New paradigm for the isotope scaling of plasma transport paradox.

Abstract

Most tokamak experimental results [Nucl. Fusion 33, 1205 (1993)]] and basic physics experiments [Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 095001 (2002)]] in the Columbia Linear Machine indicate dependence of the ion thermal conductivity on the isotopic mass close to chi( perpendicular ) approximately A(-0.5)(i), i.e., inverse gyro-Bohm. This is in stark contradiction to most present theoretical models predicting Bohm (A(0)(i)) or gyro-Bohm (A(0.5)(i)) scaling. A series of experiments designed to explore the physics basis of this scaling appears to lead to a new model for this scaling based on 3-wave coupling of two ion temperature gradient radial harmonics and an ion acoustic wave.