Global simulation of ion temperature gradient instabilities in a field-reversed configuration

Abstract

We investigate the global properties of drift waves in the beam driven field-reversed configuration (FRC), the C2-U device, in which the central FRC and its scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma are connected with the formation sections and divertors. The ion temperature gradient modes are globally connected and unstable across these regions, while they are linearly stable inside the FRC separatrix. The unstable global drift waves in the SOL show an axially varying structure that is less intense near the central FRC region and the mirror throat areas, while being more robust in the bad curvature formation exit areas.