Geodesic acoustic modes in tokamak plasmas with a radial equilibrium electric field

Abstract

The dispersion relation of geodesic acoustic modes in the tokamak plasma with an equilibrium radial electric field is derived and analyzed. Multiple branches of eigenmodes have been found, similar to the result given by the fluid model with a poloidal mass flow. Frequencies and damping rates of both the geodesic acoustic mode and the sound wave increase with respect to the strength of radial electric field, while the frequency and the damping rate of the lower frequency branch slightly decrease. Possible connection to the experimental observation is discussed.