Open AccessFree boundary, high beta equilibrium in a large aspect ratio tokamak with nearly circular plasma boundary
Author(s) -
Hong Qin,
A. Reiman
Publication year - 1996
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/304195
Subject(s) - beta (programming language) , tokamak , plasma , boundary (topology) , physics , aspect ratio (aeronautics) , mechanics , free boundary problem , boundary value problem , classical mechanics , geometry , mathematical analysis , mathematics , computer science , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics , optoelectronics , programming language
An analytic solution is obtained for free-boundary, high-beta equilibria in large aspect ratio tokamaks with a nearly circular plasma boundary. In the absence of surface currents at the plasma-vacuum interface, the free-boundary equilibrium solution introduces constraints arising from the need to couple to an external vacuum field which is physically realizable with a reasonable set of external field coils. This places a strong constraint on the pressure profiles that are consistent with a given boundary shape at high {epsilon}{beta}{sub p}. The equilibrium solution also provides information on the flux surface topology. The plasma is bounded by a separatrix. Increasing the plasma pressure at fixed total current causes the plasma aperture to decrease in a manner that is described