Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 18, 2403040 (2023)

Regular Articles


Extension of Global Gyrokinetic Code for Tokamak Edge Turbulence Simulation
Shuhei OKUDA, Haruki SETO1) and Kenji IMADERA
Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Japan
1)
Rokkasho Fusion Institute, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Rokkasho 039-3212, Japan
(Received 4 January 2023 / Accepted 15 March 2023 / Published 5 June 2023)

Abstract

A field-aligned coordinate system using a shifted metric technique has been implemented to a global gyrokinetic code GKNET. This coordinate system allows for simulations with lower resolution in the direction along the magnetic field line, which is especially effective in the outer core regions with higher q values. Realistic tokamak geometries, including up-down asymmetric equilibria, have also been implemented by using a newly developed interface code that connects GKNET and a free-boundary 2D Grad-Shafranov equation solver. This is essential for tokamak edge simulations, which will be developed in the future. As an application, the nonlinear simulation of the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode with the JT-60SA ITER-like plasma [M. Nakata et al., Plasma Fusion Res. 9, 1403029 (2014)] has been performed. The result shows that the linear ITG instability with high poloidal modes and resultant zonal flow generation are properly traced. In this case, it is estimated that the number of computational grids can be reduced to 1/94 compared to that of the flux surface coordinate system.


Keywords

global gyrokinetic code, field-aligned coordinate, realistic geometry, JT-60SA plasma, ITG mode, nonlinear simulation

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.18.2403040


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