Plasma heating and dynamics in the Coaxial Slow Source

Abstract

Simple semi-analytical models are presented to calculate the temporal evolution of the plasma temperature and length or thickness in the Coaxial Slow Source (Nucl. Fusion 27 (1987) 1478) for both tearing formation and programmed formation. It is assumed that energy is delivered to the plasma via Ohmic heating and compressional work and is lost through impurity line radiation. The plasma is considered to be always fully ionized and in pressure balance; the external magnetic field is taken to be a known function of time, and particle losses are neglected. In tearing formation, a long and thin plasma sheet is initially formed. This can be studied using a 1-D model; it is shown that the higher the external field and the smaller the line integrated density, the faster the temperature increases. In programmed formation, an axial equilibrium is quickly established and a 2-D model is required. It is shown that when the external magnetic field exceeds a critical value, which depends on the temperature, the impurity fraction and the effective plasma thickness, the radiated power overcomes Ohmic heating and a radiative collapse occurs. Various time histories of the external magnetic field are analysed in order to determine the conditions that result in the fastest increase in plasma temperature