodynamic conditions relevant to astrophysical and inertial confinement fusion plasmas. Specifically, we consider mixtures of deuterium and argon at temperatures of 100-500 eV and a number density of 1025 ions/cc. The motion of 30 000-120 000 ions is simulated in which the ions interact via the Yukawa (screened Coulomb) potential. The electric field of the electrons is included in this effective interaction; the electrons are not simulated explicitly. Shear viscosity is calculated using the Green-Kubo approach with an integral of the shear stress autocorrelation function, a quantity calculated in the equilibrium MD simulations. We systematically study different mixtures through a series of simulations with increasing fraction of the minority high-Z element (Ar) in the D-Ar plasma mixture. In the more weakly coupled plasmas, at 500 eV and low Ar fractions, results from MD compare very well with Chapman-Enskog kinetic results. In the more strongly coupled plasmas, the kinetic theory does not agree well with the MD results. We develop a simple model that interpolates between classical kinetic theories at weak coupling and the Murillo Yukawa viscosity model at higher coupling. This hybrid kinetics-MD viscosity model agrees well with the MD results over the conditions simulated, ranging from moderately weakly coupled to moderately strongly coupled asymmetric plasma mixtures.

  18. Reflectometry simulation as a tool to explore new schemes of characterizing the fusion plasma turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heuraux, S; Silva, F da; Gusakov, E; Popov, A Yu; Kosolapova, N; Syisoeva, K V

    2013-01-01

    A first step towards the measurement of turbulence characteristics or transient events required for the understanding of turbulent transport is to build an interpretative model able to link the measurements of a given diagnostic to a wanted parameter of the turbulence, and simulation helps us to do that. To obtain density fluctuation parameters in fusion plasmas, microwaves can be used. However, the interpretation of the received signals requires generally sophisticated data processing to extract an exact evaluation of the wanted parameters. Simulations of electromagnetic wave propagation in turbulent plasmas permit to identify the main processes involved in probing wave-fluctuations interaction and the reflectometry signature of the expected events, which gives ideas to model them. It is shown here how simulations have permitted to exhibit the role of resonances of the probing wave induced by turbulence and to explain part of phase jumps seen during reflectometer measurements. The multi-scattering phenomena can be modelled by a photon diffusion equation which can be used to provide information on the turbulence at density fluctuations levels higher than allowed by usual methods. The reflectometry simulations show that at high level of turbulence a competition between the resonances generation mechanism, able to maintain the probing depth, and the Bragg backscattering exists. Its consequences on turbulence characterisation are discussed.

  19. Use of the shearing interferometry for dense inhomogeneous plasma diagnostics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zakharenkov, Yu.A.; Sklizkov, G.V.; Shikanov, A.S.

    1980-01-01

    Investigated is a possibility of applying the shearing interferometry for diagnostics of a dense inhomogeneous laser plasma which makes it possible to measure the electron density without losses in accuracy near the critical surface. A shearing interferogram is formed upon interference of two identical images of the object under study shifted at some fixed distance. The value of the interference band deflection inside phase inhomogeneity depends on the gradient of the index of refraction in the direction of shift. It has been found that for studying the inner region of the laser plasma a small shift should be used, and for the external one - a large one. The version of a radial shift interferometry is shown to be optimum. For the inner region of the interferogram the error of the electron density restoration does not exceed 10%, and for the external one the error is comparable with that for the version of standard interferometry. A systematic analysis of the optimum type interferometers shows advantages of shearing interferometers. The maximum electron density recorded in experiments makes up approximately equal to 10 20 cm -3 , which is 3-5 times higher than the corresponding value obtained by a standard double-slit type interferometer at equal limiting parameters of the optical system applied

  20. Higher Order Analysis of Turbulent Changes Found in the ELF Range Electric Field Plasma Before Major Earthquakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosciesza, M.; Blecki, J. S.; Parrot, M.

    2014-12-01

    We report the structure function analysis of changes found in electric field in the ELF range plasma turbulence registered in the ionosphere over epicenter region of major earthquakes with depth less than 40 km that took place during 6.5 years of the scientific mission of the DEMETER satellite. We compare the data for the earthquakes for which we found turbulence with events without any turbulent changes. The structure functions were calculated also for the Polar CUSP region and equatorial spread F region. Basic studies of the turbulent processes were conducted with use of higher order spectra and higher order statistics. The structure function analysis was performed to locate and check if there are intermittent behaviors in the ionospheres plasma over epicenter region of the earthquakes. These registrations are correlated with the plasma parameters measured onboard DEMETER satellite and with geomagnetic indices.

  1. Investigations of the role of nonlinear couplings in structure formation and transport regulation in plasma turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holland, Christopher George

    Studies of nonlinear couplings and dynamics in plasma turbulence are presented. Particular areas of focus are analytic studies of coherent structure formation in electron temperature gradient turbulence, measurement of nonlinear energy transfer in simulations of plasma turbulence, and bispectral analysis of experimental and computational data. The motivation for these works has been to develop and expand the existing theories of plasma transport, and verify the nonlinear predictions of those theories in simulation and experiment. In Chapter II, we study electromagnetic secondary instabilities of electron temperature gradient turbulence. The growth rate for zonal flow generation via modulational instability of electromagnetic ETG turbulence is calculated, as well as that for zonal (magnetic) field generation. In Chapter III, the stability and saturation of streamers in ETG turbulence is considered, and shown to depend sensitively upon geometry and the damping rates of the Kelvin-Helmholtz mode. Requirements for a credible theory of streamer transport are presented. In addition, a self-consistent model for interactions between ETG and ITG (ion temperature gradient) turbulence is presented. In Chapter IV, the nonlinear transfer of kinetic and internal energy is measured in simulations of plasma turbulence. The regulation of turbulence by radial decorrelation due to zonal flows and generation of zonal flows via the Reynolds stress are explicitly demonstrated, and shown to be symmetric facets of a single nonlinear process. Novel nonlinear saturation mechanisms for zonal flows are discussed. In Chapter V, measurements of fluctuation bicoherence in the edge of the DIII-D tokamak are presented. It is shown that the bicoherence increases transiently before a L-H transition, and decays to its initial value after the barrier has formed. The increase in bicoherence is localized to the region where the transport barrier forms, and shows strong coupling between well

  2. Ion temperature gradient driven mode in presence of transverse velocity shear in magnetized plasmas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chakrabarti, N.; Juul Rasmussen, J.; Michelsen, Poul

    2005-01-01

    The effect of sheared poloidal flow on the toroidal branch of the ion temperature gradient driven mode of magnetized nonuniform plasma is studied. A novel "nonmodal" calculation is used to analyze the problem. It is shown that the transverse shear flow considerably reduced the growth...

  3. Statistical theory and transition in multiple-scale-lengths turbulence in plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Itoh, Sanae-I. [Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu Univ., Kasuga, Fukuoka (Japan); Itoh, Kimitaka [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan)

    2001-06-01

    The statistical theory of strong turbulence in inhomogeneous plasmas is developed for the cases where fluctuations with different scale-lengths coexist. Nonlinear interactions in the same kind of fluctuations as well as nonlinear interplay between different classes of fluctuations are kept in the analysis. Nonlinear interactions are modelled as turbulent drag, nonlinear noise and nonlinear drive, and a set of Langevin equations is formulated. With the help of an Ansatz of a large number of degrees of freedom with positive Lyapunov number, Langevin equations are solved and the fluctuation dissipation theorem in the presence of strong plasma turbulence has been derived. A case where two driving mechanisms (one for micro mode and the other for semi-micro mode) coexist is investigated. It is found that there are several states of fluctuations: in one state, the micro mode is excited and the semi-micro mode is quenched; in the other state, the semi-micro mode is excited, and the micro mode remains at finite but suppressed level. New type of turbulence transition is obtained, and a cusp type catastrophe is revealed. A phase diagram is drawn for turbulence which is composed of multiple classes of fluctuations. Influence of the inhomogeneous global radial electric field is discussed. A new insight is given for the physics of internal transport barrier. Finally, the nonlocal heat transport due to the long-wave-length fluctuations, which are noise-pumped by shorter-wave-length ones, is analyzed and the impact on transient transport problems is discussed. (author)

  4. 2D Diffusion of Rods in a Nonneutral Plasma with Finite E × B Shear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, D. Z.; Dubin, Daniel H. E.

    2000-10-01

    Cross-magnetic-field collisional diffusion of test particles is discussed for a nonneutral plasma column in the 2D regime, where the diffusion is due to the E × B drift of charged rods (bounce-averaged electrons) in the random Coulomb fields of other rods. If the overall flow has a finite E × B velocity shear, the diffusion can be orders of magnitude smaller than predicted by previous calculations,(J.B. Taylor and B. McNamara, Phys. Fluids 14), 1492 (1971); J.M. Dawson, H. Okuda and R.N. Carlile, Phys. Rev. Lett. 27, 491 (1971). which are shown to hold only for a nearly shear-free plasma. Particle-in-cell and molecular dynamics simulations of the diffusion match the theory, provided that the E × B rotation frequency is monotonically decreasing as a function of radius (negative shear, the usual case in a stable nonneutral plasma column). Interestingly, when the rotation frequency is monotonically increasing (positive shear), the transport is suppressed by another order of magnitude or more. This phenomenon is related to the nonlinear dynamics of prograde point vortices in a shear flow.(David A. Schecter and Daniel H.E. Dubin, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83), 2191 (1999).

  5. One possible method of mathematical modeling of turbulent transport processes in plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skvortsova, Nina N.; Batanov, German M.; Petrov, Alexander E.; Pshenichnikov, Anton A.; Sarksyan, Karen A.; Kharchev, Nikolay K.; Bening, Vladimir E.; Korolev, Victor Yu.

    2003-01-01

    It is proposed to use the mathematical modeling of the increments of fluctuating plasma variables to analyzing the probability characteristics of turbulent transport processes in plasma. It is shown that, in plasma of the L-2M stellarator and the TAU-1 linear device, the increments of the process of local fluctuating particle flux are stochastic in nature and their distribution is a scale mixture of Gaussians. (author)

  6. Influence of Rotational Transform and Magnetic Shear on the Energy Content of TJ-II Plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Estrada, T.; Ascasibar, E.; Castejon, F.; Jimenez, J. A.; Lopez-Bruna, D.; Pastor, I.

    2002-07-01

    In the magnetic configuration scans performed in TJ-II stellarator, low plasma energy content is found to be related to the presence of low order rational surfaces within the confinement region in low plasma density experiments. Plasma currents of about-1 kA (mainly bootstrap driven) can substantially increase the magnetic shear in TJ-II and under these conditions the confinement is no longer deteriorated by low order rational surfaces. Experiments with higher plasma currents (OH induced currents up to +/-10 kA) show a non-symmetric dependence on the sign of the magnetic shear. Preliminary results show a substantial improvement of the confinement in the case of negative plasma current, while minor changes are observed in the plasma energy content when positive current is induced in magnetic configurations that in vacuum exclude low order rational surfaces. (Author) 12 refs.

  7. Influence of Rotational Transform and Magnetic Shear on the Energy Content of TJ-II Plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Estrada, T.; Ascasibar, E.; Castejon, F.; Jimenez, J. A.; Lopez-Bruna, D.; Pastor, I.

