ISSN:
1089-7666
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
The theory of energetic particle stabilization of ballooning modes in tokamaks is revisited. When the energetic particles are drift-reversed, a region of ballooning instability, akin to that which causes the Van Dam–Lee–Nelson limit [in Proceedings of the Workshop on EBT Ring Physics (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 1980), p. 471; Phys. Fluids 23, 1850 (1980)] in magnetic mirrors, is identified. At higher values of core poloidal beta a "third'' region of stability is conjectured to occur. The inclusion of finite-aspect-ratio effects can eliminate ballooning instability completely when the energetic particles are non-drift-reversed, but the region of instability for drift-reversed particles persists. Requirements for energetic particle stabilization in large- and small-aspect-ratio tokamak experiments and reactors are discussed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.866865
