Turbulence and transport in mirror geometries in the Large Plasma Device

TL;DR

This study investigates turbulence and particle transport in mirror magnetic configurations using the Large Plasma Device, revealing how increased mirror ratio reduces fluctuations and suppresses certain instabilities, with implications for fusion device design.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurements of turbulence and transport in mirror geometries in the LAPD, highlighting the effects of mirror ratio and magnetic curvature on plasma stability.

Findings

Cross-field particle flux decreases with higher mirror ratio.

No evidence of mirror-driven instabilities was observed.

Increased plasma expansion may reduce fluctuation power.

Abstract

Thanks to advances in plasma science and enabling technology, mirror machines are being reconsidered for fusion power plants and as possible fusion volumetric neutron sources. However cross-field transport and turbulence in mirrors remains relatively understudied compared to toroidal devices. Turbulence and transport in mirror configurations were studied utilizing the flexible magnetic geometry of the Large Plasma Device (LAPD). Multiple mirror ratios from $ M = 1 $ to $ M = 2.68 $ and three mirror-cell lengths from $L = 3.51 $m to $ L = 10.86 $m were examined. Langmuir and magnetic probes were used to measure profiles of density, temperature, potential, and magnetic field. The fluctuation-driven $ \tilde{ E } \times B $ particle flux was calculated from these quantities. Two probe correlation techniques were used to infer wavenumbers and two-dimensional structure. Cross-field particle flux and density fluctuation power decreased with increased mirror ratio. Core density and temperatures remain similar with mirror ratio, but radial line-integrated density increased. The physical expansion of the plasma in the mirror cell by using a higher field in the source region may have led to reduced density fluctuation power through the increased gradient scale length. This increased scale length reduced the growth rate and saturation level of rotational interchange and drift-like instabilities. Despite the introduction of magnetic curvature, no evidence of mirror driven instabilities -- interchange, velocity space, or otherwise -- were observed. For curvature-induced interchange, many possible stabilization mechanisms were present, suppressing the visibility of the instability.