Magnetic Confinement by Alfven Carpets

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel magnetic confinement method using Alfven carpets, which could improve plasma stability and containment in fusion devices compared to traditional tokamaks.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of using resonantly excited torsional Alfven waves as a magnetic confinement technique for fusion plasmas.

Findings

Potential for improved plasma stability

Advantages over conventional tokamaks

Applicability to various fusion devices

Abstract

A "carpet" of torsional Alfven waves, resonantly excited in an annulus inside a toroidal conducting vessel, could maintain magnetized plasma inside of the annulus against the inherent outward expansion. Such toroidal magnetic confinement for fusion could present some advantages over conventional tokamaks. The idea could also be used to stabilize interchange and ballooning modes in tokamaks and other interchange-limited fusion devices.