On the Vlasov approach to tokamak equilibria with flow

A previous proof of non- existence of tokamak equilibria with purely poloidal flow within macroscopic theory ( Throumoulopoulos et al 2006 Phys. Plasmas 13 122501) motivated this microscopic analysis near the magnetic axis for toroidal and 'straight' tokamak plasmas. Despite the new exact solutions of Vlasov's equation on the magnetic axis found here, the structure of macroscopic flows remains elusive. However, the treatment within a toroidal system of orthogonal coordinates and comparison with the straight case, which reveals the importance of toroidicity, is encouraging. Journal of Physics a-Mathematical and Theoretical