Open AccessA VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLE FOR THE EQUILIBRIUM OF A FREE-BOUNDARY PLASMA
Author(s) -
Wang De-Yu
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
wuli xuebao
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.199
H-Index - 47
ISSN - 1000-3290
DOI - 10.7498/aps.29.233
Subject(s) - boundary value problem , free boundary problem , variational principle , mathematical analysis , computation , boundary (topology) , mixed boundary condition , robin boundary condition , physics , euler equations , no slip condition , euler's formula , singular boundary method , variational method , mathematics , boundary element method , finite element method , thermodynamics , algorithm
In the free-boundary case, the extremum of the potential functional is found from the variational principle. Thereby the equation and boundary conditions required for plasma equilibrium are derived. The Euler equation of the relevant functional is the magnetic surface function equation with the condition of free boundary. A variational functional suitable for numerical computation is given. This functional corresponds to a boundary value problem with an equal-value surface boundary condition. For the case of a conducting wall of simple geometry (i.e., a rectangular wall), numerical computation has been carried out by using the Ritz method.