Linear properties of energetic particle driven geodesic acoustic mode

Abstract

Linear properties of energetic particle driven geodesic acoustic mode (EGAM) in the large helical device plasmas are investigated using a hybrid simulation code for a magnetohydrodynamics fluid interacting with energetic particles. It is found that the EGAM is a global mode with the spatially uniform oscillation frequency despite the spatial variation of the local geodesic acoustic mode frequency. The poloidal mode numbers of poloidal velocity fluctuation, plasma density fluctuation, and magnetic fluctuation are m = 0, 1, and 2, respectively. Oscillation frequency, linear growth rate, and spatial width of EGAM are compared for different physics conditions. The EGAM frequency is proportional to the square root of the plasma temperature. The frequency is lower for higher energetic particle β value. The mode spatial width is larger for larger spatial width of the energetic particle distribution and for the reversed shear safety-factor profile than the normal shear profile. It is also found that the EGAM propagates radially outward in the linearly growing phase, and the propagation speed is slower for the spatially broadened modes.