First Measurement of Drift-Alfvén Wave Polarization in Magnetically Confined Fusion Plasmas.
Phys Rev Lett
; 132(21): 215101, 2024 May 24.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38856257
ABSTRACT
Polarization of drift-Alfvén waves, defined as the ratio of electrostatic to electromagnetic fluctuations, has remained unmeasurable in fusion plasmas for decades, despite its pivotal role in understanding wave dynamics and their impact on plasmas. We report the first measurements of drift-Alfvén wave polarization in a hot, magnetically confined plasma. The breakthrough is enabled by a novel methodology developed from gyrokinetic theory, utilizing fluctuations of electron temperature and density. Analysis of data from the DIII-D tokamak reveals that the waves above the geodesic acoustic mode frequency exhibit dominant electromagnetic polarization, whereas lower-frequency waves show a mix of electromagnetic and electrostatic polarization, indicating a strong coupling between shear Alfvén waves and drift-acoustic waves.
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1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Phys Rev Lett
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos