Reduced fluid simulation of runaway electron generation in the presence of resistive kink modes

Abstract

A reduced fluid simulation is developed to study the formation of runaway current profiles in the framework of a reduced magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. In our simulation,three-dimensional dynamics of runaway electrons in real space is treated in terms of the equation for fluid electron density with source terms representing Dreicer and secondary generation mechanisms. The excitation of MHD instabilities, non-diffusive transport due to magnetic field fluctuation and dynamical changes of the runaway generation rate due to MHD activity are incorporated. The results of an m/n = 1/1 single-helicity simulation for resistive kink instability are illustrated, where m and n are the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers, respectively. It is found that: (1) profile relaxation due to resistive kink instability affects net runaway generation through modification of the internal inductance; and (2) inductive voltage spike can be a direct channel to enhance Dreicer seed electrons with background electric fields exceeding the critical threshold of runaway generation.