    2002-01-01

    In the magnetic configuration scans performed in TJ-II stellarator, low plasma energy content is found to be related to the presence of low order rational surfaces within the confinement region in low plasma density experiments. Plasma currents of about-1 kA (mainly bootstrap driven) can substantially increase the magnetic shear in TJ-II and under these conditions the confinement is no longer deteriorated by low order rational surfaces. Experiments with higher plasma currents (OH induced currents up to +/-10 kA) show a non-symmetric dependence on the sign of the magnetic shear. Preliminary results show a substantial improvement of the confinement in the case of negative plasma current, while minor changes are observed in the plasma energy content when positive current is induced in magnetic configurations that in vacuum exclude low order rational surfaces. (Author) 12 refs

  8. Phase space diffusion in turbulent plasmas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pécseli, Hans

    1990-01-01

    . The second type are particles introduced at a prescribed phase space position at a certain time and which then self-consistently participate in the phase space dynamics of the turbulence. The latter "active" type of particles can be subject to an effective frictional force due to radiation of plasma waves....... In terms of these test particle types, two basically different problems can be formulated. One deals with the diffusion of a particle with respect to its point of release in phase space. Alternatively the relative diffusion between many, or just two, particles can be analyzed. Analytical expressions...

  9. Performances of motion tracking enhanced Tomo-PIV on turbulent shear flows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novara, Matteo; Scarano, Fulvio

    The motion tracking enhancement technique (MTE) is a recently introduced method to improve the accuracy of tomographic PIV measurements at seeding density higher than currently practiced. The working principle is based on the fact that the particle field and its projections are correlated between the two exposures. Therefore, information from subsequent exposures can be shared within the tomographic reconstruction process of a single object, which largely reduces the energy lost into ghost particles . The study follows a previous work based on synthetic particle images, showing that the MTE technique has an effect similar to that of increasing the number of cameras. In the present analysis, MTE is applied to Tomographic PIV data from two time-resolved experiments on turbulent shear flows: a round jet at Re  = 5,000 ( f acq  = 1,000 Hz) and a turbulent boundary layer at the trailing edge of an airfoil ( Re c  = 370,000) measured at 12,000 Hz. The application of MTE is extended to the case of more than two recordings. The performance is assessed comparing the results from a lowered number of cameras with respect to the full tomographic imaging system. The analysis of the jet flow agrees with the findings of numerical simulations provided the results are scaled taking into account the concept of MTE efficiency based on the volume fraction where ghost - pairs (Elsinga et al. 2010a) are produced. When a large fraction of fluid has uniform motion (stagnant fluid surrounding the jet), only a moderate reduction in ghost intensity is expected by MTE. Nevertheless, a visible recovery of reconstruction quality is observed for the 3-cameras system when MTE is applied making use of 3 recordings. In the turbulent boundary layer, the objective is set to increase the seeding density beyond current practice, and the experiments are performed at approximately 200,000 particles/megapixel. The measurement robustness is monitored with the signal-to-noise ratio S/N for the cross

  10. Calculation of coulomb correlation potential in a turbulent non-ideal plasma with reduced degrees of freedom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dwivedi, C.B.; Bhattacharjee, M.

    1998-01-01

    A simple but reasonable physical model has been developed to find out the correlation potential in a turbulent non-ideal plasma. It is assumed that the turbulent plasma state comprises of weakly interacting pseudo particles i.e. nonlinear coherent structures like solitons with random distribution in space and time. The calculation is based on the lowest order binary interacting model of the nonlinear normal modes (pseudo particles) of the weakly correlated plasmas. Its implication in the phase transition of the correlated Coulomb gas is discussed. (author)

  11. Spatio-temporal characteristics of large scale motions in a turbulent boundary layer from direct wall shear stress measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pabon, Rommel; Barnard, Casey; Ukeiley, Lawrence; Sheplak, Mark

    2016-11-01

    Particle image velocimetry (PIV) and fluctuating wall shear stress experiments were performed on a flat plate turbulent boundary layer (TBL) under zero pressure gradient conditions. The fluctuating wall shear stress was measured using a microelectromechanical 1mm × 1mm floating element capacitive shear stress sensor (CSSS) developed at the University of Florida. The experiments elucidated the imprint of the organized motions in a TBL on the wall shear stress through its direct measurement. Spatial autocorrelation of the streamwise velocity from the PIV snapshots revealed large scale motions that scale on the order of boundary layer thickness. However, the captured inclination angle was lower than that determined using the classic method by means of wall shear stress and hot-wire anemometry (HWA) temporal cross-correlations and a frozen field hypothesis using a convection velocity. The current study suggests the large size of these motions begins to degrade the applicability of the frozen field hypothesis for the time resolved HWA experiments. The simultaneous PIV and CSSS measurements are also used for spatial reconstruction of the velocity field during conditionally sampled intense wall shear stress events. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1315138.

  12. Turbulence in the solar atmosphere and in the interplanetary plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chashei, I.V.; Shishov, V.I.

    1984-01-01

    Analysis of the basic properties of the turbulence in the solar chromosphere, corona, and supercorona (the plasma acceleration zone) indicates that the energy of acoustic disturbances generated at the photospheric level will be conveyed outward into the interplanetary plasma jointly by nonlinear wave interactions and wave propagation effects. Above the chromosphere, damping will be strongest at heights Rroughly-equal0.4 R/sub sun/ for acoustic-type waves and at Rroughly-equalR/sub sun/ for Alfven waves

  13. Active control of internal transport barrier and confinement database in JT-60U reversed shear plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sakamoto, Yoshiteru; Takizuka, Tomonori; Shirai, Hiroshi; Fujita, Takaaki; Kamada, Yutaka; Ide, Shunsuke; Fukuda, Takeshi; Koide, Yoshihiko [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka, Ibaraki (Japan). Naka Fusion Research Establishment

    2001-07-01

    Active control of internal transport barrier (ITB) and confinement properties of plasma with ITB have been studied in reversed shear plasmas. Modifications of the radial electric field (E{sub r}) profile by changing the combination of tangential neutral beams can control the ITB strength, where the contribution to E{sub r} from the toroidal rotation plays an important role. The ITB confinement database of reversed shear plasmas has been constructed. Stored energy is strongly correlated with poloidal magnetic field at the ITB foot. (author)

  14. The roles of electric field shear and Shafranov shift in sustaining high confinement in enhanced reversed shear plasmas on the TFTR tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Synakowski, E.J.; Beer, M.A.

    1997-02-01

    The relaxation of core transport barriers in TFTR Enhanced Reversed Shear plasmas has been studied by varying the radial electric field using different applied torques from neutral beam injection. Transport rates and fluctuations remain low over a wide range of radial electric field shear, but increase when the local E x B shearing rates are driven below a threshold comparable to the fastest linear growth rates of the dominant instabilities. Shafranov-shift-induced stabilization alone is not able to sustain enhanced confinement

  15. Phase-space diffusion in turbulent plasmas: The random acceleration problem revisited

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pécseli, H.L.; Trulsen, J.

    1991-01-01

    Phase-space diffusion of test particles in turbulent plasmas is studied by an approach based on a conditional statistical analysis of fluctuating electrostatic fields. Analytical relations between relevant conditional averages and higher-order correlations, , and triple...

  16. On the link between ExB sheared flows and rational surfaces in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, C.; Erents, K.; Matthews, G.

    2000-11-01

    Experimental evidence of flattening in plasma profiles has been observed in the edge region of the JET tokamak. This observation has been interpreted in terms of the influence of rational surfaces on plasma profiles. In the framework of this interpretation, significant ExB sheared flows linked to rational surfaces have been identified. These ExB sheared flows are close to the critical value to trigger the transition to improved confinement regimes. These results can explain the link between the magnetic topology and the generation of transport barriers reported in fusion devices. (author)

  17. Langmuir probe-based observables for plasma-turbulence code validation and application to the TORPEX basic plasma physics experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ricci, Paolo; Theiler, C.; Fasoli, A.; Furno, I.; Labit, B.; Mueller, S. H.; Podesta, M.; Poli, F. M.

    2009-01-01

    The methodology for plasma-turbulence code validation is discussed, with focus on the quantities to use for the simulation-experiment comparison, i.e., the validation observables, and application to the TORPEX basic plasma physics experiment [A. Fasoli et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 055902 (2006)]. The considered validation observables are deduced from Langmuir probe measurements and are ordered into a primacy hierarchy, according to the number of model assumptions and to the combinations of measurements needed to form each of them. The lowest levels of the primacy hierarchy correspond to observables that require the lowest number of model assumptions and measurement combinations, such as the statistical and spectral properties of the ion saturation current time trace, while at the highest levels, quantities such as particle transport are considered. The comparison of the observables at the lowest levels in the hierarchy is more stringent than at the highest levels. Examples of the use of the proposed observables are applied to a specific TORPEX plasma configuration characterized by interchange-driven turbulence.

  18. Transport and stability studies in negative central shear advanced tokamak plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jayakumar, R.J.

    2003-01-01

    Achieving high performance for long duration is a key goal of Advanced Tokamak (AT) research around the world. To this end, tokamak experiments are focusing on obtaining (a) a high fraction of well-aligned non-inductive plasma current (b) wide internal transport barriers (ITBs) in the ion and electron transport channels to obtain high temperatures (c) control of resistive wall modes and neoclassical Tearing Modes which limit the achievable beta. A current profile that yields a negative central magnetic shear (NCS) in the core is consistent with the above focus; Negative central shear is conducive for obtaining internal transport barriers, for high degree of bootstrap current alignment and for reaching the second stability region for ideal ballooning modes, while being stable to ideal kink modes at high beta with wall stabilization. Much progress has been made in obtaining AT performance in several tokamaks through an increasing understanding of the stability and transport properties of tokamak plasmas. RF and neutral beam current drive scenarios are routinely developed and implemented in experiments to access new advanced regimes and control plasma profiles. Short duration and sustained Internal Transport Barriers (ITB) have been obtained in the ion and electron channels. The formation of an ITB is attributable to the stabilization of ion and electron temperature gradient (ITG and ETG) and trapped electron modes (TEM), enhancement of E x B flow shear rate and rarefaction of resonant surfaces near the rational q min values. (orig.)

  19. Transport and stability studies in negative central shear advanced tokamak plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jayakumar, R.J. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (United States)

    2003-07-01

    Achieving high performance for long duration is a key goal of Advanced Tokamak (AT) research around the world. To this end, tokamak experiments are focusing on obtaining (a) a high fraction of well-aligned non-inductive plasma current (b) wide internal transport barriers (ITBs) in the ion and electron transport channels to obtain high temperatures (c) control of resistive wall modes and neoclassical Tearing Modes which limit the achievable beta. A current profile that yields a negative central magnetic shear (NCS) in the core is consistent with the above focus; Negative central shear is conducive for obtaining internal transport barriers, for high degree of bootstrap current alignment and for reaching the second stability region for ideal ballooning modes, while being stable to ideal kink modes at high beta with wall stabilization. Much progress has been made in obtaining AT performance in several tokamaks through an increasing understanding of the stability and transport properties of tokamak plasmas. RF and neutral beam current drive scenarios are routinely developed and implemented in experiments to access new advanced regimes and control plasma profiles. Short duration and sustained Internal Transport Barriers (ITB) have been obtained in the ion and electron channels. The formation of an ITB is attributable to the stabilization of ion and electron temperature gradient (ITG and ETG) and trapped electron modes (TEM), enhancement of E x B flow shear rate and rarefaction of resonant surfaces near the rational q{sub min} values. (orig.)

