Influence of stochastic magnetic fields on relativistic electrons

The relativistic motion of test particles in stochastic magnetic fields is investigated. Guiding-centre motion is analysed in relativistic invariant form for toroidal geometry. Including stochastic magnetic field components, a symmetric Hamiltonian mapping technique, leading to a 4-dimensional iteration procedure, is developed. In general, an external electric field and a time-dependence of the magnetic field perturbations are allowed for. Break-up of drift surfaces is demonstrated via Poincaré plots. The latter are analysed in detail for increasing (relativistic) kinetic energies of the particles. The dependence of the escape rates on the kinetic energy is calculated and compared with the escape rates for field lines. The non-relativistic limit of the model is derived. Quantitative results for the magnetic perturbations in a dynamic ergodic divertor of the TEXTOR experiment are shown, and predictions for runaway electrons are compared with experiments.