A semi-analytical solver for the Grad-Shafranov equation

Abstract

In toroidally confined plasmas, the Grad-Shafranov equation, in general, a non-linear partial differential equation, describes the hydromagnetic equilibrium of the system. This equation becomes linear when the kinetic pressure is proportional to the poloidal magnetic flux and the squared poloidal current is a quadratic function of it. In this work, the eigenvalue of the associated homogeneous equation is related with the safety factor on the magnetic axis, the plasma beta, and the Shafranov shift; then, the adjustable parameters of the particular solution are bounded through physical constrains. The poloidal magnetic flux becomes a linear superposition of independent solutions and its parameters are adjusted with a non-linear fitting algorithm. This method is used to find hydromagnetic equilibria with normal and reversed magnetic shear and defined values of the elongation, triangularity, aspect-ratio, and X-point(s). The resultant toroidal and poloidal beta, the safety factor at the 95% flux surface, and the plasma current are in agreement with usual experimental values for high beta discharges and the model can be used locally to describe reversed magnetic shear equilibria.