Prediction of nonlinearly saturated tearing mode islands with an equilibrium code

ORAL

Abstract

We demonstrate that it is possible to use an MHD equilibrium code to directly predict the nonlinear saturation of tearing modes without resolving the dynamics and without explicit dependence on the plasma resistivity. This is achieved by exploiting the stepped-pressure equilibrium code [1], which can describe equilibria with magnetic islands and magnetic field-line chaos, and by identifying the appropriate constraints under which tearing modes evolve [2, 3]. Calculations are carried out in a slab and for a cylindrical tokamak and the predicted values of wsat are shown to reproduce the theoretical scaling at small values of Δ' and the scaling obtained from resistive MHD simulations at large Δ'.

[1] S. R. Hudson et al, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 62, 084002 (2020)

[2] A. Baillod et al, J. Plasma Phys. 87, 905870403 (2021)

[3] J. Loizu et al, Phys. Plasmas 27, 070701 (2020)

*This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training program 2014–2018 and 2019–2020 under grant agreement no. 633053. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. This work was also supported by a grant from the Simons Foundation/SFARI (560651, AB).

Publication: - J. Loizu et al, Phys. Plasmas 27, 070701 (2020)
- J. Loizu et al, "Direct prediction of nonlinearly saturated tearing mode islands in a cylindrical tokamak using SPEC", in preparation.

Presenters

  • Joaquim Loizu

    • Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
    • Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Authors

  • Joaquim Loizu

    • Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
    • Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
  • Yi-Min Huang

    • Princeton University
  • Stuart R Hudson

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
  • Daniele Bonfiglio

    • Consorzio RFX
  • Antoine Baillod

    • Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
  • Arunav Kumar

    • Australian National University
    • Australian Natl Univ
  • Zhisong Qu

    • Mathematical Sciences Institute, Australian National University
    • Mathematical Sciences Institute, The Australian National University
    • Australian Natl Univ
    • Australian National University