  20. Exercise-induced shear stress is associated with changes in plasma von Willebrand factor in older humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzales, Joaquin U; Thistlethwaite, John R; Thompson, Benjamin C; Scheuermann, Barry W

    2009-07-01

    Shear stress is the frictional force of blood against the endothelium, a stimulus for endothelial activation and the release of von Willebrand factor (vWF). This study tested the hypothesis that the increase in shear stress associated with exercise correlates with plasma vWF. Young (n = 14, 25.7 +/- 5.4 years) and older (n = 13, 65.6 +/- 10.7 years) individuals participated in 30 min of dynamic handgrip exercise at a moderate intensity. Brachial artery diameter and blood flow were measured using ultrasound Doppler and blood samples were collected before, immediately after, and following 30 min of recovery from exercise with plasma levels of vWF. Plasma levels of vWF increased (P exercise. The change in plasma vWF was linearly correlated with the increase in shear stress during exercise in older individuals (post-exercise: r = 0.78, 30 min recovery: r = 0.77, P < 0.01), but no association was found in the young individuals. These changes in plasma levels of vWF in humans suggest that aging influences endothelial activation and hemostasis.

  1. Progress towards modeling tokamak boundary plasma turbulence and understanding its role in setting divertor heat flux widths

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, B.; Xu, X. Q.; Xia, T. Y.; Li, N. M.; Porkolab, M.; Edlund, E.; LaBombard, B.; Terry, J.; Hughes, J. W.; Ye, M. Y.; Wan, Y. X.

    2018-05-01

    The heat flux distributions on divertor targets in H-mode plasmas are serious concerns for future devices. We seek to simulate the tokamak boundary plasma turbulence and heat transport in the edge localized mode-suppressed regimes. The improved BOUT++ model shows that not only Ip but also the radial electric field Er plays an important role on the turbulence behavior and sets the heat flux width. Instead of calculating Er from the pressure gradient term (diamagnetic Er), it is calculated from the plasma transport equations with the sheath potential in the scrape-off layer and the plasma density and temperature profiles inside the separatrix from the experiment. The simulation results with the new Er model have better agreement with the experiment than using the diamagnetic Er model: (1) The electromagnetic turbulence in enhanced Dα H-mode shows the characteristics of quasi-coherent modes (QCMs) and broadband turbulence. The mode spectra are in agreement with the phase contrast imaging data and almost has no change in comparison to the cases which use the diamagnetic Er model; (2) the self-consistent boundary Er is needed for the turbulence simulations to get the consistent heat flux width with the experiment; (3) the frequencies of the QCMs are proportional to Er, while the divertor heat flux widths are inversely proportional to Er; and (4) the BOUT++ turbulence simulations yield a similar heat flux width to the experimental Eich scaling law and the prediction from the Goldston heuristic drift model.

  2. Understanding L-H transition in tokamak fusion plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Guosheng; Wu, Xingquan

    2017-03-01

    This paper reviews the current state of understanding of the L-H transition phenomenon in tokamak plasmas with a focus on two central issues: (a) the mechanism for turbulence quick suppression at the L-H transition; (b) the mechanism for subsequent generation of sheared flow. We briefly review recent advances in the understanding of the fast suppression of edge turbulence across the L-H transition. We uncover a comprehensive physical picture of the L-H transition by piecing together a number of recent experimental observations and insights obtained from 1D and 2D simulation models. Different roles played by diamagnetic mean flow, neoclassical-driven mean flow, turbulence-driven mean flow, and turbulence-driven zonal flows are discussed and clarified. It is found that the L-H transition occurs spontaneously mediated by a shift in the radial wavenumber spectrum of edge turbulence, which provides a critical evidence for the theory of turbulence quench by the flow shear. Remaining questions and some key directions for future investigations are proposed. This work was supported by National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Science Program of China under Contracts No. 2015GB101000, No. 2013GB106000, and No. 2013GB107000 and National Natural Science Foundation of China under Contracts No. 11575235 and No. 11422546.

  3. Prediction of free turbulent mixing using a turbulent kinetic energy method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harsha, P. T.

    1973-01-01

    Free turbulent mixing of two-dimensional and axisymmetric one- and two-stream flows is analyzed by a relatively simple turbulent kinetic energy method. This method incorporates a linear relationship between the turbulent shear and the turbulent kinetic energy and an algebraic relationship for the length scale appearing in the turbulent kinetic energy equation. Good results are obtained for a wide variety of flows. The technique is shown to be especially applicable to flows with heat and mass transfer, for which nonunity Prandtl and Schmidt numbers may be assumed.

  4. Transition to Collisionless Ion-Temperature-Gradient-Driven Plasma Turbulence: A Dynamical Systems Approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolesnikov, R.A.; Krommes, J.A.

    2005-01-01

    The transition to collisionless ion-temperature-gradient-driven plasma turbulence is considered by applying dynamical systems theory to a model with 10 degrees of freedom. The study of a four-dimensional center manifold predicts a 'Dimits shift' of the threshold for turbulence due to the excitation of zonal flows and establishes (for the model) the exact value of that shift

  5. Experimental investigations of structure and dynamics of drift-wave turbulence in stellarator geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birkenmeier, Gregor

    2012-01-01

    For more than 60 years, fusion scientists try to confine a plasma by means of external magnetic fields in order to achieve appropriately high densities and temperatures for the ignition of nuclear fusion. Despite of great progress in the design of confinement concepts, which are considered for the confinement of burning plasmas in the near future, theoretical plasma physics promises further confinement improvements using novel magnetic field geometries. Therefor, the key is the minimization of turbulent transport by choosing appropiate magnetic field geometries, which necessitates a fundamental understanding of the influence of magnetic field geometry on plasma turbulence. There are several theoretical works on turbulent plasma dynamics in three-dimensional geometries, but only a few experimental studies for validation of the theoretical results exist. Hence, the present work aims at providing experimental data for comparison with theory and to gain insights into the interplay between drift-wave turbulence and magnetic field geometry. By means of two multi-probe arrays, local density and potential fluctuations are measured in low-temperature plasmas at 128 positions on a single flux surface of the stellarator TJ-K with high temporal resolution. Using methods of statistical timeseries analysis structure sizes and dynamic properties of the drift-wave turbulence in TJ-K are determined. Thereby, it is shown that the size of turbulent structures perpendicular to the magnetic field is reduced in regions of high absolute local magnetic shear. In addition, a poloidal displacement with respect to the magnetic field lines and a complex propagation pattern of parallelly extended turbulent structures is found. Also, poloidal profiles of turbulent transport are calculated from the probe data. The maximum transport is found to be poloidally localized in a region of negative normal curvature (unfavourable curvature). In addition, the results point to an influence of geodesic

  6. Plasma turbulence calculations on the Intel iPSC/860 (rx) hypercube

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lynch, V.E.; Ruiter, J.R.

    1990-01-01

    One approach to improving the real-time efficiency of plasma turbulence calculations is to use a parallel algorithm. A serial algorithm used for plasma turbulence calculations was modified to allocate a radial region in each node. In this way, convolutions at a fixed radius are performed in parallel, and communication is limited to boundary values for each radial region. For a semi-implicity numerical scheme (tridiagonal matrix solver), there is a factor of 3 improvement in efficiency with the Intel iPSC/860 machine using 64 processors over a single-processor Cray-II. For block-tridiagonal matrix cases (fully implicit code), a second parallelization takes place. The Fourier components are distributed in nodes. In each node, the block-tridiagonal matrix is inverted for each of allocated Fourier components. The algorithm for this second case has not yet been optimized. 10 refs., 4 figs

  7. Edge turbulence effect on ultra-fast swept reflectometry core measurements in tokamak plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zadvitskiy, G. V.; Heuraux, S.; Lechte, C.; Hacquin, S.; Sabot, R.

    2018-02-01

    Ultra-fast frequency-swept reflectometry (UFSR) enables one to provide information about the turbulence radial wave-number spectrum and perturbation amplitude with good spatial and temporal resolutions. However, a data interpretation of USFR is quiet tricky. An iterative algorithm to solve this inverse problem was used in past works, Gerbaud (2006 Rev. Sci. Instrum. 77 10E928). For a direct solution, a fast 1D Helmholtz solver was used. Two-dimensional effects are strong and should be taken into account during data interpretation. As 2D full-wave codes are still too time consuming for systematic application, fast 2D approaches based on the Born approximation are of prime interest. Such methods gives good results in the case of small turbulence levels. However in tokamak plasmas, edge turbulence is usually very strong and can distort and broaden the probing beam Sysoeva et al (2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 033016). It was shown that this can change reflectometer phase response from the plasma core. Comparison between 2D full wave computation and the simplified Born approximation was done. The approximated method can provide a right spectral shape, but it is unable to describe a change of the spectral amplitude with an edge turbulence level. Computation for the O-mode wave with the linear density profile in the slab geometry and for realistic Tore-Supra density profile, based on the experimental data turbulence amplitude and spectrum, were performed to investigate the role of strong edge turbulence. It is shown that the spectral peak in the signal amplitude variation spectrum which rises with edge turbulence can be a signature of strong edge turbulence. Moreover, computations for misaligned receiving and emitting antennas were performed. It was found that the signal amplitude variation peak changes its position with a receiving antenna poloidal displacement.

  8. Examining the evolution towards turbulence through spatio-temporal analysis of multi-dimensional structures formed by instability growth along a shear layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merritt, Elizabeth; Doss, Forrest; Loomis, Eric; Flippo, Kirk; Devolder, Barbara; Welser-Sherrill, Leslie; Fincke, James; Kline, John

    2014-10-01

    The counter-propagating shear campaign is examining instability growth and its transition to turbulence relevant to mix in ICF capsules. Experimental platforms on both OMEGA and NIF use anti-symmetric flows about a shear interface to examine isolated Kelvin-Helmholtz instability growth. Measurements of interface (an Al or Ti tracer layer) dynamics are used to benchmark the LANL RAGE hydrocode with BHR turbulence model. The tracer layer does not expand uniformly, but breaks up into multi-dimensional structures that are initially quasi-2D due to the target geometry. We are developing techniques to analyze the multi-D structure growth along the tracer surface with a focus on characterizing the time-dependent structures' spectrum of scales in order to appraise a transition to turbulence in the system and potentially provide tighter constraints on initialization schemes for the BHR model. To this end, we use a wavelet based analysis to diagnose single-time radiographs of the tracer layer surface (w/low and amplified roughness for random noise seeding) with observed spatially non-repetitive features, in order to identify spatial and temporal trends in radiographs taken at different times across several experimental shots. This work conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by LANL under Contract DE-AC52-06NA25396.

  9. Universal Probability Distribution Function for Bursty Transport in Plasma Turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sandberg, I.; Benkadda, S.; Garbet, X.; Ropokis, G.; Hizanidis, K.; Castillo-Negrete, D. del

    2009-01-01

    Bursty transport phenomena associated with convective motion present universal statistical characteristics among different physical systems. In this Letter, a stochastic univariate model and the associated probability distribution function for the description of bursty transport in plasma turbulence is presented. The proposed stochastic process recovers the universal distribution of density fluctuations observed in plasma edge of several magnetic confinement devices and the remarkable scaling between their skewness S and kurtosis K. Similar statistical characteristics of variabilities have been also observed in other physical systems that are characterized by convection such as the x-ray fluctuations emitted by the Cygnus X-1 accretion disc plasmas and the sea surface temperature fluctuations.

  10. Interaction between a normal shock wave and a turbulent boundary layer at high transonic speeds. II - Wall shear stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liou, M. S.; Adamson, T. C., Jr.

    1980-01-01

    Asymptotic methods are used to calculate the shear stress at the wall for the interaction between a normal shock wave and a turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate. A mixing length model is used for the eddy viscosity. The shock wave is taken to be strong enough that the sonic line is deep in the boundary layer and the upstream influence is thus very small. It is shown that unlike the result found for laminar flow an asymptotic criterion for separation is not found; however, conditions for incipient separation are computed numerically using the derived solution for the shear stress at the wall. Results are compared with available experimental measurements.

