Choice of coordinates on a toroidal magnetic surface

Construction of global angular coordinates on an arbitrarily shaped toroidal surface is considered. It is shown that global orthogonal, isothermal, and semigeodesic geometric coordinates can always be introduced on a toroidal surface. Such coordinates can be rather efficient in solving problems of plasma equilibrium and stability in a magnetic field. At the same time, it is impossible to introduce global geodesic coordinates and coordinates based on curvature lines. It is proposed to use a magnetic analogy to search for transformations of global angular geometric coordinates that simplify the expression for the length element on an arbitrary toroidal surface. An algorithm for the computation of such coordinates is offered. With this approach, a 'virtual' magnetic field such that its force lines, as well as the lines orthogonal to them, are closed is searched for on the toroidal surface. These lines comprise a geometric coordinate grid on an actual magnetic surface formed by the actual magnetic field.