Rapid Transition from Grad-Shafranov Equilibrium State in the Open-field Region of Field-Reversed Configuration Plasma

Abstract

Rapid transition from the Grad-Shafranov equilibrium state in the open-field region of field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma is found by the ion-particle and electron-fluid hybrid simulation. Although the internal equilibrium state is robust, the pressure near the mirror end decreases within the characteristic thermal transit time as edge ions move toward the axial end and are lost from the confinement region. Therefore, effects of end-loss ions should be considered to reproduce an equilibrium state of FRCs numerically.