English

Zonal Flows and Electromagnetic Drift Wave Turbulence

Plasma Physics 2015-06-26 v1

Abstract

Detailed computations of tokamak edge turbulence in three dimensional, globally consistent flux tube geometry show an inhibition of the standard scenario in which zonal ExB flows generated by the turbulence should lead to transport barrier formation. It is found by comparison to slab geometry and by analysis of the energetics that the zonal flow energy is depleted by toroidal coupling to the pressure through the geodesic curvature. Edge transport barriers would then depend on the physics of the neoclassical equilibrium.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.physics/0208026,
  title  = {Zonal Flows and Electromagnetic Drift Wave Turbulence},
  author = {Bruce D. Scott},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0208026},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

14 pages including 5 figures, submitted to Physics Letters A