Moment equation approach to neoclassical transport theory

Abstract

The neoclassical cross-field fluxes for a toroidally confined, axisymmetric plasma are calculated in terms of the thermodynamic forces from the fluid continuity and momentum balance equations. This macroscopic formulation of neoclassical transport theory unifies the numerous complex expressions for the transport coefficients, previously obtained by solving the Fokker–Planck equation, and elucidates their physical basis. In the large aspect ratio limit, the continuous transition in the scaling of the diffusion coefficient throughout various collisionality regimes is shown to depend on the ratio of parallel viscosity coefficients of the plasma species. Comparison of the present results with the kinetic theory expressions for the neoclassical fluxes determines the parallel viscosity coefficients for a multispecies plasma in the long-mean-free-path regime.