Production and observation of the ion-temperature-gradient instability
Creators
- 1. Plasma Research Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 (United States)
- 2. Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)
Description
The Columbia Linear Machine has been modified to produce and study the slab branch of the ion-temperature-gradient instability [Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 429 (1991)]. A unique heating scheme with biased meshes has been installed to yield a peaked ion temperature and flattish density profiles. Under these conditions, the parameter ηi (=d ln Ti/d ln N) exceeds the critical value and a strong instability has been observed. Based on observations of the azimuthal and axial wavelengths, the real frequency, and increasing mode amplitude with increasing inverse-ion-temperature-gradient scale length, it is identified as the ηi mode. Finally, computational results from a nonlocal theory of the ηi mode corroborate the existence of an instability with the observed azimuthal mode number, axial wavelength, real frequency, and radial structure
Additional details
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Physics of Fluids B
- Journal Volume
- 4
- Journal Issue
- 3
- Journal Page Range
- p. 512-520.
- ISSN
- 0899-8221
- CODEN
- PFBPEI
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- United States
- INIS RN
- 24021258
- Subject category
- S70: PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; S70: PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY;
- Descriptors DEI
- DISPERSION RELATIONS; DRIFT INSTABILITY; HOT PLASMA; ION ACOUSTIC WAVES; ION DRIFT; ION TEMPERATURE; LANDAU DAMPING; LARMOR RADIUS; PLASMA CONFINEMENT; PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS; PLASMA HEATING; PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES; SLABS; TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS; TURBULENCE
- Descriptors DEC
- CONFINEMENT; DAMPING; HEATING; INSTABILITY; ION WAVES; PLASMA; PLASMA INSTABILITY; PLASMA WAVES