Search results for "RECONNECTION"

Coronal Magnetic Field Measurements Through Quasi-Transverse Propagation

2004

The QT-propagation of microwaves as a means to measure coronal magnetic fields and the inversion of circular polarization as an observational proof of the QT-propagation are discussed. The first part of the chapter briefly outlines the relevant geometry and mathematical relations. Then the state of the art in the coronal magnetography and some possibilities are demonstrated. We discuss use of the technique for coronal magnetography and give some estimates concerning the coronal magnetography with the forthcoming Frequency Agile Solar Radiotelescope.

Temporal evolution of neoclassical tearing modes in the frequently interrupted regime

2010

A phenomenological method for description of temporal evolution of neoclassical tearing modes in the frequently interrupted regime (FIR) is proposed. The method makes it possible to predict the beginning and the end of the FIR regime as well as the frequency of the FIR drops. A few experimental parameters which are used in the model are commonly measured quantities. Several specific ASDEX Upgrade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASDEX_Upgrade) FIR discharges with different heating and different FIR behavior are analyzed in detail.

Three-dimensional features in burning plasmas

2019

A next major step in the research toward magnetic fusion energy production is to carry out experimental campaigns exploring regimes with relevant amount of fusion power. So far, the theoretical knowledge of the path toward a fusion burning plasma has been acquired mainly by performing numerical studies in 0 or 1-1.5 dimensions. Due to the marked anisotropy of magnetically confined plasmas, however, three-dimensional effects might play a role. In particular, the drastic change in magnetic topology associated with reconnecting modes on selected rational magnetic surfaces [1] may decrease the thermal electron conductivity parallel to the magnetic field lines, with a consequent impact on the el…

Fusion Burning in Magnetically Confined Toroidal Plasmas

The thermonuclear instability in a toroidal fusion burning plasma [1] is shown to manifest itself as a driving factor of modes that are radially localized around closed field lines on rational magnetic surfaces. The radial profile of the electron temperature perturbations can be of two parities: even and odd. In the first case the effective longitudinal thermal conductivity can be reduced by the effects of modes involving magnetic reconnection that have a radial transverse reconnected field with a odd (radial) profile. In the second case magnetic reconnection is shown to have a stronger effect and is characterized by reconnected transverse fields that have an even radial profile. A class of…

Thermal Energy Density Driven Magnetic Reconnection

Magnetic reconnection is usually associated with conversion of magnetic energy into particle acceleration or thermal energy. However, a specific reconnection process driven by plasma pressure gradients was identified in Ref.[1] with a consistent theory of (non-ideal) MHD m0=1 modes in well confined plasmas. This process, based on an Ohm's law contribution to the electron balance equations, remains the basis for the explanation of the observed sawtooth oscillations of the central plasma pressure and for the inferred magnetic field structures due to fishbone oscillations associated with injected high energy particle populations. A novel process [2] expected to have a wide range of application…

Non-Thermal Fusion Burning Plasma Regimes

The Ignitor project is aimed at approaching ignition conditions in Deuterium-Tritium plasmas in order to investigate the issues related to the kind of characteristics of these plasmas, following the line of compact high field opened with the Alcator and Frascati Torus programs, which were capable of producing high density plasma regimes with record confinement properties combined with high degrees of plasma purity. We present a theoretical model describing the emergence of tridimensional structures in magnetically confined plasmas which can significantly change the conditions under which meaningful fusion burn conditions can be reached. These structures can be said to consist of "captive ba…

Cyclical generation of reconnected magnetic fields by electron pressure gra-dients

2021

The theoretical basis for the cyclical generation of macroscopic reconnected magnetic fields in low collisionality plasma regimes is formulated. The relevant process is sustained by the “thermal” energy of the electron population.In particular, an oscillatory mode propagating along and across a confining magnetic field is identified that involves the magnetic reconnection region where the ratio of the longitudinal to transverse electron thermal conductivity is relatively large. A periodic exchange of reconnected magnetic field conductivity energy with electron thermal energy is sustained within a region that remains significant even when the magnetic field configuration from which the mode …