Nonlinear entropy transfer in ETG-TEM turbulence via TEM driven zonal flows

Nonlinear interplay of the electron temperature gradient (ETG) modes and the trapped electron modes (TEMs) was investigated by means of gyrokinetic simulation. Focusing on the situation where both TEMs and ETG modes are linearly unstable, the effects of TEM-driven zonal flows on ETG turbulence were examined by means of entropy transfer analysis. In a statistically steady turbulence where the TEM driven zonal flows are dominant, it turned out that the zonal flows meditate the entropy transfer of the ETG modes from the low to high radial wavenumber regions. The successive entropy transfer broadens the potential fluctuation spectrum in the radial wavenumber direction. In contrast, in the situation where ETG modes are unstable but TEMs are stable, the pure ETG turbulence does not produce strong zonal flows, leading to a rather narrow spectrum in the radial wavenumber space and a higher transport level. (author)