Discrete Alfvn eigenmodes in international thermonuclear experimental reactor operations with negative magnetic shear

Discrete Alfven eigenmodes in steady-state operation scenarios with negative magnetic shear in the international thermonuclear experimental reactor are investigated in this paper. These magnetohydrodynamic eigenmodes are trapped by the s-induced potential wells along the magnetic field line. Here α = -q2Rdβ/dr with q being the safety factor, the ratio between plasma and magnetic pressures, and R the major radius, and r the minor radius. Due to negligible continuum damping via wave energy tunneling, these Alfven eigenmodes could be readily destabilized by energetic particles.

Magnetic-island-induced ion temperature gradient mode： Landau damping, equilibrium magnetic shear and pressure flattening effects

Characteristics of the magnetic-island-induced ion temperature gradient （MITG） mode are studied through gyrofluid simulations in the slab geometry, focusing on the effects of Landau damping, equilibrium magnetic shear （EMS）, and pressure flattening. It is shown that the magnetic island may enhance the Landau damping of the system by inducing the radial magnetic field. Moreover, the radial eigenmode numbers of most MITG poloidal harmonics are increased by the magnetic island so that the MITG mode is destabilized in the low EMS regime. In addition, the pressure profile flattening effect inside a magnetic island hardly affects the growth of the whole MITG mode, while it has different local effects near the O-point and the X-point regions. In comparison with the non-zero-order perturbations, only the quasi-linear flattening effect due to the zonal pressure is the effective component to impact the growth rate of the mode.

Energetic-ion excited internal kink modes with weak magnetic shear in q0> 1 tokamak plasmas

The energetic particle driven internal kink mode is investigated in this paper for q0〉 1 tokamak plasma with weak magnetic shear. With the effect of energetic particles, the m/n = 1/1 internal mode structure in tokamak plasma does not appear as a rigid step-function when safety factor passes through q = 1 rational surface. It is found that even when the rational surface is removed, the mode may be still unstable under the low magnetic shear condition if the energetic particle drive is strong enough; with the low shear region of safety factor profile widening, the mode becomes more unstable with its growth-rate increasing. Furthermore, we find that the existence of the q = 1 rational surface does not have a significant effect on the stability of the plasma if energetic particles are present, which is very different from the scenarios of the ideal-MHD modes.

Study of Electron Temperature Gradient Instability in Toroidal Plasmas with Negative Magnetic Shear

In this paper, the electron temperature gradient （ETG） instability and corresponding turbulent transport in toroidal plasmas with negative magnetic shear is studied using the integral eigenvalue equations. The full electron kinetics is considered and the behaviours of the modes and the transport in the parameter regimes close to the instability threshold are emphasized. The fitting formulas of the critical gradient, for negative magnetic shear, are given.

Magnetic fabrics in characterization of magma emplacement and tectonic evolution of the Moyar Shear Zone,South India

The Moyar Shear Zone （MSZ） of the South Indian granulite terrain hosts a prominent syenite pluton （-560 Ma） and associated NW-SE to NE-SW trending mafic dyke swarm （-65 Ma and 95 Ma）. Preliminary magnetic fabric studies in the mafic dykes, using Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibly （AMS） studies at low-field, indicate successive emplacement and variable magma flow direction. Magnetic lineation and foliation in these dykes are identical to the mesoscopic fabrics in MSZ mylonites, indicating shear zone guided emplacement. Spatial distribution of magnetic lineation in the dykes suggests a common conduit from which the source magma has been migrated. The magnetic foliation trajectories have a sigmoidal shape to the north of the pluton and curve into the MSZ suggesting dextral sense of shear. Identical fabric conditions for magnetic fabrics in the syenite pluton and measured field fabrics in mylonite indicate syntectonic emplacement along the Proterozoic crustal scale dextral shear zone with repeated reactivation history.

Numerical Simulation of Tripolar Vortex in Dusty Plasma with Sheared Flow and Sheared Magnetic Field

This article presents a study we have made of one class of coherent structures of the tripolar vortex. Considering the sheared flow and sheared magnetic field which are common in the thermonuclear plasma and space plasma, we have simulated the dynamics of the tripolar vortex. The results show that the tripolar vortex is largely stable in most cases, but a strongly sheared magnetic field will make the structure less stable, and lead it to decays into single vortices with the large space scale. These results are consistent with findings from former research about the dipolar vortex.

Numerical simulation of the multiple reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes associated with the triangularity Alfvén gap

It was found that there are multiplicity of low shear toroidicity-induced Alfv′en eigenmodes in a zero beta limit if the inverse aspect ratio is larger than the magnetic shear at the mode location(Candy 1996 Phys. Lett. A 215 299). Because the reversed shear Alfv′en eigenmode(RSAE) and even the RSAE associated with the non-circular triangularity-induced Alfv′en eigenmode(NAE) gap(NAE–RSAE) usually reside near the shear-reversal point, the condition that the inverse aspect ratio is larger than the magnetic shear is naturally satisfied. For this reason, we numerically investigate the existence of multiplicity of core-localized NAE–RSAEs and mode characteristics in the present work. We firstly verify the existence of the multiplicity for zero beta plasma by using a D-shaped equilibrium. It is pointed out that, for a given toroidal mode number, the Alfv′en cascade spectrum accommodates down-sweeping and up-sweeping modes above and below the NAE range of frequencies. An analytical model for the existence of multiple RSAE modes is in good agreement with the simulation results. One notices that the triangularity has a greater effect on the odd-type modes than that on the even-type modes: the odd-type modes come into existence because of the plasma triangularity.

