Control of the radial electric field and of turbulent fluctuations in a tandem mirror plasma

Abstract

The characteristics of low frequency waves in the presence of E⃗ × B⃗ rotation of a tandem mirror plasma are investigated using the Fraunhofer diffraction method. The observed dispersion relations are in good agreement with those of drift waves including a Doppler shift due to the E⃗ × B⃗ rotation velocity. The effect of the radial electricfield on the drift waves is studied quantitatively by applying a bias voltage to the end plates of the tandem mirror. The fluctuation level is observed to depend on the radial electric field Er. The fluctuation has a maximum value when Er ≃ 0 and decreases with increasing Er, regardless of its sign. The radial confinement time estimated from the particle balance equation decreases as the fluctuation level increases. The dependence of the fluctuation level agrees with that evaluated from the quasi-linear theory of drift wave turbulence.