Current drive in recombining plasma

P. F. Schmit, N. J. Fisch

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Langevin equations describing the average collisional dynamics of suprathermal particles in nonstationary plasma remarkably admit an exact analytical solution in the case of recombining plasma. The current density produced by arbitrary particle fluxes is derived including the influence of charge recombination. Since recombination has the effect of lowering the charge density of the plasma, thus reducing the charged particle collisional frequencies, the evolution of the current density can be modified substantially compared to plasma with fixed charge density. The current drive efficiency is derived and optimized for discrete and continuous pulses of current, leading to the discovery of a nonzero "residual" current density that persists indefinitely under certain conditions, a feature not present in stationary plasmas.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number102102
JournalPhysics of Plasmas
Volume18
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Condensed Matter Physics

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