  11. Turbulence

    CERN Document Server

    Bailly, Christophe

    2015-01-01

    This book covers the major problems of turbulence and turbulent processes, including  physical phenomena, their modeling and their simulation. After a general introduction in Chapter 1 illustrating many aspects dealing with turbulent flows, averaged equations and kinetic energy budgets are provided in Chapter 2. The concept of turbulent viscosity as a closure of the Reynolds stress is also introduced. Wall-bounded flows are presented in Chapter 3, and aspects specific to boundary layers and channel or pipe flows are also pointed out. Free shear flows, namely free jets and wakes, are considered in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 deals with vortex dynamics. Homogeneous turbulence, isotropy, and dynamics of isotropic turbulence are presented in Chapters 6 and 7. Turbulence is then described both in the physical space and in the wave number space. Time dependent numerical simulations are presented in Chapter 8, where an introduction to large eddy simulation is offered. The last three chapters of the book summarize remarka...

  12. Symposium on Turbulent Shear Flows (8th) Held in Munich, Germany on 9-11 September 1991. Volume 1. Sessions 1-18

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-09-01

    opposite Fance mode at streaks in the spanwise direction and in the direction per- time when ri is maximum- V, Fv; 9 , F.; and a , F, pendicular to the...space, Fig, lbIII, flow, see Hassa et al. (1988). resp., requires that the filter input sig- By the use of a monodisperse di plet gene - nals have to be...of turbulent shear flows". V K I Lecture .me Series 1989-3 on "Tuibuleti Shear Flows", Rhode-Saint- SWIM Genese (Belgique), February 6-10, 1989 to" 13

  13. Turbulent kinetic energy equation and free mixing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morel, T.; Torda, T. P.; Bradshaw, P.

    1973-01-01

    Calculation of free shear flows was carried out to investigate the usefulness of several concepts which were previously successfully applied to wall flows. The method belongs to the class of differential approaches. The turbulence is taken into account by the introduction of one additional partial differential equation, the transport equation for the turbulent shear stress. The structure of turbulence is modeled after Bradshaw et al. This model was used successfully in boundary layers and its applicability to other flows is demonstrated. The work reported differs substantially from that of an earlier attempt to use this approach for calculation of free flows. The most important difference is that the region around the center line is treated by invoking the interaction hypothesis (concerning the structure of turbulence in the regions separated by the velocity extrema). The compressibility effects on shear layer spreading at low and moderate Mach numbers were investigated. In the absence of detailed experiments in free flows, the evidence from boundary layers that at low Mach numbers the structure of turbulence is unaffected by the compressibility was relied on. The present model was tested over a range of self-preserving and developing flows including pressure gradients using identical empirical input. The dependence of the structure of turbulence on the spreading rate of the shear layer was established.

  14. The effect of sheared toroidal rotation on pressure driven magnetic islands in toroidal plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hegna, C. C. [Departments of Engineering Physics and Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

    2016-05-15

    The impact of sheared toroidal rotation on the evolution of pressure driven magnetic islands in tokamak plasmas is investigated using a resistive magnetohydrodynamics model augmented by a neoclassical Ohm's law. Particular attention is paid to the asymptotic matching data as the Mercier indices are altered in the presence of sheared flow. Analysis of the nonlinear island Grad-Shafranov equation shows that sheared flows tend to amplify the stabilizing pressure/curvature contribution to pressure driven islands in toroidal tokamaks relative to the island bootstrap current contribution. As such, sheared toroidal rotation tends to reduce saturated magnetic island widths.

  15. Instabilities and vortex dynamics in shear flow of magnetized plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tajima, T.; Horton, W.; Morrison, P.J.; Schutkeker, J.; Kamimura, T.; Mima, K.; Abe, Y.

    1990-03-01

    Gradient-driven instabilities and the subsequent nonlinear evolution of generated vortices in sheared E x B flows are investigated for magnetized plasmas with and without gravity (magnetic curvature) and magnetic shear by using theory and implicit particle simulations. In the linear eigenmode analysis, the instabilities considered are the Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability and the resistive interchange instability. The presence of the shear flow can stabilize these instabilities. The dynamics of the K-H instability and the vortex dynamics can be uniformly described by the initial flow pattern with a vorticity localization parameter ε. The observed growth of the K-H modes is exponential in time for linearly unstable modes, secular for marginal mode, and absent until driven nonlinearly for linearly stable modes. The distance between two vortex centers experiences rapid merging while the angle θ between the axis of vortices and the external shear flow increases. These vortices proceed toward their overall coalescence, while shedding small-scale vortices and waves. The main features of vortex dynamics of the nonlinear coalescence and the tilt or the rotational instabilities of vortices are shown to be given by using a low dimension Hamiltonian representation for interacting vortex cores in the shear flow. 24 refs., 19 figs., 1 tab

  16. Development and application of poloidal correlation reflectometry to study turbulent structures in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prisiazhniuk, Dmitrii

    2017-06-05

    {sup circle}. A small additional declination angle of turbulent structures of the order of ∼ 2-3 {sup circle} from the equilibrium magnetic field line is found at the pedestal position. The dispersion relation of propagating density fluctuations is found to be nearly linear between perpendicular wavenumbers k {sub perpendicular} {sub to} =1 and 12 cm{sup -1} in both the core and edge regions of the plasma. The propagation velocity v {sub perpendicular} {sub to} =v{sub E} {sub x} {sub B}+v{sub ph}, composed of the background E x B drift and the intrinsic phase velocity of the turbulence, shows reasonable agreement with v{sub E} {sub x} {sub B} calculated from neoclassical theory. The extracted turbulence phase velocity from the difference of the measured v {sub perpendicular} {sub to} and the neoclassical estimate of v{sub E} {sub x} {sub B} is significantly smaller than values predicted for linear electron drift waves in the plasma edge region. This value of the measured phase velocity has been compared with a nonlinear turbulence simulation by the gyrofluid code GEMR, which is found to reproduce small phase velocity. In the second part of the thesis, the relation between the turbulence structure, the mean plasma parameters and the v {sub perpendicular} {sub to} velocity shear is investigated. The measured correlation length varies from 0.6 to 2.0 cm and the decorrelation time from 5 to 50 μs. It is shown that the perpendicular correlation length scales with the drift wave scale ρ{sub s}=√(m{sub i}T{sub e})/eB, while the decorrelation time is roughly 40/v {sub perpendicular} {sub to}. Furthermore it is shown that an increase of the v {sub perpendicular} {sub to} flow shear in the edge region results in an additional decrease of decorrelation time that is in agreement with theoretical expectations. The last part of the thesis is devoted to the measurement of turbulence parameters between two different confinement regimes: the linear Ohmic confinement and the

  17. Advection of long lived density blobs in the turbulent state of a simple magnetized torus plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barni, R; Riccardi, C

    2009-01-01

    The turbulent regime of a simple magnetized toroidal plasma column has been studied in the plasma device Thorello. The detection and the study of the spatio-temporal evolution of structures have been performed by means of conditional sampling techniques as well as other statistical tools. As a result the evidence of plasma blob formation and expulsion from the edge of the main plasma column has been obtained. The relation between structure phenomenology and statistical characteristics of the turbulent regime has been investigated. The motion of the density structures in the edge region of our device does not look ballistic but rather driven by the overall potential profile established in the turbulent state. Potential fluctuations are strongly anti-correlated with density structures, located in the same position and somewhat more extended. They provide a shallow potential well with a flat bottom and quite sharp edges surrounding and co-moving with the blobs. Blob lifetime exceeds the residence time associated with the overall E x B drift field. Then such persistent structures provide a means for a net convection of the charged particles to the limiter, across the magnetic field and beyond the edge region of the plasma.

  18. Turbulence in collisionless plasmas: statistical analysis from numerical simulations with pressure anisotropy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kowal, G [Instituto de Astronomia, Geofisica e Ciencias Atmosfericas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Rua do Matao 1226, 05508-900, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Falceta-Goncalves, D A; Lazarian, A, E-mail: kowal@astro.iag.usp.br [Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin, 475 North Charter Street, Madison, WI 53706 (United States)

    2011-05-15

    In recent years, we have experienced increasing interest in the understanding of the physical properties of collisionless plasmas, mostly because of the large number of astrophysical environments (e.g. the intracluster medium (ICM)) containing magnetic fields that are strong enough to be coupled with the ionized gas and characterized by densities sufficiently low to prevent the pressure isotropization with respect to the magnetic line direction. Under these conditions, a new class of kinetic instabilities arises, such as firehose and mirror instabilities, which have been studied extensively in the literature. Their role in the turbulence evolution and cascade process in the presence of pressure anisotropy, however, is still unclear. In this work, we present the first statistical analysis of turbulence in collisionless plasmas using three-dimensional numerical simulations and solving double-isothermal magnetohydrodynamic equations with the Chew-Goldberger-Low laws closure (CGL-MHD). We study models with different initial conditions to account for the firehose and mirror instabilities and to obtain different turbulent regimes. We found that the CGL-MHD subsonic and supersonic turbulences show small differences compared to the MHD models in most cases. However, in the regimes of strong kinetic instabilities, the statistics, i.e. the probability distribution functions (PDFs) of density and velocity, are very different. In subsonic models, the instabilities cause an increase in the dispersion of density, while the dispersion of velocity is increased by a large factor in some cases. Moreover, the spectra of density and velocity show increased power at small scales explained by the high growth rate of the instabilities. Finally, we calculated the structure functions of velocity and density fluctuations in the local reference frame defined by the direction of magnetic lines. The results indicate that in some cases the instabilities significantly increase the anisotropy of

  19. Turbulence in collisionless plasmas: statistical analysis from numerical simulations with pressure anisotropy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kowal, G; Falceta-Goncalves, D A; Lazarian, A

    2011-01-01

    In recent years, we have experienced increasing interest in the understanding of the physical properties of collisionless plasmas, mostly because of the large number of astrophysical environments (e.g. the intracluster medium (ICM)) containing magnetic fields that are strong enough to be coupled with the ionized gas and characterized by densities sufficiently low to prevent the pressure isotropization with respect to the magnetic line direction. Under these conditions, a new class of kinetic instabilities arises, such as firehose and mirror instabilities, which have been studied extensively in the literature. Their role in the turbulence evolution and cascade process in the presence of pressure anisotropy, however, is still unclear. In this work, we present the first statistical analysis of turbulence in collisionless plasmas using three-dimensional numerical simulations and solving double-isothermal magnetohydrodynamic equations with the Chew-Goldberger-Low laws closure (CGL-MHD). We study models with different initial conditions to account for the firehose and mirror instabilities and to obtain different turbulent regimes. We found that the CGL-MHD subsonic and supersonic turbulences show small differences compared to the MHD models in most cases. However, in the regimes of strong kinetic instabilities, the statistics, i.e. the probability distribution functions (PDFs) of density and velocity, are very different. In subsonic models, the instabilities cause an increase in the dispersion of density, while the dispersion of velocity is increased by a large factor in some cases. Moreover, the spectra of density and velocity show increased power at small scales explained by the high growth rate of the instabilities. Finally, we calculated the structure functions of velocity and density fluctuations in the local reference frame defined by the direction of magnetic lines. The results indicate that in some cases the instabilities significantly increase the anisotropy of

  20. Experimental study of turbulence on Tore Supra by plasma micro-waves interaction; Etude experimentale de la turbulence sur Tore Supra par interaction plasma micro-ondes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colas, L

