Numerical Investigation of Current Driven Dissipative Drift Wave Turbulence Including Finite β and Quasilinear Effects in a Tokamak Plasma

Abstract

Excitation of dissipative drift wave turbulence with waves propagating perpendicular to the density gradient is studied numerically, taking an average over the gradient coordinate. Both situations where the plasma current is the main source of instability and situations more close to an ordinary dissipative drift wave, excitation have been investigated in the presence of finite β effects and ion viscosity. The main saturation mechanism has been quasilinear modification of the background density. In addition to the usual current induced growth, the current is also found to decrease the finite β stabilization.