Physical understanding of the instability spectrum and the feedback control of resistive wall modes in reversed field pinch

Abstract

The cylindrical MHD model integrated with a feedback system is applied to the study of resistive wall mode (RWM) in reversed field pinch (RFP) plasmas. The model takes into account the compressibility, longitudinal flow, viscosity and resistive wall with a finite thickness. The study, via both analytical and numerical analyses, provides a physical understanding on the following subjects: firstly, on the nature of the instability spectrum of the RWM observed in RFP plasmas; specifically, the growth rates of the two groups of the RWMs (internally non-resonant and externally non-resonant) have opposite dependence on the variation of the field reversal. Secondly, on the response of the unstable plasmas to the feedback control in RFPs, the mode behaviour in plasmas under the feedback is clarified and discussed in detail. Finally, the linear solutions of time evolution of RWM instability in various feedback scenarios are given. The effects of the wall proximity, the sensor location and the system response time are discussed, respectively.