Equilibrium of Rotating and Nonrotating Plasmas in Tokamaks.

The equilibrium of a tokamak plasma with a toroidal flow is discussed. It is shown that the centrifugal force of this rotation always reduces the equilibrium beta limit. An opposite view is analyzed, and the arguments supporting this view are considered. It is shown that, although the equilibrium conditions may be locally improved through a special choice of the profile of the plasma rotation velocity, toroidal rotation, on the whole, has a negative effect on the plasma equilibrium. However, under typical tokamak conditions, a decrease in the equilibrium β limit due to plasma rotation is insignificant and, consequently, the effect of the rotation of a hot plasma on its equilibrium can be neglected. © 2003 MAIK “Nauka / Interperiodica”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]