Published March 1978 | Version v1
Journal article

Extensions of guiding center motion to higher order

  • 1. Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771

Description

In a static magnetic field, some well-known guiding center equations maintain their form when extended to next order in gyroradius. In these cases, it is only necessary to include the next order term in the magnetic moment series. The differential equation for guiding center motion which describes both the parallel and perpendicular velocities correctly through first order in gyroradius is given. The question of how to define the guiding center position through second order arises and is discussed, and second order drifts are derived for one usual definition. The toroidal canonical angular momentum, P/sub phi/, of the guiding center in an axisymmetric field is shown to be conserved using the guiding center velocity correct through first order. When second-order motion is included, P/sub phi/ is no longer a constant. The above extensions of guiding center theory help to resolve the different tokamak orbits obtained either by using the guiding center equations of motion or by using conservation of P/sub phi/

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
The Physics of Fluids
Journal Volume
21
Journal Issue
3
Series
Phys. Fluids.
Journal Page Range
384-389
ISSN
0031-9171

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
United States
INIS RN
9387659
Subject category
S70: PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY;
Descriptors DEI
ANGULAR MOMENTUM; CORRECTIONS; EQUATIONS OF MOTION; GUIDING-CENTER APPROXIMATION; MAGNETIC FIELDS; ORBITS; TOKAMAK DEVICES; VELOCITY
Descriptors DEC
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES; DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; EQUATIONS; THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES

Optional Information

Notes
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