    1996-09-23

    Internal small-scale magnetic turbulence is a serious candidate to explain the anomalous heat transport in tokamaks. This turbulence is badly known in the gradient region of large machines. In this work internal magnetic fluctuations are measured on Tore Supra with an original diagnostic : Cross Polarization Scattering (CPS). This experimental tool relies on the Eigenmode change of a probing polarised microwave beam scattered by magnetic fluctuations, close to a cut-off layer for the incident wave. In this work, the diagnostic is first qualified to assess its sensitivity to magnetic fluctuations, and the spatial localisation for its measurements. The magnetic fluctuation behaviour is then analysed over a wide range of plasma current, density and additional power, and interpreted with a simple 1-D scattering model. A scan of the plasma density or magnetic field is used to move the CPS measurement location from r/a = 0.3 to r/a = 0.75. A fluctuation radial profile is obtained by two means. In L-mode discharges, the relation between magnetic fluctuations, temperature profiles and local heat diffusivities is investigated. With all measurements, it is also possible to look for a local parameter correlated to the turbulence in a large domain of plasma conditions. The fluctuation-induced local heat diffusivity expected from the measured fluctuations is estimated using the non-collisional quasi-linear formula: X{sup mag}{sub e} = {pi}qRV{sub te}({delta}B / B){sup 2}. Both the absolute values and the parametric dependence of calculated X{sup mag}{sub e} are close to the electron thermal diffusivities Xe determined by transport analysis. In particular, a threshold is evidenced in the dependence of fluctuation-induced heat fluxes on local {nabla}T{sub e}, which is analogous to the critical gradient for measured heat fluxes. The experimental setup is also sensitive to the Thomson scattering of the probing wave by density fluctuations. Its measurements are analysed as the

  1. The Parametric Decay Instability of Alfvén Waves in Turbulent Plasmas and the Applications in the Solar Wind

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Mijie; Xiao, Chijie; Wang, Xiaogang [State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Fusion Simulation Center, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Li, Hui, E-mail: cjxiao@pku.edu.cn [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

    2017-06-10

    We perform three-dimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to study the parametric decay instability (PDI) of Alfvén waves in turbulent plasmas and explore its possible applications in the solar wind. We find that, over a broad range of parameters in background turbulence amplitudes, the PDI of an Alfvén wave with various amplitudes can still occur, though its growth rate in turbulent plasmas tends to be lower than both the theoretical linear theory prediction and that in the non-turbulent situations. Spatial–temporal FFT analyses of density fluctuations produced by the PDI match well with the dispersion relation of the slow MHD waves. This result may provide an explanation of the generation mechanism of slow waves in the solar wind observed at 1 au. It further highlights the need to explore the effects of density variations in modifying the turbulence properties as well as in heating the solar wind plasmas.

  2. On current fluctuations in near-earth space plasma with lower-hybrid-drift turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meister, C.V.

    1993-01-01

    Electron and ion current fluctuations caused by lower-hybrid-drift turbulence are estimated within nonlinear theory for the plasma of the ionospheric F-layer, as well as for the plasma mantle and the plasma sheet boundary layer of the tail of the earth's magnetosphere. They are found to be of the order of 10 -14 - 10 -11 A/m 2 and 10 -13 - 10 -9 A/m 2 , respectively. (orig.)

  3. Characterization of intermittency of impurity turbulent transport in tokamak edge plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Futatani, S.; Benkadda, S.; Nakamura, Y.; Kondo, K.

    2008-01-01

    The statistical properties of impurity transport of a tokamak edge plasma embedded in a dissipative drift-wave turbulence are investigated using structure function analysis. The impurities are considered as a passive scalar advected by the plasma flow. Two cases of impurity advection are studied and compared: A decaying impurities case (given by a diffusion-advection equation) and a driven case (forced by a mean scalar gradient). The use of extended self-similarity enables us to show that the relative scaling exponent of structure functions of impurity density and vorticity exhibit similar multifractal scaling in the decaying case and follows the She-Leveque model. However, this property is invalidated for the impurity driven advection case. For both cases, potential fluctuations are self-similar and exhibit a monofractal scaling in agreement with Kolmogorov-Kraichnan theory for two-dimensional turbulence. These results obtained with a passive scalar model agree also with test-particle simulations.

  4. Discontinuity model for internal transport barrier formation in reversed magnetic shear plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kishimoto, Y.; Dettrick, S.A.; Li, J.Q.; Shirai, S.; Kim, J.Y.; Horton, W.; Tajima, T.; LeBrun, M.J.

    2000-01-01

    It is becoming clear that tokamak anomalous transport is dominated by radially extended non-local modes which originate from strong toroidal coupling of rational surfaces in non-uniform plasmas. To aid in understanding the internal transport barrier (ITB) formed in reversed magnetic shear experiments, in addition to the well known shear flow effect, the article points out an important non-local effect and/or finite size effect which comes from the complex behaviour of the mode over a finite radial region around the minimum q (safety factor) surface. The non-local mode, which is characterized by its radial extent and the degree of tilting in the poloidal direction (Δr, θ 0 ), changes its structure depending on the sign of the magnetic shear, and as a result such modes are weakly excited across the q min surface. This leads to a discontinuity or gap which disconnects the phase relation in the global wave structure across the q min surface. Once such a discontinuity (or gap) is formed, transport suppression occurs and therefore a transport barrier can be expected near the q min surface. The existence of this discontinuity is confirmed through use of a toroidal particle simulation. It is also shown that whether such a discontinuity is efficiently established depends on the presence of the radial electric field and the related plasma shear flow. (author)

  5. Bed slope effects on turbulent wave boundary layers: 1. Model validation and quantification of rough-turbulent results

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fuhrman, David R.; Fredsøe, Jørgen; Sumer, B. Mutlu

    2009-01-01

    measurements for steady streaming induced by a skewed free stream velocity signal is also provided. We then simulate a series of experiments involving oscillatory flow in a convergent-divergent smooth tunnel, and a good match with respect to bed shear stresses and streaming velocities is achieved......A numerical model solving incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, combined with a two-equation k-omega turbulence closure, is used to study converging-diverging effects from a sloping bed on turbulent (oscillatory) wave boundary layers. Bed shear stresses from the numerical model....... The streaming is conceptually explained using analogies from steady converging and diffuser flows. A parametric study is undertaken to assess both the peak and time-averaged bed shear stresses in converging and diverging half periods under rough-turbulent conditions. The results are presented as friction factor...

  6. Rational surfaces, ExB sheared flows and transport interplay in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, C.; Pedrosa, M.A.; Erents, K.

    2002-01-01

    Experimental evidence of a strong interplay between magnetic topology (rational surfaces) and the generation of ExB sheared flows has been observed in the plasma edge region of stellarator (TJ-II) and tokamak (JET) devices. Both constant and varying in time ExB sheared flows are close to the critical value to trigger the transition to improved confinement regimes, but below the power threshold to trigger the formation of transport barriers. Flows driven by fluctuations are candidates to explain these experimental results. (author)

  7. Transitional-turbulent spots and turbulent-turbulent spots in boundary layers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaohua; Moin, Parviz; Wallace, James M; Skarda, Jinhie; Lozano-Durán, Adrián; Hickey, Jean-Pierre

    2017-07-03

    Two observations drawn from a thoroughly validated direct numerical simulation of the canonical spatially developing, zero-pressure gradient, smooth, flat-plate boundary layer are presented here. The first is that, for bypass transition in the narrow sense defined herein, we found that the transitional-turbulent spot inception mechanism is analogous to the secondary instability of boundary-layer natural transition, namely a spanwise vortex filament becomes a [Formula: see text] vortex and then, a hairpin packet. Long streak meandering does occur but usually when a streak is infected by a nearby existing transitional-turbulent spot. Streak waviness and breakdown are, therefore, not the mechanisms for the inception of transitional-turbulent spots found here. Rather, they only facilitate the growth and spreading of existing transitional-turbulent spots. The second observation is the discovery, in the inner layer of the developed turbulent boundary layer, of what we call turbulent-turbulent spots. These turbulent-turbulent spots are dense concentrations of small-scale vortices with high swirling strength originating from hairpin packets. Although structurally quite similar to the transitional-turbulent spots, these turbulent-turbulent spots are generated locally in the fully turbulent environment, and they are persistent with a systematic variation of detection threshold level. They exert indentation, segmentation, and termination on the viscous sublayer streaks, and they coincide with local concentrations of high levels of Reynolds shear stress, enstrophy, and temperature fluctuations. The sublayer streaks seem to be passive and are often simply the rims of the indentation pockets arising from the turbulent-turbulent spots.

  8. Conception of divertorless tokamak reactor with turbulent plasma blanket

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nedospasov, A.V.; Tokar, M.Z.

    1980-01-01

    The results of the calculations presented here demonstrate that, with technically reasonable degree of the magnetic field stochastisation, the turbulent plasma blanket can take the place of a divertor. It performs the three main functions of the divertor: (a) the exhaust of the helium and unburned fuel; (b) weakening of the fast particle flux to the wall surface; and (c) essential reduction of the impurity content in the active zone of the reactor. Taking into account that plasma flows to the first wall along field lines, we may figuratively say that the first wall plays the role of a divertor in our conception. (orig.)

  9. Shear flow generation by Reynolds stress and suppression of resistive g modes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugama, H.; Horton, W.

    1993-01-01

    The authors have investigated suppression of the resistive g mode turbulence by background shear flow produced by the external source and by the fluctuation-induced Reynolds stress. For that purpose, the authors used the model consisting of the equations describing the electrostatic potential φ≡(φ 0 +φ) and the pressure fluctuation p of the resistive g mode, and the equation for the background poloidal flow. They have done the single-helicity nonlinear simulations using the model equations in the sheared slab configuration. They find that, in the nonlinear turbulent regime, significant suppression of the turbulent transport is realized only when the shear flow v' E exceeds that which makes the fastest-growing linear modes marginally stable. With the shear flow which decreases the fastest linear growth rates by about a half, the turbulent transport in the saturated state is about the same as in the case of no shear flow. As seen from the equation for the background flow v E , the relative efficiency of the external flow and the Reynolds stress for producing shear flow depends on the parameter ν. For large ν, the external flow is a dominant contribution to the total background poloidal shear flow although its strength predicted by the neoclassical theory is not enough to suppress the turbulence significantly. On the other hand, for small ν, they observe that, as the fluctuations grow, the Reynolds stress becomes large and suddenly at some critical point in time shear flow much larger than the external one is generated and leads to the significant reduction of the turbulent transport just like that of the L-H transition in tokamak experiments. It is remarkable that the Reynolds stress due to the resistive g mode fluctuations works not as a conventional viscosity term weakening the shear flow but as a negative viscosity term enhancing it

  10. 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

  11. Comprehensive gyrokinetic simulation of tokamak turbulence at finite relative gyroradius

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waltz, R.E.; Candy, J.; Rosenbluth, M.N.

