Electron energy confinement in field reversed configuration plasmas

Abstract

Electron energy transport in field reversed configuration (FRC) equilibria is studied experimentally for a variety of conditions. Up to 37% of the global plasma power loss is attributed to non-convective processes by electrons. The electron temperatures are approximately two times larger than those measured without reversed bias field, which indicates confinement by the poloidal magnetic field in the FRC. The inferred average cross-field thermal diffusivities χ⊥e are anomalous, ranging between 35 and 140 times classical, and are consistent with transport from turbulent magnetic fluctuations of 1 to 2%.