Magnetic shear: Difference between revisions

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Thus, in 3 dimensions, the shear is a 3 x 3 tensor.
Thus, in 3 dimensions, the shear is a 3 x 3 tensor.


== Global magnetic shear ==
That's way the besstet answer so far!
 
In the context of magnetic confinement, and assuming the existence of toroidally nested magnetic [[Flux surface|flux surfaces]], the only relevant variation of the direction of the magnetic field is the radial gradient of the [[Rotational transform|rotational transform]].
The global magnetic shear is defined as
 
:<math>s = \frac{r}{q} \frac{dq}{dr} = -\frac{r}{\iota} \frac{d\iota}{dr}</math>
 
High values of magnetic shear provide stability, since the radial extension of helically resonant modes is reduced.
Negative shear also provides stability, possibly because convective cells, generated by curvature-driven instabilities, are sheared apart as the field lines twist around the torus.
<ref>[http://link.aip.org/link/?PHPAEN/3/2221/1 T.M. Antonsen, Jr., et al, ''Physical mechanism of enhanced stability from negative shear in tokamaks: Implications for edge transport and the L-H transition'', Phys. Plasmas '''3''', 2221 (1996)]</ref>


== Local magnetic shear ==
== Local magnetic shear ==
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