Work

Mode conversion in cold low-density plasma with a sheared magnetic field

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: A theory is proposed that describes mutual conversion of two electromagnetic modes in cold low-density plasma, specifically, in the high-frequency limit where the ion response is negligible. In contrast to the classic (Landau–Zener-type) theory of mode conversion, the region of resonant coupling in low-density plasma is not necessarily narrow, so the coupling matrix cannot be approximated with its first-order Taylor expansion; also, the initial conditions are set up differently. For the case of strong magnetic shear, a simple method is identified for preparing a two-mode wave such that it transforms into a single-mode wave upon entering high-density plasma. The theory can be used for reduced modeling of wave-power input in fusion plasmas. In particular, applications are envisioned in stellarator research, where the mutual conversion of two electromagnetic modes near the plasma edge is a known issue.

Source: Physics of Plasmas

DOI: 10.1063/1.5003931

Authors: I. Y. Dodin, D. E. Ruiz, S. Kubo

Institutions: National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, National Institute for Fusion Science

Language: English

Topic: Magnetic confinement fusion research

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: U.S. Department of Energy

Award: G6036700641