Theoretical and Global Simulation Analysis of Collisional Microtearing

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fan, Kaixuan, Xu, Xue-Qiao, Zhu, Ben, Dong, Chao, Xia, Tianyang, Li, Zeyu
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916202450780160
author Fan, Kaixuan
Xu, Xue-Qiao
Zhu, Ben
Dong, Chao
Xia, Tianyang
Li, Zeyu
author_facet Fan, Kaixuan
Xu, Xue-Qiao
Zhu, Ben
Dong, Chao
Xia, Tianyang
Li, Zeyu
contents This study delves into Microtearing Modes (MTMs) in tokamak plasmas, employing advanced simulations within the BOUT++ framework. The research, centering on collisional MTMs influenced by the time-dependent thermal force, enhances our understanding of plasma dynamics. It achieves this through the simplification and linearization of control equations in detailed linear simulations. The study meticulously evaluates various conductivity models, including those proposed by Larakers, Drake, and Hassam, under diverse plasma conditions and collision regimes. A notable achievement of this research is the derivation of a unified dispersion relation that encompasses both MTM and Drift-Alfven Wave (DAW) instabilities. It interestingly reveals that DAW and MTM exhibit instability at different proximities to the rational surface. Specifically, MTMs become unstable near the rational surface but stabilize farther away, whereas the drift-Alfven instability manifests away from the rational surface. Further, the study re-derives MTM dispersion relations based on Ohm's law and the vorticity equation, providing a thorough analysis of electromagnetic and electrostatic interactions in tokamaks. Global simulations demonstrate an inverse correlation between MTM growth rates and collisionality, and a direct correlation with temperature gradients. The nonalignment of the rational surface with the peak of electron local diamagnetic frequency stabilizes the MTMs. Nonlinear simulations highlight electron temperature relaxation as the primary saturation mechanism for MTMs, with magnetic flutter identified as the dominant mode of electron thermal transport.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2404_08090
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Theoretical and Global Simulation Analysis of Collisional Microtearing
Fan, Kaixuan
Xu, Xue-Qiao
Zhu, Ben
Dong, Chao
Xia, Tianyang
Li, Zeyu
Plasma Physics
This study delves into Microtearing Modes (MTMs) in tokamak plasmas, employing advanced simulations within the BOUT++ framework. The research, centering on collisional MTMs influenced by the time-dependent thermal force, enhances our understanding of plasma dynamics. It achieves this through the simplification and linearization of control equations in detailed linear simulations. The study meticulously evaluates various conductivity models, including those proposed by Larakers, Drake, and Hassam, under diverse plasma conditions and collision regimes. A notable achievement of this research is the derivation of a unified dispersion relation that encompasses both MTM and Drift-Alfven Wave (DAW) instabilities. It interestingly reveals that DAW and MTM exhibit instability at different proximities to the rational surface. Specifically, MTMs become unstable near the rational surface but stabilize farther away, whereas the drift-Alfven instability manifests away from the rational surface. Further, the study re-derives MTM dispersion relations based on Ohm's law and the vorticity equation, providing a thorough analysis of electromagnetic and electrostatic interactions in tokamaks. Global simulations demonstrate an inverse correlation between MTM growth rates and collisionality, and a direct correlation with temperature gradients. The nonalignment of the rational surface with the peak of electron local diamagnetic frequency stabilizes the MTMs. Nonlinear simulations highlight electron temperature relaxation as the primary saturation mechanism for MTMs, with magnetic flutter identified as the dominant mode of electron thermal transport.
title Theoretical and Global Simulation Analysis of Collisional Microtearing
topic Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.08090