Work

Counter-propagating toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes in tokamaks

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Mechanisms of destabilization of toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs) in tokamaks are analyzed with the aim to reveal those leading to modes propagating in the direction opposite to plasma current, i.e. counter-propagating modes (ctr-TAE). Plasmas with fast-ions sources [such as neutral beam injection (NBI), ion cyclotron resonance heating, fusion reactions] and without them (Ohmic discharges) are considered. A particular NSTX-U experiment with NBI, where co- and counter-propagating TAEs were observed simultaneously (Podestà et al 2018 Nucl. Fusion 58 082023), is considered. It is concluded that both types of TAEs occurred because their destabilization was caused by the velocity anisotropy of beam ions, which overrode effects of spatial inhomogeneity of these ions.

Source: Nuclear Fusion

DOI: 10.1088/1741-4326/ae440c

Authors: Ya.I. Kolesnichenko, E.D. Fredrickson, V.V. Lutsenko, A.V. Tykhyy

Institutions: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Institute for Nuclear Research

Language: English

Topic: Magnetic confinement fusion research

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,595

Funder: U.S. Department of Energy