[Table of Contents]

Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 5, 040 (2010)

Rapid Communications

Forced Magnetic Reconnection in Helical Plasmas
Seiya NISHIMURA, Yoshiro NARUSHIMA, Shinichiro TODA, Masatoshi YAGI1,2), Kimitaka ITOH and Sanae -I. ITOH1)
National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki 509-5292, Japan
1)
Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan
2)
Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka 311-0193, Japan
(Received 16 September 2010 / Accepted 24 September 2010 / Published 8 October 2010)

Abstract

Magnetic islands excited by resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) in helical plasmas are investigated. A Rutherford-type equation is coupled with the time evolution equation of the radial electric field associated with the neoclassical particle diffusion due to helically rippled magnetic fields. Using the model, bifurcation between the excitation and the annihilation of non-rotating magnetic islands are newly observed, depending on the magnitude of RMPs and the anomalous plasma viscosity. It is found that the transition between these states is triggered by the change in the radial electric field profile in the vicinity of magnetic island.

Keywords

magnetic island, radial electric field, plasma rotation, neoclassical particle diffusion

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.5.040

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Seiya NISHIMURA, Yoshiro NARUSHIMA, Shinichiro TODA, Masatoshi YAGI, Kimitaka ITOH and Sanae -I. ITOH, Plasma Fusion Res. 5, 040 (2010).