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Symplectic Simulation of Fast Alpha Particle Radial Transport in Tokamaks in the Presence of TF Ripples and a Neoclassical Tearing Mode

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Abstract

A Hamiltonian guiding centre drift orbit code based on a symplectic integration algorithm, which enables the efficient calculation of particle trajectories and diffusion coefficients, is applied to fast alpha particle motion in magnetically perturbed tokamak plasmas. In particular, fast ion drift motion is examined in the presence of a stationary, low mode-number MHD magnetic perturbation in a toroidally rippled tokamak with circular flux surface. The main focus of our study is to investigate the dependence of the radial diffusion coefficient of energetic ions on their energy, on the perturbation strength and the localization of the perturbation. As expected, the resonance between bounce motion and toroidal field ripples plays a significant role in this context. For an ensemble of fast ions uniformly distributed in toroidal angle but with a given poloidal starting position their radial transport coefficient takes on higher values in the neighbourhood of resonance speeds and can exhibit there local minima, i.e. it shows an M-shaped speed dependence around resonances for sufficiently strong ripple perturbations. Expectedly, the addition of a modelled low-mode number neoclassical tearing mode perturbation will modify the pure ripple resonance structure of the radial diffusion coefficient. Depending on the strength and localization of the MHD mode it can cause enhancement or degradation of the radial ripple diffusion coefficient.

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Acknowledgments

This work, supported by the European Community under the contract of Association between EURATOM and the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), was carried out within the framework of the European Fusion Development Agreement. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Innsbruck, Association EURATOM-OEAW, Innsbruck, Austria

    M. Khan, K. Schoepf, V. Goloborod’ko & V. Yavorskij

  2. Institute for Nuclear Research, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Kiev, Ukraine

    V. Goloborod’ko & V. Yavorskij

Authors
  1. M. Khan
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  2. K. Schoepf
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  3. V. Goloborod’ko
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  4. V. Yavorskij
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Correspondence to M. Khan.

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Khan, M., Schoepf, K., Goloborod’ko, V. et al. Symplectic Simulation of Fast Alpha Particle Radial Transport in Tokamaks in the Presence of TF Ripples and a Neoclassical Tearing Mode. J Fusion Energ 31, 547–561 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-011-9503-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-011-9503-3

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