Resonance of static-error-field amplification in tokamak plasmas.

With explicit torque expression derived, it is found that the resonance of the static-error-field amplification (i.e., the maximum of the static-error-field-induced torque) in tokamak plasmas lies at the no-wall stability limit, instead of at the resistive wall mode stability limit as given by the existing theories. This brings theoretical predictions into qualitative conformity with experiments.

Rotational stabilization of resistive wall modes by the shear alfvén resonance.

It is found that resistive wall modes with a toroidal number n = 1 in tokamaks can be stabilized by plasma rotation at a low Mach number, with the rotation frequency being lower than the ion bounce frequency but larger than the ion and electron precession drift frequencies. The stabilization is the result of the shear-Alfvén resonance, since the thermal resonance effect is negligible in this rotation frequency range. This indicates that tokamaks can operate at normalized pressure values beyond the no-wall stability limit even for low values of plasma rotation, such as those expected in fusion reactor scale devices.

Generation and stability of zonal flows in ion-temperature-gradient mode turbulence.

We address the mechanisms underlying zonal flow generation and stability in turbulent systems driven by the electrostatic ion-temperature-gradient (ITG) mode. In the case of zonal flow stability, we show the poloidal flows typical of numerical simulations become unstable when they exceed a critical level. Near marginal stability of the linear ITG mode, the system can generate zonal flows that are sufficiently weak to remain stable and sufficiently strong to suppress the linear ITG mode. This stable region corresponds to the parameter regime of the nonlinear Dimits up-shift.

Electron temperature gradient turbulence.

The first toroidal, gyrokinetic, electromagnetic simulations of small scale plasma turbulence are presented. The turbulence considered is driven by gradients in the electron temperature. It is found that electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence can induce experimentally relevant thermal losses in magnetic confinement fusion devices. For typical tokamak parameters, the transport is essentially electrostatic in character. The simulation results are qualitatively consistent with a model that balances linear and secondary mode growth rates. Significant streamer-dominated transport at long wavelengths occurs because the secondary modes that produce saturation become weak in the ETG limit.