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Simulation of Alfvén frequency cascade modes in reversed shear discharges using a Landau-closure model...

by Donald A Spong
Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Nuclear Fusion
Publication Date
Page Numbers
053008 to 053020
Volume
53

The dynamics of energetic particle destabilized Alfve ́n frequency sweeping modes in tokamak reversed-shear safety factor discharges are modelled using a new Landau-closure model that includes coupling to geodesic acoustic wave dynamics and closure relations optimized for energetic particle–Alfve ́n mode resonances. Profiles and equilibria are based upon reconstructions of a DIII-D discharge (#142111) in which a long sequence of frequency sweeping modes were observed. This model (TAEFL) has recently been included in a verification and validation study of n = 3 frequency sweeping modes for this case along with two gyrokinetic codes, GTC and GYRO. This paper provides a more detailed documentation of the equations and methods used in the TAEFL model and extends the earlier calculation to a range of toroidal mode numbers: n = 2 to 6. By considering a range of toroidal mode numbers and scanning over a range of safety factor profiles with varying qmin, both up-sweeping frequency (reversed-shear Alfve ́n eigenmode) and down-sweeping frequency (toriodal Alfve ́n eigenmode) modes are present in the results and show qualitative similarity with the frequency variations observed in the experimental spectrograms.