EFFECT OF HOT PARTICLE STABILIZATION ON BALLOONING MODES

A recent theoretical analysis of high-beta shots shows that the balloo ning unstable region extends from the highly unstable, low shear centr al region to the moderate shear region of plasma. We have developed a simple model which incorporates the effect of general flux shapes into hot particle stabilization of ballooning modes. We have applied our m odel to the moderate shear region where the hot particle effect seems to be the dominant stabilization mechanism. Our analysis shows that th e apparant anomaly can be reconciled if a certain amount of the total energy is carried by hot particles, as in plasma, heated by neutral be am injections.