    2003-01-01

    A continuum global gyrokinetic code GYRO has been developed to comprehensively simulate turbulent transport in actual experimental profiles and allow direct quantitative comparisons to the experimental transport flows. GYRO not only treats the now standard ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode turbulence, but also treats trapped and passing electrons with collisions and finite beta, and all in real tokamak geometry. Most importantly the code operates at finite relative gyroradius (ρ*) so as to treat the profile shear stabilization effects which break gyro Bohm scaling. The code operates in a cyclic flux tube limit which allows only gyro Bohm scaling and a noncylic radial annulus with physical profile variation. The later requires an adaptive source to maintain equilibrium profiles. Simple ITG simulations demonstrate the broken gyro Bohm scaling paradigm of Garbet and Waltz [Phys. Plasmas 3, 1898 (1996)]. Since broken gyro Bohm scaling depends on the actual rotational velocity shear rates competing with mode growth rates, direct comprehensive simulations of the DIII-D ρ*-scaled L-mode experiments are presented as a quantitative test of gyrokinetics and the paradigm. (author)

  12. Statistical properties of turbulence in a toroidal magnetized ECR plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Yi; Lu Ronghua; Wang Zhijiang; Wen Yizhi; Yu Changxuan; Wan Shude; Liu, Wandong

    2008-01-01

    The statistical analyses of fluctuation data measured by electrostatic-probe arrays clearly show that the self-organized criticality (SOC) avalanches are not the dominant behaviors in a toroidal ECR plasma in the SMT (Simple Magnetic Torus) mode of KT-5D device. The f -1 index region in the auto-correlation spectra of the floating potential V f and the ion saturation current I s , which is a fingerprint of a SOC system, ranges only in a narrow frequency band. By investigating the Hurst exponents at increasingly coarse grained time series, we find that at a time scale of τ>100 μs, there exists no or a very weak long-range correlation over two decades in τ. The difference between the PDFs of I s and V f clearly shows a more global nature of the latter. The transport flux induced by the turbulence suggests that the natural intermittency of turbulent transport maybe independent of the avalanche induced by near criticality. The drift instability is dominant in a SMT plasma generated by means of ECR discharges

  13. Laminar and Turbulent Dynamos in Chiral Magnetohydrodynamics. I. Theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rogachevskii, Igor; Kleeorin, Nathan [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105 (Israel); Ruchayskiy, Oleg [Discovery Center, Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Boyarsky, Alexey [Instituut-Lorentz for Theoretical Physics, Universiteit Leiden, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden (Netherlands); Fröhlich, Jürg [Institute of Theoretical Physics, ETH Hönggerberg, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Brandenburg, Axel; Schober, Jennifer, E-mail: gary@bgu.ac.il [Nordita, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, Roslagstullsbacken 23, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden)

    2017-09-10

    The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) description of plasmas with relativistic particles necessarily includes an additional new field, the chiral chemical potential associated with the axial charge (i.e., the number difference between right- and left-handed relativistic fermions). This chiral chemical potential gives rise to a contribution to the electric current density of the plasma ( chiral magnetic effect ). We present a self-consistent treatment of the chiral MHD equations , which include the back-reaction of the magnetic field on a chiral chemical potential and its interaction with the plasma velocity field. A number of novel phenomena are exhibited. First, we show that the chiral magnetic effect decreases the frequency of the Alfvén wave for incompressible flows, increases the frequencies of the Alfvén wave and of the fast magnetosonic wave for compressible flows, and decreases the frequency of the slow magnetosonic wave. Second, we show that, in addition to the well-known laminar chiral dynamo effect, which is not related to fluid motions, there is a dynamo caused by the joint action of velocity shear and chiral magnetic effect. In the presence of turbulence with vanishing mean kinetic helicity, the derived mean-field chiral MHD equations describe turbulent large-scale dynamos caused by the chiral alpha effect, which is dominant for large fluid and magnetic Reynolds numbers. The chiral alpha effect is due to an interaction of the chiral magnetic effect and fluctuations of the small-scale current produced by tangling magnetic fluctuations (which are generated by tangling of the large-scale magnetic field by sheared velocity fluctuations). These dynamo effects may have interesting consequences in the dynamics of the early universe, neutron stars, and the quark–gluon plasma.

  14. Laminar and Turbulent Dynamos in Chiral Magnetohydrodynamics. I. Theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogachevskii, Igor; Kleeorin, Nathan; Ruchayskiy, Oleg; Boyarsky, Alexey; Fröhlich, Jürg; Brandenburg, Axel; Schober, Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) description of plasmas with relativistic particles necessarily includes an additional new field, the chiral chemical potential associated with the axial charge (i.e., the number difference between right- and left-handed relativistic fermions). This chiral chemical potential gives rise to a contribution to the electric current density of the plasma ( chiral magnetic effect ). We present a self-consistent treatment of the chiral MHD equations , which include the back-reaction of the magnetic field on a chiral chemical potential and its interaction with the plasma velocity field. A number of novel phenomena are exhibited. First, we show that the chiral magnetic effect decreases the frequency of the Alfvén wave for incompressible flows, increases the frequencies of the Alfvén wave and of the fast magnetosonic wave for compressible flows, and decreases the frequency of the slow magnetosonic wave. Second, we show that, in addition to the well-known laminar chiral dynamo effect, which is not related to fluid motions, there is a dynamo caused by the joint action of velocity shear and chiral magnetic effect. In the presence of turbulence with vanishing mean kinetic helicity, the derived mean-field chiral MHD equations describe turbulent large-scale dynamos caused by the chiral alpha effect, which is dominant for large fluid and magnetic Reynolds numbers. The chiral alpha effect is due to an interaction of the chiral magnetic effect and fluctuations of the small-scale current produced by tangling magnetic fluctuations (which are generated by tangling of the large-scale magnetic field by sheared velocity fluctuations). These dynamo effects may have interesting consequences in the dynamics of the early universe, neutron stars, and the quark–gluon plasma.

  15. Zonal flows and turbulence in fluids and plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Jeffrey Bok-Cheung

    In geophysical and plasma contexts, zonal flows are well known to arise out of turbulence. We elucidate the transition from statistically homogeneous turbulence without zonal flows to statistically inhomogeneous turbulence with steady zonal flows. Starting from the Hasegawa--Mima equation, we employ both the quasilinear approximation and a statistical average, which retains a great deal of the qualitative behavior of the full system. Within the resulting framework known as CE2, we extend recent understanding of the symmetry-breaking 'zonostrophic instability'. Zonostrophic instability can be understood in a very general way as the instability of some turbulent background spectrum to a zonally symmetric coherent mode. As a special case, the background spectrum can consist of only a single mode. We find that in this case the dispersion relation of zonostrophic instability from the CE2 formalism reduces exactly to that of the 4-mode truncation of generalized modulational instability. We then show that zonal flows constitute pattern formation amid a turbulent bath. Zonostrophic instability is an example of a Type I s instability of pattern-forming systems. The broken symmetry is statistical homogeneity. Near the bifurcation point, the slow dynamics of CE2 are governed by a well-known amplitude equation, the real Ginzburg-Landau equation. The important features of this amplitude equation, and therefore of the CE2 system, are multiple. First, the zonal flow wavelength is not unique. In an idealized, infinite system, there is a continuous band of zonal flow wavelengths that allow a nonlinear equilibrium. Second, of these wavelengths, only those within a smaller subband are stable. Unstable wavelengths must evolve to reach a stable wavelength; this process manifests as merging jets. These behaviors are shown numerically to hold in the CE2 system, and we calculate a stability diagram. The stability diagram is in agreement with direct numerical simulations of the quasilinear

  16. Self-similar regimes of turbulence in weakly coupled plasmas under compression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viciconte, Giovanni; Gréa, Benoît-Joseph; Godeferd, Fabien S.

    2018-02-01

    Turbulence in weakly coupled plasmas under compression can experience a sudden dissipation of kinetic energy due to the abrupt growth of the viscosity coefficient governed by the temperature increase. We investigate in detail this phenomenon by considering a turbulent velocity field obeying the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with a source term resulting from the mean velocity. The system can be simplified by a nonlinear change of variable, and then solved using both highly resolved direct numerical simulations and a spectral model based on the eddy-damped quasinormal Markovian closure. The model allows us to explore a wide range of initial Reynolds and compression numbers, beyond the reach of simulations, and thus permits us to evidence the presence of a nonlinear cascade phase. We find self-similarity of intermediate regimes as well as of the final decay of turbulence, and we demonstrate the importance of initial distribution of energy at large scales. This effect can explain the global sensitivity of the flow dynamics to initial conditions, which we also illustrate with simulations of compressed homogeneous isotropic turbulence and of imploding spherical turbulent layers relevant to inertial confinement fusion.

  17. Microturbulence and Flow Shear in High-performance JET ITB Plasma; TOPICAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    R.V. Budny; A. Andre; A. Bicoulet; C. Challis; G.D. Conway; W. Dorland; D.R. Ernst; T.S. Hahm; T.C. Hender; D. McCune; G. Rewoldt; S.E. Sharapov

    2001-01-01

    The transport, flow shear, and linear growth rates of microturbulence are studied for a Joint European Torus (JET) plasma with high central q in which an internal transport barrier (ITB) forms and grows to a large radius. The linear microturbulence growth rates of the fastest growing (most unstable) toroidal modes with high toroidal mode number are calculated using the GS2 and FULL gyrokinetic codes. These linear growth rates, gamma (subscript lin) are large, but the flow-shearing rates, gamma (subscript ExB) (dominated by the toroidal rotation contribution) are also comparably large when and where the ITB exists

  18. Transitionless Enhanced Confinement and the Role of Radial Electric Field Shear

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coppi, B.; Ernst, D.R.; Bell, M.G.; Bell, R.E.; Budny, R.V.

    1999-01-01

    Evidence for the role of radial electric field shear in enhanced confinement regimes attained without sharp bifurcations or transitions is presented. Temperature scans at constant density, created in the reheat phase following deuterium pellet injection into supershot plasmas in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor [J.D. Strachan, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 58 (1987) 1004] are simulated using a first-principles transport model. The slow reheat of the ion temperature profile, during which the temperature nearly doubles, is not explained by relatively comprehensive models of transport due to Ion Temperature Gradient Driven Turbulence (ITGDT), which depends primarily on the (unchanging) electron density gradient. An extended model, including the suppression of toroidal ITGDT by self-consistent radial electric field shear, does reproduce the reheat phase

  19. High-resolution Hybrid Simulations of Kinetic Plasma Turbulence at Proton Scales

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Franci, L.; Landi, S.; Matteini, L.; Verdini, A.; Hellinger, Petr

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 812, č. 1 (2015), 21/1-21/15 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-10057S Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : plasmas * solar wind * turbulence Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 5.909, year: 2015

  20. THE TURBULENT DYNAMO IN HIGHLY COMPRESSIBLE SUPERSONIC PLASMAS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Federrath, Christoph [Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2611 (Australia); Schober, Jennifer [Universität Heidelberg, Zentrum für Astronomie, Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik, Albert-Ueberle-Strasse 2, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Bovino, Stefano; Schleicher, Dominik R. G., E-mail: christoph.federrath@anu.edu.au [Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany)

    2014-12-20

    The turbulent dynamo may explain the origin of cosmic magnetism. While the exponential amplification of magnetic fields has been studied for incompressible gases, little is known about dynamo action in highly compressible, supersonic plasmas, such as the interstellar medium of galaxies and the early universe. Here we perform the first quantitative comparison of theoretical models of the dynamo growth rate and saturation level with three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamical simulations of supersonic turbulence with grid resolutions of up to 1024{sup 3} cells. We obtain numerical convergence and find that dynamo action occurs for both low and high magnetic Prandtl numbers Pm = ν/η = 0.1-10 (the ratio of viscous to magnetic dissipation), which had so far only been seen for Pm ≥ 1 in supersonic turbulence. We measure the critical magnetic Reynolds number, Rm{sub crit}=129{sub −31}{sup +43}, showing that the compressible dynamo is almost as efficient as in incompressible gas. Considering the physical conditions of the present and early universe, we conclude that magnetic fields need to be taken into account during structure formation from the early to the present cosmic ages, because they suppress gas fragmentation and drive powerful jets and outflows, both greatly affecting the initial mass function of stars.

