Microtearing Turbulence and Its Role in High-Density-Gradient Plasmas in Wendelstein 7-X

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Cu-Castillo, H., Navarro, A. Bañón, Merlo, G., Reimold, F., Romba, T., Ford, O., Bannmann, S., Vanó, L., Wappl, M., Geiger, J., Zocco, A., Jenko, F., team, the W7-X
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Cu-Castillo, H.
Navarro, A. Bañón
Merlo, G.
Reimold, F.
Romba, T.
Ford, O.
Bannmann, S.
Vanó, L.
Wappl, M.
Geiger, J.
Zocco, A.
Jenko, F.
team, the W7-X
author_facet Cu-Castillo, H.
Navarro, A. Bañón
Merlo, G.
Reimold, F.
Romba, T.
Ford, O.
Bannmann, S.
Vanó, L.
Wappl, M.
Geiger, J.
Zocco, A.
Jenko, F.
team, the W7-X
contents Gyrokinetic simulations reveal that microtearing mode (MTM) turbulence dominates transport in a Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) discharge characterized by large density gradients, moderate temperature gradients, and low plasma beta. This conclusion is supported by the close agreement between simulated and experimentally measured heat and particle fluxes. The emergence of MTMs is attributed to the absence of competing instabilities -- such as ion temperature gradient modes and density-gradient-driven trapped-electron modes -- under these plasma conditions, together with the stabilizing influence of the W7-X max-J magnetic configuration. Furthermore, moderate collisionality and low magnetic shear are found to facilitate MTM onset. These findings advance the understanding of high-density-gradient regimes, which are essential for achieving high-performance operation in W7-X plasmas.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_19543
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Microtearing Turbulence and Its Role in High-Density-Gradient Plasmas in Wendelstein 7-X
Cu-Castillo, H.
Navarro, A. Bañón
Merlo, G.
Reimold, F.
Romba, T.
Ford, O.
Bannmann, S.
Vanó, L.
Wappl, M.
Geiger, J.
Zocco, A.
Jenko, F.
team, the W7-X
Plasma Physics
Gyrokinetic simulations reveal that microtearing mode (MTM) turbulence dominates transport in a Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) discharge characterized by large density gradients, moderate temperature gradients, and low plasma beta. This conclusion is supported by the close agreement between simulated and experimentally measured heat and particle fluxes. The emergence of MTMs is attributed to the absence of competing instabilities -- such as ion temperature gradient modes and density-gradient-driven trapped-electron modes -- under these plasma conditions, together with the stabilizing influence of the W7-X max-J magnetic configuration. Furthermore, moderate collisionality and low magnetic shear are found to facilitate MTM onset. These findings advance the understanding of high-density-gradient regimes, which are essential for achieving high-performance operation in W7-X plasmas.
title Microtearing Turbulence and Its Role in High-Density-Gradient Plasmas in Wendelstein 7-X
topic Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.19543