Theory of Turbulent Plasma Heating by Anomalous Absorption of Magnetosonic Waves
Abstract
Theory and computer simulation experiments have shown the potential importance of the fluid-like, modified two stream instability as an ion heating mechanism in low beta plasmas. In order to take advantage of the strong ion heating which it can produce, the authors consider inducing the instability with large amplitude waves in order to convert the energy in the wave fields into ion thermal energy. Since the instability is driven by relative electron-ion drifts across a magnetic field B(o), and has a frequency comparable to the lower hybrid frequency (omega sub LH) a natural choice for the driver wave is a magnetosonic wave which propagates across B(o) near the Alfven speed. As a specific example, the authors demonstrate that for the parameters of the Princeton ST-Tokamak it is theoretically possible to achieve thermonuclear temperatures by anomalously absorbing these waves via the modified two stream instability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0744652
Entities
People
- Carl E. Wagner
- Edward Ott
- John B. Mcbride
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory