Improved evolution equations for magnetic island chains in toroidal pinch plasmas subject to externally applied resonant magnetic perturbations

• Published in: Physics of plasmas Vol. 8; no. 10; pp. 4489 - 4500
• Main Authors: Fitzpatrick, Richard, Rossi, Enrico, Yu, Edmund P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Physical Society 01.10.2001
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ELECTRIC DISCHARGES; MAGNETIC ISLANDS; PINCH EFFECT; PLASMA
• ISSN: 1070-664X; 1089-7674
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1404384

An improved set of island evolution equations is derived that incorporates the latest advances in MHD (magnetohydrodynamical) theory. These equations describe the resistive/viscous-MHD dynamics of a nonlinear magnetic island chain, embedded in a toroidal pinch plasma, in the presence of a programmable, externally applied, resonant magnetic perturbation. A number of interesting example calculations are performed using the new equations. In particular, an investigation is made of a recently discovered class of multiharmonic resonant magnetic perturbations that have the novel property that they can lock resonant island chains in a stabilizing phase.