Transport of Energetic Particles by Microturbulence in Magnetized Plasmas

Abstract

Transport of energetic particles by the microturbulence in magnetized plasmas is studied in gyrokinetic simulations of the ion temperature gradient turbulence. The probability density function of the ion radial excursion is found to be very close to a Gaussian, indicating a diffusive transport process. The particle diffusivity can thus be calculated from a random walk model. The diffusivity is found to decrease drastically for high energy particles due to the averaging effects of the large gyroradius and orbit width, and the fast decorrelation of the energetic particles with the waves.