Magnetic flutter effect on validated edge turbulence simulations

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zhang, Kaiyu, Zholobenko, Wladimir, Stegmeir, Andreas, Eder, Konrad, Jenko, Frank
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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_version_ 1866929666489581568
author Zhang, Kaiyu
Zholobenko, Wladimir
Stegmeir, Andreas
Eder, Konrad
Jenko, Frank
author_facet Zhang, Kaiyu
Zholobenko, Wladimir
Stegmeir, Andreas
Eder, Konrad
Jenko, Frank
contents Small magnetic fluctuations ($B_1/B_0 \sim 10^{-4}$) are intrinsically present in a magnetic confinement plasma due to turbulent currents. While the perpendicular transport of particles and heat is typically dominated by fluctuations of the electric field, the parallel stream of plasma is affected by fluttering magnetic field lines. In particular through electrons, this indirectly impacts the turbulence dynamics. Even in low beta conditions, we find that $E\times B$ turbulent transport can be reduced by more than a factor 2 when magnetic flutter is included in our validated edge turbulence simulations of L-mode ASDEX Upgrade. The primary reason for this is the stabilization of drift-Alfvén-waves, which reduces the phase shifts of density and temperature fluctuations with respect to potential fluctuations. This stabilization can be qualitatively explained by linear analytical theory, and appreciably reinforced by the flutter nonlinearity. As a secondary effect, the steeper temperature gradients and thus higher $η_i$ increase the impact of the ion-temperature-gradient mode on overall turbulent transport. With increasing beta, the stabilizing effect on $E\times B$ turbulence increases, balancing the destabilization by induction, until direct electromagnetic perpendicular transport is triggered. We conclude that including flutter is crucial for predictive edge turbulence simulations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2309_07763
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Magnetic flutter effect on validated edge turbulence simulations
Zhang, Kaiyu
Zholobenko, Wladimir
Stegmeir, Andreas
Eder, Konrad
Jenko, Frank
Plasma Physics
Nuclear Theory
Computational Physics
Small magnetic fluctuations ($B_1/B_0 \sim 10^{-4}$) are intrinsically present in a magnetic confinement plasma due to turbulent currents. While the perpendicular transport of particles and heat is typically dominated by fluctuations of the electric field, the parallel stream of plasma is affected by fluttering magnetic field lines. In particular through electrons, this indirectly impacts the turbulence dynamics. Even in low beta conditions, we find that $E\times B$ turbulent transport can be reduced by more than a factor 2 when magnetic flutter is included in our validated edge turbulence simulations of L-mode ASDEX Upgrade. The primary reason for this is the stabilization of drift-Alfvén-waves, which reduces the phase shifts of density and temperature fluctuations with respect to potential fluctuations. This stabilization can be qualitatively explained by linear analytical theory, and appreciably reinforced by the flutter nonlinearity. As a secondary effect, the steeper temperature gradients and thus higher $η_i$ increase the impact of the ion-temperature-gradient mode on overall turbulent transport. With increasing beta, the stabilizing effect on $E\times B$ turbulence increases, balancing the destabilization by induction, until direct electromagnetic perpendicular transport is triggered. We conclude that including flutter is crucial for predictive edge turbulence simulations.
title Magnetic flutter effect on validated edge turbulence simulations
topic Plasma Physics
Nuclear Theory
Computational Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.07763