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Gyrokinetic PIC Study on RMP Affected Neoclassical Transport in Toroidal Plasmas

Joseph X. LI¹⁾, Toseo MORITAKA^1,2), Ryutaro KANNO^1,2), Gakushi KAWAMURA^1,2,3), Robert HAGER⁴⁾, C.-S. CHANG⁴⁾

1)

The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Hayama 240-0115, Japan

2)

National Insititute for Fusion Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Toki 509-5202, Japan

3)

National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Rokkasho 039-3212, Japan

4)

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08540, United States of America

(Received 2 December 2024 / Accepted 16 January 2025 / Published 17 April 2025)

Abstract

In magnetically confined fusion plasmas, the breaking of ‘magnetic flux-surfaces’ due to resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) can generate magnetic islands and alter field topology to significantly impact plasma confinement and transport. This work investigates the effect of magnetic islands on neoclassical radial energy transport within the core plasma of an analytic circular tokamak using the XGC-S global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code. Findings from our simulations revealed substantial enhancements in electron neoclassical radial energy diffusivity in and around the islands, in addition to a newly observed two-peak structure at the O/X-points and outer island boundary in the electron diffusivity profile.

Copyright (c) 2025 The Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research

Keywords

particle-in-cell, XGC-S, neoclassical transport, RMP, magnetic islands

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.20.1201019

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