Magnetic Islands Stabilization by Plasma Compressibility Effects in a Tokamak
POSTER
Abstract
It is shown that the stability of rotating magnetic islands in a tokamak plasmas is affected by plasma compressibility related to the geodesic curvature in inhomogeneous magnetic field. A robust stabilizing contribution has been found to the Rutherford evolution equation. It is suggested that this mechanism is responsible for the instability threshold for neoclassical tearing modes.