Selective formation of turbulent structures in magnetized cylindrical plasmas

Naohiro Kasuya, Masatoshi Yagi, Kimitaka Itoh, Sanae I. Itoh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The mechanism of nonlinear structural formation has been studied with a three-field reduced fluid model, which is extended to describe the resistive drift wave turbulence in magnetized cylindrical plasmas. In this model, ion-neutral collisions strongly stabilize the resistive drift wave, and the formed structure depends on the collision frequency. If the collision frequency is small, modulational coupling of unstable modes generates a zonal flow. On the other hand, if the collision frequency is large, a streamer, which is a localized vortex in the azimuthal direction, is formed. The structure is generated by nonlinear wave coupling and is sustained for a much longer duration than the drift wave oscillation period. This is a minimal model for analyzing the turbulent structural formation mechanism by mode coupling in cylindrical plasmas, and the competitive nature of structural formation is revealed. These turbulent structures affect particle transport.

Original languageEnglish
Article number052302
JournalPhysics of Plasmas
Volume15
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Condensed Matter Physics

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