Generation of Zonal Flow and Magnetic Field by Planetary Waves in the Earth’s Ionosphere

Possibility of generation of large-scale sheared zonal flow and magnetic field by coupled under the typical ionospheric conditions short-scale planetary low-frequency waves is shown. Propagation of coupled internal-gravity-Alfven, Rossby-Khantadze, Rossby-Alfven-Khantadze and collision-less electron skin depth order drift-Alfven waves is revealed and investigated in detail. To describe the nonlinear interaction of such coupled waves with sheared zonal flow the corresponding nonlinear equations are deduced. The instability mechanism is based on the nonlinear parametric triple interaction of the finite amplitude short-scale planetary waves leading to the inverse energy cascade toward the longer wavelengths. It is shown that under such interaction intense sheared magnetic fields can be generated. Appropriate growth rates are discussed in detail.

Sawtooth-like oscillations and steady states caused by the m/n=2/1 double tearing mode

The sawtooth-like oscillations resulting from the m/n=2/1 double tearing mode(DTM)are numerically investigated through the three-dimensional,toroidal,nonlinear resistive-MHD code(CLT).We find that the nonlinear evolution of the m/n=2/1 DTM can lead to sawtooth-like oscillations,which are similar to those driven by the kink mode.The perpendicular thermal conductivity and the external heating rate can significantly alter the behaviors of the DTM driven sawtooth-like oscillations.With a high perpendicular thermal conductivity,the system quickly evolves into a steady state with m/n=2/1 magnetic islands and helical flow.However,with a low perpendicular thermal conductivity,the system tends to exhibit sawtooth-like oscillations.With a sufficiently high or low heating rate,the system exhibits sawtooth-like oscillations,while with an intermediate heating rate,the system quickly evolves into a steady state.At the steady state,there exist the non-axisymmetric magnetic field and strong radial flow,and both are with helicity of m/n=2/1.Like the steady state with m/n=1/1 radial flow,which is beneficial for preventing the helium ash accumulation in the core,the steady state with m/n=2/1 radial flow might also be a good candidate for the advanced steady state operations in future fusion reactors.We also find that the behaviors of the sawtooth-like oscillations are almost independent of tokamak geometry,which implies that the steady state with saturated m/n=2/1 islands might exist in different tokamaks.

Stability of Tokamak Equilibrium with Internal Transport Barrier against High-n MHD Ballooning Mode

A new eigen-mode equation for the tokamak high-n （the toroidal mode number） ideal magnetohydrodynamic （MHD） ballooning mode in tokamak plasmas is derived to include the toroidal effects that are significant for stability of configurations with internal transport barriers （ITBs）, Fot tokamak equilibria of shift circular flux surfaces, these toroidal effects basically are the finite inverse aspect ratio and the Shafranov shift. The former yields the averaged favorable curvature stabilization while the latter further strengthens this effect, leading to a low shear stable channel connecting the first and second stability regions, and to the shrinkage of unstable region in the （8,α） diagram. The dependence of the critical shear, below which the plasma is stable, on these effects is given. These results are important for understanding the ITB physics to some regards.

Measurement of Current Profile in a Tokamak Through AC Modulation

The plasma current is modulated with an alternating current （ac） component in a frequency range of 90 Hz - 900 Hz in the plateau discharge phase in the CT-6B tokamak. A plasma electric conductivity profile in a form of （1 - r^2/a^2）^α with a parameter α which is fitted with the experimental data, can be determined. The effects of magnetic shear in a tokamak field configuration on the current penetration are taken into account in the numerical simulation. The measurement method and obtained results are discussed.

The theory of early nonlinear stage of m=1 instability with locally flattened q-profile

In this paper,we analyze the modification of fast particles on the nonlinear radial displacement of m=1 internal kink mode with a shoulderlike equilibrium current theoretically.Using the matching method on the solutions of the outer and inner regions,we derive the analytical form of nonlinear radial displacement in the limit of q'=q"=0,which is valid to the cases of weak shear due to a slight flattening of the q(r)profile around q=1.We have taken into consideration the effects of the circulating and trapped fast particles on the nonlinear state of the mode.It is found that a fast particle can modify the nonlinear saturation level by the change of potential energy,depending on the fast particle properties.By the matching of linear dispersion relation to early nonlinear result,we also obtain the relations of radial displacement to the mode frequency and linear growth rate,and discuss the scaling for different stabilities of the MHD modes.

A Simulation of the Effect of Collisional Dissipation of Fast Electrons on the Radial Profiles of the Current Driven by Lower-Hybrid-Waves on the HT-7 Tokamak

For the effect of the collisional dissipation of fast electrons driven by the lower-hybrid waves, a predictive simulation is made for the HT-7 plasma. The simulation results show that the dissipation of fast electrons counteracts the effect of radial diffusion to some extent, thereby making the lower-hybrid driven current profile closer to the power deposition profile. So, in the case of an off-axis lower-hybrid wave power launching, the dissipation is helpful in maintaining a center-hollowed current profile in lower hybrid current drive （LHCD） plasmas, and thus possibly maintains the desired reversed magnetic shear.

Solar Flare Activity and Variability of Electric Current Helicity

Recent study using Huairou vector magnetograph data shows that durlug flare activity, the current helicity exhibits rapid and substantial variations and, in some cases, a recovering phase. We considered various representative the magnetic configurations. First, interacting twisted magnetic flux tubes are analyzed separately for positive, negative and mixed-sign helicity regions. The results show that the helicity during flares decreases in positive-sign, and increases in negative-sign regions. Then, flaring arcade also shows that the magnitude of the helicity decreases after flares. We also investigated current sheets formed by sheared magnetic field and showed that the current helicity (with either positive and negative signs) vanishes after reconnection. The emergence of twisted flux tubes which can trigger flares may be another source of flare-associated variability of current helicity. We demonstrate the relevance of current helicity to the description of flare activity by comparing its variation with that of shear angle in the active region AR 6891.