Tandem mirror hot-electron anchors

An ECRH-generated hot-electron plasma is shown to provide an attractive alternative to a neutral-beam-formed plasma for the MHD 'anchor' of a tandem mirror. This mirror cell would provide a finite-Larmor-radius-like stabilization for m=1 modes. For a significan MHD fluid-like response, a small ion core beta is seen to be required and stabilization results from the response of the core beta in the hot-electron-depressed magnetic field. At a higher core beta the hot electrons behave in a fluid-like manner. Utilization is most promising in an outboard-anchor tandem mirror arrangement. (author)