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(ICP/10) Toroidal Confinement of Non-Neutral Plasma - a New Approach to High-Beta Equilibrium

Z. Yoshida, Y. Ogawa, J. Morikawa, H. Himura, S. Kondo, M. Hashimoto, T. Hirotsu, K. Takemura, H. Kakuno, C. Nakashima, N. Shibayama, S. Tahara, M. Iqbal, S. M. Mahajan1

University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
1University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, U.S.A.

Abstract.  Departure from the quasi-neutral condition allows us to apply significant two-fluid effects that impart a new freedom to the design of high-performance fusion plasma. The self-electric field in a non-neutralized plasma induces a strong E×B-drift flow. A fast flow produces a large hydrodynamic pressure that can balance with the thermal pressure of the plasma. Basic concepts to produce a toroidal non-neutral plasma have been examined on the internal-conductor toroidal confinement device Proto-RT. A magnetic separatrix determines the boundary of the confiment region. Electrons describe chaotic orbits in the neighborhood of the magnetic null point on the separatrix. The chaos yields collisionless diffusion of electrons from the particle source (electron gun) towards the confinement region. Collisionless heating also occurs in the magnetic null region, which can be applied to produce a plasma.

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IAEA 2001