PASTUKHOV PAPER (SOV-J-PLASMA-PHYS, 1980, VOL 6, NO 5, P 549) AND THEAPPLICATION OF THE TURBULENT EQUIDISTRIBUTION APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS OF TRANSPORT IN TOKAMAKS - COMMENTARY

The concept of turbulent equidistribution, which was used for the Vlas ov equation by Pastukhov in [1], where the transition layer in the mag netoelectrostatic confinement system is considered, is applicable to a variety of different confinement systems and changes the paradigm of turbulent transport processes. As a matter of fact, this notion offers a new definition for the equilibrium plasma state, about which an exp ansion is performed. In this paper, the turbulent equidistribution app roach is presented with simple examples and then is applied to the tra nsport processes in tokamaks. The relaxation to equilibrium that corre sponds to a plateau in toroidal momentum distribution explains the cau ses of self-consistent profiles, the effect of local variations at a b oundary on the global confinement in the GH transition, and, more impo rtantly, the pinching of particles and heat. Also of importance is evi dence that large-scale modes at trapped particles are a cause of anoma lous transport in tokamaks.