A MECHANISM FOR THE RECONNECTING M=2 N=1 INSTABILITY IN Q-GREATER-THAN-1 SHEARLESS EQUILIBRIUM

Authors
EDERY D MORERA JP LITAUDON X MOREAU D
Citation
D. Edery et al., A MECHANISM FOR THE RECONNECTING M=2 N=1 INSTABILITY IN Q-GREATER-THAN-1 SHEARLESS EQUILIBRIUM, Plasma physics and controlled fusion, 38(6), 1996, pp. 803-810
Citations number
13
Categorie Soggetti
Phsycs, Fluid & Plasmas
Journal title
Plasma physics and controlled fusion → ACNP
ISSN journal
07413335
Volume
38
Issue
6
Year of publication
1996
Pages
803 - 810
Database
ISI
SICI code
0741-3335(1996)38:6<803:AMFTRM>2.0.ZU;2-L
Abstract
A model for the ballooning mode destabilization in the presence of a s ufficiently large island is developed. This model may explain the fast MHD activity (sawtooth-like) observed on Tore Supra during LH current drive in shearless equilibrium regimes with a safety factor on axis o f just less than two. A simple analytical stability criterion is deriv ed which indicates whenever an equilibrium is stable or unstable again st the ballooning mode. The model is supported by Tore Supra experimen tal data and may also apply in other tokamaks exhibiting nearly Bat q- profiles.