Space-based plasma(i.e.,a highly ionized gas or the fourth state of matter)blobs are isolated pockets of this highly ionized gas made up of charged particles.These blobs are believed to have a substantial impact on th...Space-based plasma(i.e.,a highly ionized gas or the fourth state of matter)blobs are isolated pockets of this highly ionized gas made up of charged particles.These blobs are believed to have a substantial impact on the structure and dynamics of the cosmos and can be seen in a variety of astronomical objects,including stars,galaxies,and the intergalactic medium.Some plasma blobs are connected to intense phenomena like magnetic reconnection,shock waves,and supernovae,while others may be the result of more passive processes like cooling and gravitational collapse.In both astrophysics and plasma physics,there is ongoing research on the characteristics and behavior of plasma blobs.This phenomenon has a very adverse effect on tokamak-based MCF(magnetic confinement fusion),which is the subject of this short review paper.展开更多
Observational evidence is insufficient to understand how equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs)form over low latitudes.The mechanism of plasma-density enhancement(formation of"plasma blobs")at low latitudes is in d...Observational evidence is insufficient to understand how equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs)form over low latitudes.The mechanism of plasma-density enhancement(formation of"plasma blobs")at low latitudes is in dispute.In this paper,we use data from multiple ground-based instruments(one all-sky airglow imager,five digisondes,and one Fabry–Perot interferometer)to investigate the evolution of an EPB event that occurred at low latitudes over China on the night of 06 December 2015(06-Dec-2015).We provide observational evidence that an enhanced equatorward wind most likely induced by a substorm could have initiated the Rayleigh–Taylor instability(RTI)that destabilized several EPB depletions in an upwelling region of a large-scale wave-like structure(LSWS)in the bottomside ionosphere.Those EPB depletions were forced to surge poleward,from nearly 10°to 19°magnetic latitude,two hours before midnight.Smaller-scale bifurcations evolved rapidly from tips of airglow depletions by a secondary E×B instability when the aforementioned substorm-induced southwestward wind blew through.During the growth phase of the EPB depletions,a westward polarization electric field inside the LSWS is likely to have compressed plasma downward,inducing the two airglow-type blobs observed in the bottomside ionosphere,by a mechanism of LSWS-blob connection that we propose.We also provide observational evidence of brightness airglow depletions.We find that an enhanced poleward wind associated with a passing-by brightness wave(BW)is likely to have transported plasma to fill the airglow depletions,which finally evolved into brightness airglow structures.This study investigates the physical processes accompanied by the EPB event and those two-airglow blobs observed at low-latitudes over China.展开更多
The boundary plasma turbulence code BOUT models tokamak boundaryplasma turbulence in a realistic divertor geometry usingmodified Braginskii equations for plasma vorticity,density(ni),electron and ion temperature(Te,Ti...The boundary plasma turbulence code BOUT models tokamak boundaryplasma turbulence in a realistic divertor geometry usingmodified Braginskii equations for plasma vorticity,density(ni),electron and ion temperature(Te,Ti)and parallelmomenta.The BOUT code solves for the plasma fluid equations in a three dimensional(3D)toroidal segment(or a toroidal wedge),including the region somewhat inside the separatrix and extending into the scrape-off layer;the private flux region is also included.In this paper,a description is given of the sophisticated physical models,innovative numerical algorithms,and modern software design used to simulate edgeplasmas in magnetic fusion energy devices.The BOUT code’s unique capabilities and functionality are exemplified via simulations of the impact of plasma density on tokamak edge turbulence and blob dynamics.展开更多
文摘Space-based plasma(i.e.,a highly ionized gas or the fourth state of matter)blobs are isolated pockets of this highly ionized gas made up of charged particles.These blobs are believed to have a substantial impact on the structure and dynamics of the cosmos and can be seen in a variety of astronomical objects,including stars,galaxies,and the intergalactic medium.Some plasma blobs are connected to intense phenomena like magnetic reconnection,shock waves,and supernovae,while others may be the result of more passive processes like cooling and gravitational collapse.In both astrophysics and plasma physics,there is ongoing research on the characteristics and behavior of plasma blobs.This phenomenon has a very adverse effect on tokamak-based MCF(magnetic confinement fusion),which is the subject of this short review paper.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.41831073 and No.41804146)the Open Research Project of Large Research Infrastructures of Chinese Acadamy of Sciences—"Study on the interaction between low/midlatitude atmosphere and ionosphere based on the Chinese Meridian Project”+2 种基金the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.2020156)the Project of Stable Support for Youth Team in Basic Research Field,CAS(Grant No.YSBR-018)the International Partnership Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.183311KYSB20200003)。
文摘Observational evidence is insufficient to understand how equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs)form over low latitudes.The mechanism of plasma-density enhancement(formation of"plasma blobs")at low latitudes is in dispute.In this paper,we use data from multiple ground-based instruments(one all-sky airglow imager,five digisondes,and one Fabry–Perot interferometer)to investigate the evolution of an EPB event that occurred at low latitudes over China on the night of 06 December 2015(06-Dec-2015).We provide observational evidence that an enhanced equatorward wind most likely induced by a substorm could have initiated the Rayleigh–Taylor instability(RTI)that destabilized several EPB depletions in an upwelling region of a large-scale wave-like structure(LSWS)in the bottomside ionosphere.Those EPB depletions were forced to surge poleward,from nearly 10°to 19°magnetic latitude,two hours before midnight.Smaller-scale bifurcations evolved rapidly from tips of airglow depletions by a secondary E×B instability when the aforementioned substorm-induced southwestward wind blew through.During the growth phase of the EPB depletions,a westward polarization electric field inside the LSWS is likely to have compressed plasma downward,inducing the two airglow-type blobs observed in the bottomside ionosphere,by a mechanism of LSWS-blob connection that we propose.We also provide observational evidence of brightness airglow depletions.We find that an enhanced poleward wind associated with a passing-by brightness wave(BW)is likely to have transported plasma to fill the airglow depletions,which finally evolved into brightness airglow structures.This study investigates the physical processes accompanied by the EPB event and those two-airglow blobs observed at low-latitudes over China.
基金This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S.Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344。
文摘The boundary plasma turbulence code BOUT models tokamak boundaryplasma turbulence in a realistic divertor geometry usingmodified Braginskii equations for plasma vorticity,density(ni),electron and ion temperature(Te,Ti)and parallelmomenta.The BOUT code solves for the plasma fluid equations in a three dimensional(3D)toroidal segment(or a toroidal wedge),including the region somewhat inside the separatrix and extending into the scrape-off layer;the private flux region is also included.In this paper,a description is given of the sophisticated physical models,innovative numerical algorithms,and modern software design used to simulate edgeplasmas in magnetic fusion energy devices.The BOUT code’s unique capabilities and functionality are exemplified via simulations of the impact of plasma density on tokamak edge turbulence and blob dynamics.
