Finite Larmor Radius and Three-Dimensional Effects on the Blobs in the Scrape-Off Layer

The nonlinear processes in the tokamak core edge and in the scrape-off layer are studied within the electrostatic interchange paradigm, with the collisions among the plasma particles and with the neutras, including the effects of the finite ion Larmor radius and of fully three-dimensional electron dynamics. These new three-dimensional model equations are solved numerically, to study the propagation of plasma blobs in the scrape-off layer. It is shown that the coupling with the resistive drift mode causes the transverse contraction and the rotation of the blob. The parallel resistivity and the finite ion temperature give rise to the symmetry breaking and the poloidal propagation of the blobs, while their stability is only weakly affected.