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Abstract. An absolute minimum-B configuration was obtained when applied
external toroidal magnetic field transformed a field-reversed configuration
(FRC) into an ultra-high-beta (> 50%) spherical tokamak (ST). High-power
heating ( 5-30MW) of magnetic reconnection was used to form the
oblate FRC and to increase thermal pressure (beta) of STs. High-beta STs
with a variety of pressure and q profiles revealed their stability
boundaries and possible ballooning collapses. The high-beta ST with maximum
pressure gradient
p
in the periphery was maintained
stably, while another high-beta ST with maximum
p
in the
core collapsed due to high-n (
n > 8) localized modes.
IAEA 2001