Published: 1990
Total Pages: 28
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The high frequency, low mode number toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) are shown to be driven unstable by the circulating and/or trapped?-particles through the wave-particle resonances. Satisfying the resonance condition requires that the?-particle birth speed v{sub?} ≥ v{sub A}/2{vert bar}m-nq{vert bar}, where v{sub A} is the Alfven speed, m is the poloidal model number, and n is the toroidal mode number. To destabilize the TAE modes, the inverse Landau damping associated with the?-particle pressure gradient free energy must overcome the velocity space Landau damping due to both the?-particles and the core electrons and ions. The growth rate was studied analytically with a perturbative formula derived from the quadratic dispersion relation, and numerically with the aid of the NOVA-K code. Stability criteria in terms of the?-particle beta?{sub?},?-particle pressure gradient parameter (?{sub {asterisk}}/?{sub A}) (?{sub {asterisk}} is the?-particle diamagnetic drift frequency), and (v{sub {alpha}}/v{sub A}) parameters will be presented for TFTR, CIT, and ITER tokamaks. The volume averaged {alpha}-particle beta threshold for TAE instability also depends sensitively on the core electron and ion temperature. Typically the volume averaged {alpha}-particle beta threshold is in the order of 10−4. Typical growth rates of the n=1 TAE mode can be in the order of 10−2?{sub A}, where?{sub A}=v{sub A}/qR. Other types of global Alfven waves are stable in D-T tokamaks due to toroidal coupling effects.