Observation Of A Helical Self-Organized State In A Compact Toroidal Plasma

Authors

C. D. CothranFollow
Michael R. Brown, Swarthmore CollegeFollow
Timothy G. Gray , '01
M. J. Schaffer
G. Marklin

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-16-2009

Published In

Physical Review Letters

Abstract

A nonaxisymmetric stable magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium within a prolate cylindrical conducting boundary has been produced experimentally. It has m=1 azimuthal symmetry, helical distortion, and flat lambda profile, all in agreement with the computed magnetically relaxed minimum magnetic energy Taylor state. Despite varied initial conditions determined by two helicity injectors on the device, this same equilibrium consistently emerges as the final state. These results therefore describe a new example of self-organization in an MHD plasma.

Comments

This work is freely available courtesy of the American Physical Society.

Recommended Citation

C. D. Cothran et al. (2009). "Observation Of A Helical Self-Organized State In A Compact Toroidal Plasma". Physical Review Letters. Volume 103, Issue 21. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.215002
https://works.swarthmore.edu/fac-physics/101