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.


In the context of magnetic confinement, and assuming the existence of toroidally nested magnetic flux surfaces, the only relevant variation of the direction of the magnetic field is the radial gradient of the rotational transform (pitch). The latter is defined as
== Global magnetic shear ==


:<math>\frac{\iota}{2 \pi} = \frac{d \psi}{d \phi}</math>
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


where ''&psi;'' is the poloidal magnetic flux, and ''&phi;'' the toroidal magnetic flux.
:<math>s = \frac{r}{q} \frac{dq}{dr} = -\frac{r}{\iota} \frac{d\iota}{dr}</math>
Thus, ''&iota;/2&pi;'' is the mean number of toroidal transits (''n'') divided by the
 
mean number of poloidal transits (''m'') of a field line on a flux surface.
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>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'', [[doi:10.1063/1.871928|Phys. Plasmas '''3''', 2221 (1996)]]</ref>
 
== Local magnetic shear ==
 
The local magnetic shear is defined as
<ref>M. Nadeem et al, ''Local magnetic shear and drift waves in stellarators'', [[doi:10.1063/1.1396842|Phys. Plasmas '''8''' (2001) 4375]]</ref>
 
:<math>s_{\rm local} = 2 \pi \vec{h} \cdot \vec{\nabla} \times \vec{h}</math>


In tokamak research, the quantity ''q = 1/&iota;'' is preferred (called the "safety factor").
where


The magnetic shear is defined as
:<math>\vec{h} = \frac{\vec{\nabla} \psi}{|\vec{\nabla} \psi|} \times \frac{\vec{B}}{|\vec{B}|}</math>


:<math>s = \frac{r}{q} \frac{dq}{dr} = -\frac{r}{\iota} \frac{d\iota}{dr}</math>
== See also ==


High values of magnetic shear provide stability, since the radial extension of helically resonant modes is reduced.
* [[Rotational transform]]
Negative shear also provides stability, possibly related to the shearing apart of convective cells, produced by curvature-driven instabilities, as the field lines twist around the torus.
* [[Connection length]]
<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>


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />

Latest revision as of 15:41, 3 April 2018

The shear of a vector field F is

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

Global magnetic shear

In the context of magnetic confinement, and assuming the existence of toroidally nested magnetic flux surfaces, the only relevant variation of the direction of the magnetic field is the radial gradient of the rotational transform. The global magnetic shear is defined as

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. [1]

Local magnetic shear

The local magnetic shear is defined as [2]

where

See also

References

  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)
  2. M. Nadeem et al, Local magnetic shear and drift waves in stellarators, Phys. Plasmas 8 (2001) 4375