A possible hybrid dissipative trapped electron ion temperature gradient mode

Abstract

The effects of dissipative trapped electrons on ion temperature gradient-driven instability (ηi mode) in tokamak plasmas are considered. A sheared slab geometry is adopted and a linearized fluid model of ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode including dissipative trapped electrons, which are described by means of the well-known formula of the nonadiabatic electron response [P. L. Similon and P. H. Diamond, Phys. Fluids 27, 916 (1984)], is presented. Results show that in tokamak plasmas not only is there a modification of the dissipative trapped electrons on the ηi mode, but also there may exist an intrinsic oscillation mode, namely, a hybrid dissipative trapped electron ion temperature gradient mode. The higher the dissipative trapped electron fraction, the more it drives the ηi mode, that is, when the trapped electron fraction is sufficient high and the trapped electrons are dissipated strongly, the mode is dominated by the trapped electron dynamics and propagates in the electron diamagnetic direction. These analytical results can be reduced to the usual predictions of the ion temperature gradient-driven instability in the absence of the dissipative trapped electron. Numerical results further show that (a) there may be a hybrid dissipative trapped electron ITG mode and the dissipative trapped electron effect is a destabilizing effect on this mode; and (b) when the trapped electron fraction is sufficiently high and the trapped electrons are dissipated strongly, the mode is determined by the trapped electron dynamics. These conclusions are in agreement with the experimental observations in the latest simulated tokamak experiment on the Columbia Linear Machine [J. Chen and A. K. Sen, Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 3997 (1994)].