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Rotating magnetic fields (RMF) have been used to both form and maintain field reversed configurations (FRC) in quasisteady state. These experiments differ from steady-state rotamaks in that the FRCs are similar to those formed in theta-pinch devices, that is elongated and confined inside a flux conserver. The RMF creates an FRC by driving an azimuthal current which reverses an initial positive bias field. The FRC then expands radially, compressing the initial axial bias flux and raising the plasma density, until a balance is reached between the RMF drive force and the electron–ion friction. This generally results in a very high ratio of separatrix to flux conserver radius. The achievable final conditions are compared with simple analytic models to estimate the effective plasma resistivity. The RMF torque on the electrons is quickly transferred to the ions, but ion spin-up is limited in these low density experiments, presumably by ion-neutral friction, and does not influence the basic current drive process. However, the ion rotation can result in a rotating n=2 distortion if the separatrix radius is too far removed from the plasma tube wall. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fully noninductive, steady-state electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) has been demonstrated for the first time in experiments carried out in the tokamak à configuration variable (TCV) [O. Sauter et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 3322 (2000)]. By appropriately distributing six 0.45 MW ECCD sources over the discharge cross section, fully noninductive, stable, and stationary plasmas with I[sub p] up to 210 kA were obtained for the full discharge duration of 1.9 s, corresponding to more than 900 energy confinement times and more than 10 current redistribution times at an average current drive efficiency η20CD= 0.01[ 10[sup 20] A W[sup -1] m[sup -2]]. These experiments have also demonstrated for the first time the steady recharging of the ohmic transformer using ECCD only. The effect of localized off-axis electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and EC current drive (ECCD) (co- and counter-) is investigated showing that locally driven currents amounting to only 1% of I[sub p] significantly alter sawtooth periods and crash amplitudes. An improved quasi-stationary core confinement regime, with little or no sawtooth activity, has been obtained by a combination of off-axis ECH and on-axis CNTR-ECCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The configurations generated by conical theta pinches (CθP’s) of angles 10° and 18° were studied experimentally. The hydrogen plasma density and temperature were approximately 1–3×1015 cm-3 and 5 eV, respectively. The magnetic field structure was measured by four three-dimensional magnetic probes. The magnetic helicity and energy of the configuration were calculated directly from the measured magnetic field through algorithms that were independent of the chosen coordinate and configuration axis. The magnetic fluxes were calculated after the axis was located. Single-fluid model equations predict that the toroidal field can be generated by effects that are normally neglected in the simple Ohm’s law, of which the Hall effect is the most important. The average toroidal field generation was measured to vary quadratically with the cone angle of the CθP, and this field could be accounted for by the Hall effect alone. The time histories of the magnetic helicity and energy decay and poloidal to toroidal flux conversion indicated that the relaxation of the configuration had occurred in agreement with the Taylor hypothesis. The relaxation time history indicated that the relaxation behaved like a turbulent relaxation process. Therefore a spheromaklike configuration could either be generated directly by the CθP (if the generated toroidal and poloidal field had an appropriate distribution) or through relaxation (if only small amount of toroidal field was generated). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-energy electrons in plasmas have been attributed to various causes including trapping by electron plasma waves created by stimulated Raman scattering. A theory based on the acceleration of trapped electrons by such electron plasma waves as they propagate in the presence of a density gradient away from the region where they are created is presented. Results of a simple model and a wave–particle simulation consistent with experimental results are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially resolved spectroscopic measurements revealed the existence of poloidal vortex motion in spheromaks produced in a conical theta pinch. The poloidal velocity on the axis was estimated to be 5 cm/μsec. Large Doppler broadening, which previously was inferred as high ion temperature, is attributed to large internal fluid velocity. A possible effect of the vortex motion in a spheromak merging experiment is studied and found to enhance the fusion reaction rate as a finite temperature beam collider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Tokamak a Configuration Variable (TCV), the central electron temperature obtained in discharges with counter (CNTR) electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) is larger than with CO-ECCD or electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) alone. Comparison of experimental results with calculations by the transport code PRETOR [IAEA Technical Conference on Advances in Simulation and Models of Thermonuclear Plasmas. Montreal 142 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna 1992)] indicates that sawtooth stabilization is responsible for the increased confinement time and the attendant twofold enhancement of the central temperature. Sawtooth stabilization is caused in turn by the central safety factor q[sub 0] rising above 1 for CNTR-ECCD; by contrast, the simulation results show that q[sub 0]<1 in the sawtoothing CO-ECCD and ECRH cases. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]