Physics design of a high-β quasi-axisymmetric stellarator

A. Reiman, G. Fu, S. Hirshman, L. Ku, D. Monticello, H. Mynick, M. Redi, D. Spong, M. Zarnstorff, B. Blackwell, A. Boozer, A. Brooks, W. A. Cooper, M. Drevlak, R. Goldston, J. Harris, M. Isaev, C. Kessel, Z. Lin, J. F. LyonP. Merkel, M. Mikhailov, W. Miner, N. Nakajima, G. Neilson, C. Nührenberg, M. Okamoto, N. Pomphrey, W. Reiersen, R. Sanchez, J. Schmidt, A. Subbotin, P. Valanju, K. Y. Watanabe, R. White

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Abstract

Key physics issues in the design of a high-β quasi-axisymmetric stellarator configuration are discussed. The goal of the design study is a compact stellarator configuration with aspect ratio comparable to that of tokamaks and good transport and stability properties. Quasi-axisymmetry has been used to provide good drift trajectories. Ballooning stabilization has been accomplished by strong axisymmetric shaping, yielding a stellarator configuration whose core is in the second stability regime for ballooning modes. A combination of externally generated shear and non-axisymmetric corrugation of the plasma boundary provides stability to external kink modes even in the absence of a conducting wall. The resulting configuration is also found to be robustly stable to vertical modes, increasing the freedom to perform axisymmetric shaping. Stability to neoclassical tearing modes is conferred by a monotonically increasing ι profile. A gyrokinetic δf code has been used to confirm the adequacy of the neoclassical confinement. Neutral beam losses have been evaluated with Monte Carlo codes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)B273-B283
JournalPlasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Volume41
Issue numberSUPPL. 12B
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999

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