Dynamics of reversed shear Alfv\'en eigenmode and energetic particles during current ramp-up

TL;DR

This study uses hybrid MHD-gyrokinetic simulations to analyze the complex dynamics of reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes driven by energetic particles during plasma current ramp-up, revealing insights into wave-particle interactions and transport phenomena.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of RSAE-EP interactions during current ramp-up, highlighting the non-perturbative effects of energetic particles on mode dynamics and frequency behavior.

Findings

EPs cause mode structure and frequency shifts.

RSAE saturates via radial decoupling due to weak shear.

Wave-EP interactions influence EP transport and frequency chirping.

Abstract

Hybrid MHD-gyrokinetic code simulations are used to investigate the dynamics of frequency sweeping reversed shear Alfv\'en eigenmode (RSAE) strongly driven by energetic particles (EPs) during plasma current ramp-up in a conventional tokamak configuration. A series of weakly reversed shear equilibria representing time slices of long timescale MHD equilibrium evolution is considered, where the self-consistent RSAE-EP resonant interactions on the short timescale are analyzed in detail. Both linear and nonlinear RSAE dynamics are shown to be subject to the non-perturbative effect of EPs by maximizing wave-EP power transfer. In linear stage, EPs induce evident mode structure and frequency shifts; meanwhile, RSAE saturates by radial decoupling with resonant EPs due to weak magnetic shear, and gives rise to global EP convective transport and non-adiabatic frequency chirping. The spatiotemporal scales of phase space wave-EP interactions are characterized by the perpendicular wavelength and wave-particle trapping time. The simulations provide insights into general as well as specific features of RSAE spectra and EP transport from experimental observations, and illustrate the fundamental physics of wave-EP resonant interaction with the interplay of magnetic geometry, plasma non-uniformity and non-perturbative EPs.