Monte Carlo estimates of particle and energy confinement times in a bumpy torus and a bumpy square with poloidal electric fields

• Published in: The Physics of fluids (1958) 1987-03, Vol.30 (3), p.870-877
• Main Authors: Tolliver, J. S., Hedrick, C. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic confinement and equilibrium; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges
• ISSN: 0031-9171; 2163-4998
• DOI: 10.1063/1.866339

Since significant poloidal structure in the electrostatic potential in Elmo Bumpy Torus (EBT) has been observed experimentally [Phys. Fluids 2 8, 2848 (1985)] and predicted theoretically (C. L. Hedrick, submitted to Phys. Fluids), a Monte Carlo calculation has been used to make estimates of the particle and energy confinement times in EBT with varying degrees of asymmetry in the electric field. The code is applicable to the bulk ion population and the ‘‘cool’’ electron population in EBT, but not to the intermediate‐energy electrons believed to be responsible for the formation of the potential. A similar calculation is possible for an alternate magnetic field configuration known as a bumpy square, which is expected to have more symmetric potential profiles because of much better centering of the particle orbits. The calculations indicate that the confinement time in a bumpy square would be two to three orders of magnitude better than in EBT.