Intermittent turbulence and turbulent structures in a linear magnetized plasma

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Abstract

Strongly intermittent turbulence is observed in the shadow of a limiter in the large plasma device at UCLA [W. Gekelman, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)]. The amplitude probability distribution function of the turbulence is strongly skewed, with density depletion events (or "holes") dominant in the high-density region and density-enhancement events (or "blobs") dominant in the low-density region. Two-dimensional cross-conditional averaging shows that the blobs are detached, outward-propagating filamentary structures with a clear dipolar potential, while the holes appear to be part of a more extended turbulent structure. A statistical study of the blobs reveals a typical size of ten times the ion sound gyroradius and a typical velocity of one-tenth the sound speed.

Original languageEnglish
Article number010701
Pages (from-to)1-4
Number of pages4
JournalPhysics of Plasmas
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2006
Externally publishedYes

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