  1. Fast Low-to-High Confinement Mode Bifurcation Dynamics in a Tokamak Edge Plasma Gyrokinetic Simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, C S; Ku, S; Tynan, G R; Hager, R; Churchill, R M; Cziegler, I; Greenwald, M; Hubbard, A E; Hughes, J W

    2017-04-28

    Transport barrier formation and its relation to sheared flows in fluids and plasmas are of fundamental interest in various natural and laboratory observations and of critical importance in achieving an economical energy production in a magnetic fusion device. Here we report the first observation of an edge transport barrier formation event in an electrostatic gyrokinetic simulation carried out in a realistic diverted tokamak edge geometry under strong forcing by a high rate of heat deposition. The results show that turbulent Reynolds-stress-driven sheared E×B flows act in concert with neoclassical orbit loss to quench turbulent transport and form a transport barrier just inside the last closed magnetic flux surface.

  2. Convective growth of broadband turbulence in the plasma sheet boundary layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dusenbery, P.B.

    1987-01-01

    Convective growth of slow and fast beam acoustic waves in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) is investigated. It has been shown previously that a could ion population must be present in order to excite beam acoustic waves in the PSBL. However, growth rates are significantly enhanced when warm plasma sheet boundary layer ions are present. Net wave growth along a ray path is determined by convective growth. This quantity is calculated for particle distribution models consistent with the PSBL where the intensity of broadband turbulence is observed to peak. Total number density dependence on beam acoustic convective growth is evaluated, and it is found that even for low density conditions of ∼0.01 cm -3 , a measurable level of broadband turbulence is expected. Relative drift effects between cold and warm ion populations are also considered. In particular, it is found that slow mode convective growth can be enhanced when slowly streaming cold ions are present, compared to fast ion streams

  3. Turbulent transport stabilization by ICRH minority fast ions in low rotating JET ILW L-mode plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonanomi, N.; Mantica, P.; Di Siena, A.; Delabie, E.; Giroud, C.; Johnson, T.; Lerche, E.; Menmuir, S.; Tsalas, M.; Van Eester, D.; Contributors, JET

    2018-05-01

    The first experimental demonstration that fast ion induced stabilization of thermal turbulent transport takes place also at low values of plasma toroidal rotation has been obtained in JET ILW (ITER-like wall) L-mode plasmas with high (3He)-D ICRH (ion cyclotron resonance heating) power. A reduction of the gyro-Bohm normalized ion heat flux and higher values of the normalized ion temperature gradient have been observed at high ICRH power and low NBI (neutral beam injection) power and plasma rotation. Gyrokinetic simulations indicate that ITG (ion temperature gradient) turbulence stabilization induced by the presence of high-energetic 3He ions is the key mechanism in order to explain the experimental observations. Two main mechanisms have been identified to be responsible for the turbulence stabilization: a linear electrostatic wave-fast particle resonance mechanism and a nonlinear electromagnetic mechanism. The dependence of the stabilization on the 3He distribution function has also been studied.

  4. Edge transport and fluctuation induced turbulence characteristics in early SST-1 plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kakati, B., E-mail: bharat.kakati@ipr.res.in; Pradhan, S., E-mail: pradhan@ipr.res.in; Dhongde, J.; Semwal, P.; Yohan, K.; Banaudha, M.

    2017-02-15

    Highlights: • Anomalous particle transport during the high MHD activity at SST-1. • Electrostatic turbulence is modulated by MHD activity at SST-1 tokamak. • Edge floating potential fluctuations shows poloidal long-range cross correlation. - Abstract: Plasma edge transport characteristics are known to be heavily influenced by the edge fluctuation induced turbulences. These characteristics play a critical role towards the confinement of plasma column in a Tokamak. The edge magnetic fluctuations and its subsequent effect on electrostatic fluctuations have been experimentally investigated for the first time at the edge of the SST-1 plasma column. This paper reports the correlations that exist and is experimentally been observed between the edge densities and floating potential fluctuations with the magnetic fluctuations. The edge density and floating potential fluctuations have been measured with the help of poloidally separated Langmuir probes, whereas the magnetic fluctuations have been measured with poloidally spaced Mirnov coils. Increase in magnetic fluctuations associated with enhanced MHD activities has been found to increase the floating potential and ion saturation current. These observations indicate electrostatic turbulence getting influenced with the MHD activities and reveal the edge anomalous particle transport during SST-1 tokamak discharge. Large-scale coherent structures have been observed in the floating potential fluctuations, indicating long-distance cross correlation in the poloidal directions. From bispectral analysis, a strong nonlinear coupling among the floating potential fluctuations is observed in the low-frequency range about 0–15 kHz.

  5. Radio propagation through the turbulent interstellar plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rickett, B.J.

    1990-01-01

    The current understanding of interstellar scattering is reviewed, and its impact on radio astronomy is examined. The features of interstellar plasma turbulence are also discussed. It is concluded that methods involving the investigation of the flux variability of pulsars and extragalactic sources and the VLBI visibility curves constitute new techniques for probing the ISM. However, scattering causes a seeing limitation in radio observations. It is now clear that variation due to RISS (refractive interstellar scintillations) is likely to be important for several classes of variable sources, especially low-frequency variables and centimeter-wave flickering. 168 refs

  6. Asymmetry in the convective energy fluxes due to electrostatic and magnetic fluctuations in magnetized plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smolyakov, A.I.; Hirose, A.

    1993-01-01

    The structure of the energy balance equation for a magnetically confined plasma in the presence of electromagnetic fluctuations is investigated by using the drift kinetic equation. The convective energy fluxes, one caused by E x B electrostatic turbulence and the other by shear-Alfven type magnetic turbulence, are asymmetric: For low frequency electrostatic turbulence, the convective energy flux has a unique numerical factor 3/2, while the convective energy flux induced by magnetic turbulence has a numerical factor 5/2. As expected, in the drift approximation, turbulent heating by the longitudinal electric field is the only anomalous source term in the total energy balance equation. (Author)

  7. Experiments on mixing and combustion with low heat release in a turbulent shear flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mungel, M.G.

    1983-01-01

    A new blowdown facility was built to study mixing and combustion in a turbulent shear layer. The system is capable of 100 m/s for three seconds in a 5 x 20 cm exit area on the high speed side, and 50 m/s in a 10 x 20 cm exit area on the low speed side. Dilute concentrations of hydrogen and fluorine, carried in an inert gas, react when both fluid streams meet at the tip of a splitter plate. The reaction is spontaneous, rapid, and highly exothermic. The resulting temperature field was studied using a rake of eight fast response thermometers placed across the width of the layer. Runs were performed for low heat release over a wide range of equivalence (concentration) ratios, at a Reynolds number of 30,800 based on velocity difference and vorticity thickness. The heat release is sufficiently low so that the overall properties of the mixing layer are not significantly changed from the cold case. The results show the presence of large, hot structures within the flow together with cool, irrotational tongues of freestream fluid that penetrate deep into the layer. Thus, it is possible for the entire width of the layer to be quite hot, owing to the passage of a large structure, or for the layer to be quite cool, owing to the presence of the cool fluid tongues. The mean temperature results from a duty cycle whereby a given point in the flow sees alternating hot and cool fluid which averages into the local mean. The results compare favorably with the recent theoretical model of Broadwell and Breidenthal for mixing and chemical reaction in a turbulent shear layer. With this model it is possible to bring the results for gases and liquids into quantitative agreement

  8. Internal helical modes with m > 1 in a tokamak with a small shear and high plasma pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mikha lovskij, A.B.; Aburdzhaniya, G.D.; Krymskij, A.M.

    1979-01-01

    Internal helical modes with m>1 in a circular cross-section tokamak with a small shear and large value of the parameter β (β is the ratio between the mean plasma pressure and the mean pressure of the poloidal magnetic field) are investigated. The equations obtained are used to study the destabilizing effects leading to helical instabilities. The role of destabilizing effects is regarded both in local and in a nonlocal approximations on the assumption that the radial plasma pressure is distributed parabolically and that the radial current distribution is also parabolic though slightly varying. It has been established that the profiling of current may lead to the tokamak plasma stability with respect to the modes under investigation. A tokamak with a small shear has been shown to be more stable relative to these modes than that with a large shear

  9. Effects of q-profile structure on turbulence spreading: A fluctuation intensity transport analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yi, S.; Kwon, J. M. [National Fusion Research Institute, Eoeun-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Diamond, P. H. [National Fusion Research Institute, Eoeun-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences and Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0429 (United States); Hahm, T. S. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-09-15

    This paper studies effects of q-profile structure on turbulence spreading. It reports results of numerical experiments using global gyrokinetic simulations. We examine propagation of turbulence, triggered by an identical linear instability in a source region, into an adjacent, linearly stable region with variable q-profile. The numerical experiments are designed so as to separate the physics of turbulence spreading from that of linear stability. The strength of turbulence spreading is measured by the penetration depth of turbulence. Dynamics of spreading are elucidated by fluctuation intensity balance analysis, using a model intensity evolution equation which retains nonlinear diffusion and damping, and linear growth. It is found that turbulence spreading is strongly affected by magnetic shear s, but is hardly altered by the safety factor q itself. There is an optimal range of modest magnetic shear which maximizes turbulence spreading. For high to modest shear values, the spreading is enhanced by the increase of the mode correlation length with decreasing magnetic shear. However, the efficiency of spreading drops for sufficiently low magnetic shear even though the mode correlation length is comparable to that for the case of optimal magnetic shear. The reduction of spreading is attributed to the increase in time required for the requisite nonlinear mode-mode interactions. The effect of increased interaction time dominates that of increased mode correlation length. Our findings of the reduction of spreading and the increase in interaction time at weak magnetic shear are consistent with the well-known benefit of weak or reversed magnetic shear for core confinement enhancement. Weak shear is shown to promote locality, as well as stability.

  10. Global characteristics of zonal flows generated by ion temperature gradient driven turbulence in tokamak plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyato, Naoaki; Kishimoto, Yasuaki; Li, Jiquan

    2004-08-01

    Global structure of zonal flows driven by ion temperature gradient driven turbulence in tokamak plasmas is investigated using a global electromagnetic Landau fluid code. Characteristics of the coupled system of the zonal flows and the turbulence change with the safety factor q. In a low q region stationary zonal flows are excited and suppress the turbulence effectively. Coupling between zonal flows and poloidally asymmetric pressure perturbations via a geodesic curvature makes the zonal flows oscillatory in a high q region. Also we identify energy transfer from the zonal flows to the turbulence via the poloidally asymmetric pressure perturbations in the high q region. Therefore in the high q region the zonal flows cannot quench the turbulent transport completely. (author)

  11. Mean shear flows, zonal flows, and generalized Kelvin-Helmholtz modes in drift wave turbulence: A minimal model for L→H transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Eun-jin; Diamond, P.H.

    2003-01-01

    The dynamics of and an interplay among structures (mean shear flows, zonal flows, and generalized Kelvin-Helmholtz modes) are studied in drift wave turbulence. Mean shear flows are found to inhibit the nonlinear generation of zonal flows by weakening the coherent modulation response of the drift wave spectrum. Based on this result, a minimal model for the L→H (low- to high-confinement) transition is proposed, which involves the amplitude of drift waves, zonal flows, and the density gradient. A transition to quiescent H-mode sets in as the profile becomes sufficiently steep to completely damp out drift waves, following an oscillatory transition phase where zonal flows regulate drift wave turbulence. The different roles of mean flows and zonal flows are elucidated. Finally, the effect of poloidally nonaxisymmetric structures (generalized Kelvin-Helmholtz mode) on anomalous transport is investigated, especially in reference to damping of collisionless zonal flows. Results indicate that nonlinear excitation of this structure can be potentially important in enhancing anomalous transport as well as in damping zonal flows

  12. Transport and turbulence in a magnetized argon plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vogels, J.M.M.J.

