Stabilization of external kink modes in magnetic fusion experiments using a thin conducting shell

Abstract

In nearly all magnetic fusion devices the plasma is surrounded by a conducting shell of some description. In most cases this is the vacuum vessel. What effect does a conducting shell have on the stability of external kink modes? Is there any major difference between the effect of a perfectly conducting shell and a shell of finite conductivity? What happens if the shell is incomplete? These, and other, questions are explored in detail in this lecture using simple resistive magnetohydrodynamic (resistive MHD) arguments. Although the lecture concentrates on one particular type of magnetic fusion device, namely, the tokamak, the analysis is fairly general and could also be used to examine the effect of conducting shells on other types of device (e.g. Reversed Field Pinches, Stellerators, etc.).