The mixed Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin-full-wave approach and its application to lower hybrid wave propagation and absorption

The mixed Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB)-full-wave approach for the calculation of the 2D mode structure in tokamak plasmas is further developed based on our previous work [A. Cardinali and F. Zonca, Phys. Plasmas 10, 4199 (2003) and Z. X. Lu et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 042104 (2012)]. A new scheme for theoretical analysis and numerical implementation of the mixed WKB-full-wave approach is formulated, based on scale separation and asymptotic analysis. Besides its capability to efficiently investigate the initial value problem for 2D mode structures and linear stability, in this work, the mixed WKB-full-wave approach is extended to the investigation of radio frequency wave propagation and absorption, e.g., lower hybrid waves. As a novel method, its comparison with other approaches, e.g., WKB and beam tracing methods, is discussed. Its application to lower hybrid wave propagation in concentric circular tokamak plasmas using typical FTU discharge parameters is also demonstrated.