Magnetic-Fluctuation-Induced Particle Transport and Density Relaxation in a High-Temperature Plasma

The first direct measurement of magnetic-fluctuation-induced particle flux in the core of a high-temperature plasma is reported. Transport occurs due to magnetic field fluctuations associated with global tearing instabilities. The electron particle flux, resulting from the correlated product of electron density and radial magnetic fluctuations, accounts for density profile relaxation during a magnetic reconnection event. The measured particle transport is much larger than that expected for ambipolar particle diffusion in a stochastic magnetic field.