Measurement of current density fluctuations and ambipolar particle flux due to magnetic fluctuations in MST

Abstract

Studies of magnetic fluctuation induced particle transport on Reversed Field Pinch plasmas were done on the Madison Symmetric Torus. Plasma current density and current density fluctuations were measured using a multi-coil magnetic probes. The low frequency (f<50 kHz) current density fluctuations are consistent with the global resistive tearing instabilities predicted by 3-D MHD simulations. At frequencies above 50 kHz, the magnetic fluctuations were detected to be localized with a radial correlation length of about 1--2 cm. These modes are locally resonant modes since the measured dominant mode number spectra match the local safety factor q. The net charged particle flux induced by magnetic fluctuations was obtained by measuring the correlation term <{tilde j}{sub {parallel}} {tilde B}{sub r}>. The result of zero net charged particle loss was obtained, meaning the flux is ambipolar. The ambipolarity of low frequency global tearing modes is satisfied through the phase relations determined by tearing instabilities. The ambipolarity of high frequency localized modes could be partially explained by the simple model of Waltz based on the radial average of small scale turbulence.