Multi-scale interactions of microtearing turbulence in the tokamak pedestal
M. J. Pueschel, D. R. Hatch, M. Kotschenreuther, A. Ishizawa, G. Merlo
Abstract
Microtearing turbulence in an idealized pedestal scenario is found to saturate via zonal fields, while also exciting strong zonal flows; a concurrent upshift of the non-linear critical gradient is observed. The zonal flows cause electron-temperature-gradient-driven turbulence to be ameliorated. When applying resonant magnetic perturbations, the prompt charge loss off the flux surface erodes the zonal flow, leading to higher electron-scale fluxes, while leaving microtearing saturation physics unaffected.
Topics & Concepts
PedestalTurbulenceZonal flow (plasma)TokamakPhysicsGyrokineticsMechanicsElectronFlux (metallurgy)Electron temperatureScale (ratio)Saturation (graph theory)Computational physicsPlasmaNuclear physicsMaterials scienceMetallurgyMathematicsHistoryArchaeologyQuantum mechanicsCombinatoricsMagnetic confinement fusion researchIonosphere and magnetosphere dynamicsSolar and Space Plasma Dynamics