[Table of Contents]

Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 7, 2403107 (2012)

Regular Articles

Stability of Externally Driven Magnetic Islands in a Helical Plasma
Seiya NISHIMURA, Shinichiro TODA, Masatoshi YAGI1,2) and Yoshiro NARUSHIMA
National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki 509-5292, Japan
1)
Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Rokkasho-mura, Kamikita-gun, Aomori 039-3212, Japan
2)
Research Institute of Applied Mechanics, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan
(Received 9 December 2011 / Accepted 22 May 2012 / Published 26 July 2012)

Abstract

Influence of external resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) on a helical plasma is numerically investigated, using a set of reduced magnetohydrodynamic equations. Coexistence of the resistive interchange mode and RMP is simulated. In nonlinear simulations, saturated magnetic islands by the RMP typically show two states: oscillating small islands and locked large islands. In the former state, rotation of magnetic islands by neoclassical transport-driven poloidal flows disturbs growth of islands. On the other hand, in the latter state, locking of poloidal flows due to the RMP and growth of islands occur simultaneously. It is found that the curvature driven current enhances magnetic reconnection, and width of the large islands overcomes that of vacuum islands.

Keywords

magnetic island, external magnetic perturbation, plasma flow, resistive interchange mode, Pfirsch-schlüter current

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.7.2403107

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Seiya NISHIMURA, Shinichiro TODA, Masatoshi YAGI and Yoshiro NARUSHIMA, Plasma Fusion Res. 7, 2403107 (2012).