    1984-01-01

    Three aspects of the longitudinal motion of ionized and neutral particles in a hollow cathode arc are investigated. The longitudinal plasma momentum balance of the column has been investigated, we have studied the momentum balance in relation to turbulence and we have investigated the source properties of the cathode. The study of the plasma momentum balance contains two aspects: (1) to collect experimental data on ion drift velocities and temperatures with Fabry-Perot interferometry, on electron densities and temperatures with Thomson scattering or optical spectroscopy and on neutral densities with a collisional radiative model combined with the ion energy balance; (2) to check the (classical) theory of the momentum balance with these data. The coupling between these aspects has been investigated and found to be in good agreement. (Auth.)

  13. CFD simulation of estimating critical shear stress for cleaning flat ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Sumit Kawale

    2017-11-22

    Nov 22, 2017 ... Jet impingement; wall shear stress; cleaning of flat plate; turbulence model; critical shear stress; ... On comparing the theoretical predictions with wall shear ... distance and Reynolds number on peak value of local shear stress ...

  14. Analysis of turbulent boundary layers

    CERN Document Server

    Cebeci, Tuncer

    1974-01-01

    Analysis of Turbulent Boundary Layers focuses on turbulent flows meeting the requirements for the boundary-layer or thin-shear-layer approximations. Its approach is devising relatively fundamental, and often subtle, empirical engineering correlations, which are then introduced into various forms of describing equations for final solution. After introducing the topic on turbulence, the book examines the conservation equations for compressible turbulent flows, boundary-layer equations, and general behavior of turbulent boundary layers. The latter chapters describe the CS method for calculati

  15. Is Fish Response related to Velocity and Turbulence Magnitudes? (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, C. A.; Hockley, F. A.; Cable, J.

    2013-12-01

    Riverine fish are subject to heterogeneous velocities and turbulence, and may use this to their advantage by selecting regions which balance energy expenditure for station holding whilst maximising energy gain through feeding opportunities. This study investigated microhabitat selection by guppies (Poecilia reticulata) in terms of the three-dimensional velocity structure generated by idealised boulders in an experimental flume. Velocity and turbulence influenced intra-species variation in swimming behaviour with respect to size, sex and parasite intensity. With increasing body length, fish swam further and more frequently between boulder regions. Larger guppies spent more time in the high velocity and low turbulence region, whereas smaller guppies preferred the low velocity and high shear stress region directly behind the boulders. Male guppies selected the region of low velocity, indicating a possible reduced swimming ability due to hydrodynamic drag imposed by their fins. With increasing parasite (Gyrodactylus turnbulli) burden, fish preferentially selected the region of moderate velocity which had the lowest bulk measure of turbulence of all regions and was also the most spatially homogeneous velocity and turbulence region. Overall the least amount of time was spent in the recirculation zone which had the highest magnitude of shear stresses and mean vertical turbulent length scale to fish length ratio. Shear stresses were a factor of two greater than in the most frequented moderate velocity region, while mean vertical turbulent length scale to fish length ratio were six times greater. Indeed the mean longitudinal turbulent scale was 2-6 times greater than the fish length in all regions. While it is impossible to discriminate between these two turbulence parameters (shear stress and turbulent length to fish length ratio) in influencing the fish preference, our study infers that there is a bias towards fish spending more time in a region where both the bulk

  16. Role of turbulence and electric fields in the establishment of improved confinement in tokamak plasmas

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Van Oost, G.; Bulanin, V.V.; Donné, A.J.H.; Gusakov, E.Z.; Krämer-Flecken, A.; Krupnik, L.I.; Melnikov, A.; Peleman, P.; Razumova, K.; Stöckel, Jan; Vershkov, V.; Altukov, A.B.; Andreev, V.F.; Askinazi, L.G.; Bondarenko, I.S.; Dnestrovskij, A.Yu.; Eliseev, L.G.; Esipov, L.A.; Grashin, S.A.; Gurchenko, A.D.; Hogeweij, G.M.D.; Jachmin, S.; Khrebtov, S.M.; Kouprienko, D.V.; Lysenko, S.E.; Perfilov, S.V.; Petrov, A.V.; Popov, A.Yu.; Reiser, D.; Soldatov, S.; Stepanov, A.Yu.; Telesca, G.; Urazbaev, A.O.; Verdoolaege, G.; Zimmermann, O.

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 12, č. 6 (2006), s. 14-19 ISSN 1562-6016. [International Conference on Plasma Physics and Technology/11th./. Alushta, 11.9.2006-16.9.2006] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : tokamak * plasma * improved confinement * turbulence Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics http:// vant .kipt.kharkov.ua/TABFRAME.html

  17. Analysis of the flow structure of a turbulent thermal plasma jet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spores, R.A.

    1989-01-01

    The goal of this research project is to attain a better understanding of the fluid mechanics associated with the high temperature jet of a thermal plasma torch. The analysis of a plasma, which has the ability to vaporize anything placed inside it without proper cooling, presents a unique research challenge. Several types of non-intrusive diagnostic techniques has been used to examine the jet from different perspectives. To actually map out the mean gas velocities and turbulence intensities throughout the jet, laser Doppler anemometry has been employed. The plasma gas and entrained air him been seeded separately in order to conditionally sample the two fluids and attain information about the gas mixing process. Both radial and axial turbulence levels have been measured in order to analyze the non-isotropic nature of the jet. A parabolic numerical code has been modified and compared with the obtained experimental results. A new diagnostic technique for plasma torches, which involves the spectral analysis of voltage, optical (temperature), and acoustical (pressure) fluctuations, has been implemented. The acoustical spectrum can provide information about the existence of coherent structures in the flow while the cross correlation of the acoustical signal with the voltage fluctuations can tell one to what extent perturbations of the internal arc affect the external flow. Since temperature is a scalar that is dependent on the flow field, observing temperature fluctuations can likewise help one to understand the mechanics of the flow. Flow visualization of the plasma jet using a high speed video camera has also been undertaken in order to better understand the entrainment process

  18. Testing neoclassical and turbulent effects on poloidal rotation in the core of DIII-D

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chrystal, C. [University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, California 92093-0417 (United States); Burrell, K. H.; Staebler, G. M.; Kinsey, J. E.; Lao, L. L.; Grassie, J. S. de [General Atomics, P.O. Box 85608, San Diego, California 92186-5608 (United States); Grierson, B. A.; Solomon, W. M.; Wang, W. X. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-0451 (United States); Rhodes, T. L.; Schmitz, L. [University of California Los Angeles, P.O. Box 957099, Los Angeles, California 90095-7099 (United States); Mordijck, S. [College of William and Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8795 (United States); Meneghini, O. [Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 1299 Bethel Valley Rd, Bldg SC-200, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 (United States)

    2014-07-15

    Experimental tests of ion poloidal rotation theories have been performed on DIII-D using a novel impurity poloidal rotation diagnostic. These tests show significant disagreements with theoretical predictions in various conditions, including L-mode plasmas with internal transport barriers (ITB), H-mode plasmas, and QH-mode plasmas. The theories tested include standard neoclassical theory, turbulence driven Reynolds stress, and fast-ion friction on the thermal ions. Poloidal rotation is observed to spin up at the formation of an ITB and makes a significant contribution to the measurement of the E{sup →}×B{sup →} shear that forms the ITB. In ITB cases, neoclassical theory agrees quantitatively with the experimental measurements only in the steep gradient region. Significant quantitative disagreement with neoclassical predictions is seen in the cores of ITB, QH-, and H-mode plasmas, demonstrating that neoclassical theory is an incomplete description of poloidal rotation. The addition of turbulence driven Reynolds stress does not remedy this disagreement; linear stability calculations and Doppler backscattering measurements show that disagreement increases as turbulence levels decline. Furthermore, the effect of fast-ion friction, by itself, does not lead to improved agreement; in QH-mode plasmas, neoclassical predictions are closest to experimental results in plasmas with the largest fast ion friction. Predictions from a new model that combines all three effects show somewhat better agreement in the H-mode case, but discrepancies well outside the experimental error bars remain.

  19. Testing neoclassical and turbulent effects on poloidal rotation in the core of DIII-D

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chrystal, C.; Burrell, K. H.; Staebler, G. M.; Kinsey, J. E.; Lao, L. L.; Grassie, J. S. de; Grierson, B. A.; Solomon, W. M.; Wang, W. X.; Rhodes, T. L.; Schmitz, L.; Mordijck, S.; Meneghini, O.

    2014-01-01

    Experimental tests of ion poloidal rotation theories have been performed on DIII-D using a novel impurity poloidal rotation diagnostic. These tests show significant disagreements with theoretical predictions in various conditions, including L-mode plasmas with internal transport barriers (ITB), H-mode plasmas, and QH-mode plasmas. The theories tested include standard neoclassical theory, turbulence driven Reynolds stress, and fast-ion friction on the thermal ions. Poloidal rotation is observed to spin up at the formation of an ITB and makes a significant contribution to the measurement of the E → ×B → shear that forms the ITB. In ITB cases, neoclassical theory agrees quantitatively with the experimental measurements only in the steep gradient region. Significant quantitative disagreement with neoclassical predictions is seen in the cores of ITB, QH-, and H-mode plasmas, demonstrating that neoclassical theory is an incomplete description of poloidal rotation. The addition of turbulence driven Reynolds stress does not remedy this disagreement; linear stability calculations and Doppler backscattering measurements show that disagreement increases as turbulence levels decline. Furthermore, the effect of fast-ion friction, by itself, does not lead to improved agreement; in QH-mode plasmas, neoclassical predictions are closest to experimental results in plasmas with the largest fast ion friction. Predictions from a new model that combines all three effects show somewhat better agreement in the H-mode case, but discrepancies well outside the experimental error bars remain

  20. Dynamics of zonal shear collapse with hydrodynamic electrons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajjar, R. J.; Diamond, P. H.; Malkov, M. A.

    2018-06-01

    This paper presents a theory for the collapse of the edge zonal shear layer, as observed at the density limit at low β. This paper investigates the scaling of the transport and mean profiles with the adiabaticity parameter α, with special emphasizes on fluxes relevant to zonal flow (ZF) generation. We show that the adiabaticity parameter characterizes the strength of production of zonal flows and so determines the state of turbulence. A 1D reduced model that self-consistently describes the spatiotemporal evolution of the mean density n ¯ , the azimuthal flow v¯ y , and the turbulent potential enstrophy ɛ=⟨(n˜ -∇2ϕ˜ ) 2/2 ⟩ —related to fluctuation intensity—is presented. Quasi-linear analysis determines how the particle flux Γn and vorticity flux Π=-χy∇2vy+Πre s scale with α, in both hydrodynamic and adiabatic regimes. As the plasma response passes from adiabatic (α > 1) to hydrodynamic (α y=Πre s/χy —representative of the strength of the shear—also drops. The shear layer then collapses and turbulence is enhanced. The collapse is due to a decrease in ZF production, not an increase in damping. A physical picture for the onset of collapse is presented. The findings of this paper are used to motivate an explanation of the phenomenology of low β density limit evolution. A change from adiabatic ( α=kz2vth 2/(|ω|νei)>1 ) to hydrodynamic (α < 1) electron dynamics is associated with the density limit.