Linear stability of the ITER 15 MA scenario against the alpha fishbone
Abstract
The stability of the n = m = 1 alpha-fishbone kinetic-MHD mode on the ITER 15 MA baseline scenario (ITER Physics Expert Group on Energe Drive and ITER Physics Basis 1999 Nucl. Fusion 39 2471-95) is analyzed using the non-linear hybrid kinetic-MHD code XTOR-K. Quantitative agreement is found between the complex frequencies ω + iγ computed with the linear model in (Brochard G. et al 2018 J. Phys.: Conf. Series 1125 012003) and XTOR-K's linear simulations. Identical precessional resonance positions in phase space are also found between the linear model and XTOR-K. Linear hybrid simulations performed with XTOR-K on the ITER 15 MA scenario reveal that this configuration is likely to be unstable against the alpha fishbone mode. The fishbone thresholds for kinetic-MHD equilibria with flat q profiles with on-axis safety factor just below unity lies between $\beta_{\alpha,thres}/\beta_{tot} = 6-10\%$?--> , whereas the expected beta ratio on ITER is $\beta_{\alpha}/\beta_{tot} = 15-20\%$?--> (ITER Physics Expert Group on Energe Drive and ITER Physics Basis 1999 Nucl. Fusion 39 2471-95).
- Publication:
-
Nuclear Fusion
- Pub Date:
- August 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1088/1741-4326/ab9255
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2002.02191
- Bibcode:
- 2020NucFu..60h6002B
- Keywords:
-
- MHD;
- kinetic-MHD;
- linear theory;
- ITER;
- XTOR-K;
- alpha fishbone instability;
- linear verification;
- Physics - Plasma Physics
- E-Print:
- 22 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Nuclear Fusion