Theory of mean poloidal flow generation by turbulence

Abstract

The mechanism for generation of mean poloidal flow by turbulence is identified and elucidated. Two methods of calculating poloidal flow acceleration are given and shown to yield predictions which agree. These methods link flow generation to the quasilinear radial current or the Reynolds stress 〈ṼrṼθ〉. It is shown that poloidal acceleration will occur if the turbulence supports radially propagating waves and if radial gradients in the turbulent Reynolds stress and wave energy density flux are present. In practice, these conditions are met in the tokamak edge region when waves propagate through the outermost closed flux surface or when convection cells with large radial correlation length are situated in steep gradient regions. The possible impact of these results on the theory of the L → H transition is discussed. © 1991 American Institute of Physics.