Study of laser-plasma beat wave current drive with an Eulerian Vlasov code

Abstract

A 1-D relativistic Eulerian Vlasov code, with a fluid description of the plasma motion in the direction normal to the external magnetic field, is used to study the laser-plasma beat wave or backward Raman scattering current drive and heating. The code is validated by comparison with a fully kinetic 1-D 2/2 Vlasov code. Emphasis is placed on the dynamics of electrons in the low density region of phase space which generally is badly represented in the usual particle-in-cell methods. The low noise level of the Vlasov code allows precise measurements to be made of action transfer between photons, plasmons and electrons in Raman scattering processes. Results relevant to MTX- and ITER=like parameters are presented