Kinetic Stress and Intrinsic Flow in a Toroidal Plasma

Abstract

A new mechanism for intrinsic plasma flow has been experimentally identified in a toroidal plasma. For reversed field pinch plasmas with a few percent β (ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure), measurements show that parallel pressure fluctuations correlated with magnetic fluctuations create a kinetic stress that can affect momentum balance and the evolution of intrinsic plasma flow. This implies kinetic effects are important for flow generation and sustainment.