Linear Analysis and Verification Suite for Edge Turbulence

The edge and scrape-off-layer region of a tokamak plasma is subject to well known resistive and ideal instabilities that are driven by various curvature- and sheath-related mechanisms. While the boundary plasma is typically strongly turbulent in experiments, it is useful to have computational tools that can analyze the linear eigenmode structure, predict quantitative trends in growth rates and elucidate and the underlying drive mechanisms. Furthermore, measurement of the linear growth rate of unstable modes emerging from a known, established equilibrium configuration provides one of the few quantitative ways of rigorously benchmarking large-scale plasma turbulence codes with each other and with a universal standard. In this report, a suite of codes that can describe linearized, nonlocal (e.g. separatrix-spanning) modes in axisymmetric (realistic divertor), toroidal geometry is discussed. Examples of several benchmark comparisons are given, and future development plans for a new eigenvalue edge code are presented