Stability Properties of Toroidal Alfven Modes Driven by Fast Particles PDF Download

Author: N. N. Gorelenkov
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Alpha rays
Languages : en
Pages : 22

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Author: N. N. Gorelenkov
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Alpha rays
Languages : en
Pages : 22

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Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 51

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A numerical algorithm to study the nonlinear, resonant interaction of fast particles with Alfven waves in tokamak geometry has been developed. The scope of the formalism is wide enough to describe the nonlinear evolution of fishbone modes, toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes and ellipticity-induced Alfven eigenmodes, driven by both passing and trapped fast ions. When the instability is sufficiently weak, it is known that the wave-particle trapping nonlinearity will lead to mode saturation before wave-wave nonlinearities are appreciable. The spectrum of linear modes can thus be calculated using a magnetohydrodynamic normal-mode code, then nonlinearly evolved in time in an efficient way according to a two-time-scale Lagrangian dynamical wave model. The fast particle kinetic equation, including the effect of orbit nonlinearity arising from the mode perturbation, is simultaneously solved of the deviation, [delta]f = f - f0, from an initial analytic distribution f0. High statistical resolution allows linear growth rates, frequency shifts, resonance broadening effects, and nonlinear saturation to be calculated quickly and precisely. The results have been applied to an ITER instability scenario. Results show that weakly-damped core-localized modes alone cause negligible alpha transport in ITER-like plasmas--even with growth rates one order of magnitude higher than expected values. However, the possibility of significant transport in reactor-type plasmas due to weakly unstable global modes remains an open question.

Author:
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ISBN:
Category : Nuclear fusion
Languages : en
Pages : 654

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Author: Jason Sears
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 221

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The stability of two types of lightly damped resonant eigenmodes in the presence of energetic ions is studied in Alcator C-Mod. Global Alfven eigenmodes (GAEs) can exist at frequencies between the continua of adjacent poloidal mode numbers to avoid strong continuum damping. Toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) exist in gaps in the frequency continuum induced by toroidal coupling. Passing and trapped fast ions can resonantly excite AEs, which saturate at significant amplitude and redistribute the ions. There is evidence that consequent losses of D-T alpha particles could degrade the fusion burn. Unstable TAEs driven by ICRF-heated fast ions are observed in Alcator C-Mod with toroidal mode numbers of n = -4 and n = 6. Positive mode numbers indicate that modes are driven by fast ions having hollow pressure profiles, in agreement with measurements using the Compact Neutral Particle Analyzer (CNPA). In the absence of sufficient fast ion drive, eigenmodes are detected by exciting them with antennas close to the plasma boundary and monitoring the plasma frequency response with an array of magnetic probes, a method called active MHD excitation. This thesis reports for the first time that TAEs of various toroidal mode numbers are excited with a wide-toroidal-spectrum antenna and observed using a fully resolved toroidal array of probes. GAEs with n = 0 and damping rates around y/wo = -1%, and TAEs with n = 1 and damping rates around /~wo = -1.5% are observed. Rigorous calibration is applied to the magnetic probes to reject the system response of the diagnostic. Measurements demonstrate that even with a wide-spectrum antenna, the range of AEs that are accessible to the diagnostic for any particular equilibrium remains quite limited, subject to the modes' proximity to the plasma edge. A composite spectrum of observed stable and unstable modes, and the stability spectrum calculated by NOVA-K, shows that for fast ions with approximately 150 keV effective temperature, the most unstable mode number tends to be around n = -5. In comparison, the simple scaling of fast ion drive for kopi ~~ 1 predicts unstable modes around n = -8, demonstrating reasonable agreement with the measurements. Local islands of stability that are observed in the toroidal mode number spectrum and the fast ion temperature could be exploited by the strong dependence of the AE spectrum on subtle changes in equilibrium parameters to stabilize AEs in burning plasmas.

Author:
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ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 1018

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Author:
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Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 28

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The high frequency, low mode number toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) are shown to be driven unstable by the circulating and/or trapped?-particles through the wave-particle resonances. Satisfying the resonance condition requires that the?-particle birth speed v{sub?} ≥ v{sub A}/2{vert bar}m-nq{vert bar}, where v{sub A} is the Alfven speed, m is the poloidal model number, and n is the toroidal mode number. To destabilize the TAE modes, the inverse Landau damping associated with the?-particle pressure gradient free energy must overcome the velocity space Landau damping due to both the?-particles and the core electrons and ions. The growth rate was studied analytically with a perturbative formula derived from the quadratic dispersion relation, and numerically with the aid of the NOVA-K code. Stability criteria in terms of the?-particle beta?{sub?},?-particle pressure gradient parameter (?{sub {asterisk}}/?{sub A}) (?{sub {asterisk}} is the?-particle diamagnetic drift frequency), and (v{sub {alpha}}/v{sub A}) parameters will be presented for TFTR, CIT, and ITER tokamaks. The volume averaged {alpha}-particle beta threshold for TAE instability also depends sensitively on the core electron and ion temperature. Typically the volume averaged {alpha}-particle beta threshold is in the order of 10−4. Typical growth rates of the n=1 TAE mode can be in the order of 10−2?{sub A}, where?{sub A}=v{sub A}/qR. Other types of global Alfven waves are stable in D-T tokamaks due to toroidal coupling effects.

Author: Sergei Sharapov
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1351002813
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 156

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The study of energetic particles in magnetic fusion plasmas is key to the development of next-generation "burning" plasma fusion experiments, such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and the Demonstration Power Station (DEMO). This book provides a comprehensive introduction and analysis of the experimental data on how fast ions behave in fusion-grade plasmas, featuring the latest ground-breaking results from world-leading machines such as the Joint European Torus (JET) and the Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST). It also details Alfvenic instabilities, driven by energetic ions, which can cause enhanced transport of energetic ions. MHD spectroscopy of plasma via observed Alfvenic waves called "Alfvén spectroscopy" is introduced and several applications are presented. This book will be of interest to graduate students, researchers, and academics studying fusion plasma physics. Features: Provides a comprehensive overview of the field in one cohesive text, with the main physics phenomena explained qualitatively first. Authored by an authority in the field, who draws on his extensive experience of working with energetic particles in tokamak plasmas. Is suitable for extrapolating energetic particle phenomena in fusion to other plasma types, such as solar and space plasmas.

Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 1782

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Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 610

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Lists citations with abstracts for aerospace related reports obtained from world wide sources and announces documents that have recently been entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database.