A numerical study of the generation of an azimuthal current in a plasma cylinder using a transverse rotating magnetic field

The generation of a steady azimuthal current in a cylindrical plasma column using a rotating magnetic field is numerically investigated. The mixed initial-boundary-value problem is solved using a finite difference method. It is shown that substantial azimuthal current can be driven provided that the amplitude of the rotating magnetic field is greater than a certain threshold value which depends on the plasma resistivity. (author)