Work

Merging of zonal flows in gyrofluid resistive drift-wave turbulence

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Non-linear dynamics of zonal flows are investigated in the context of the gyrofluid modified Hasegawa–Wakatani model. Merging of zonal flows and the chaotic development of the initial zonal flow pattern is explored. Conservation equations for zonal flow momentum and energy with consistent finite Larmor radius effects are derived and used for a quantitative analysis of zonal flow mergers in numerical simulations. The nonlinear local Reynolds stress transfer as opposed to (hyper)viscous dissipation is found to be the main cause of merging.

Source: Physics of Plasmas

DOI: 10.1063/5.0316946

Authors: Fabian Grander, Tobias Gröfler, Franz Ferdinand Locker, Manuel Rinner, Alexander Kendl

Institution: Universität Innsbruck

Language: English

Topic: Magnetic confinement fusion research

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: EUROfusion, Austrian Science Fund

Awards: Turbulence in Full-f and Full-k, G3562821882