arXiv subjects

E. Poli

Publications and source records attributed to E. Poli.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Nonlinear generation of global zonal structures in gyrokinetic simulations of TCV and ASDEX Upgrade magnetic configurations

In tokamaks, turbulence is responsible not only for the anomalous transport of heat and particles from the core to the edge, which reduces heating efficiency, but also for the generation of zonal structures (ZSs). Examples of ZSs are those with characteristic sound frequency, like the geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs). Developing a theoretical model of ZS is essential, as they contribute to the turbulence saturation and thus indirectly influence transport. In this paper, we investigate the radial structure of ZS in the frequency range of GAMs, by means of numerical simulations using the gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code ORB5. We find that radially extended coherent ZSs (labelled here as global ZSs) are non-linearly generated by the high-n part of the turbulence spectrum (with n being the toroidal mode number) by means of self-consistent simulations. We also reproduce this generation by mimicking the turbulence modes with an antenna, thus isolating the nonlinear generation mechanism.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

Study of the impact of fast ions on core turbulence at rational surfaces via global gyrokinetic simulations

In this work, the interplay between fast ions and safety factor rational surfaces is studied in a turbulent plasma via global nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations. Initially, the fast particles-induced enhancement of shearing structures from turbulence self-interaction is analyzed. Our study takes into account the competition between this mechanism and other fast ions effects, i.e. thermal profiles dilution and quasi-resonant interaction. We find the fast ions-induced reduction of destabilization threshold for the zonal modes to be a very efficient way to suppress turbulence. Indeed, it leads to the formation of regions where turbulent transport is reduced by 90\% of its original value. Furthermore, an $n=m=1$ fishbone is driven unstable inside the plasma and its interaction with turbulence is studied. We find the beat-driven zonal structure generate by this mode to further reduce turbulence when its presence does not drastically flatten the thermal profiles.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

Comparison of MHD and gyrokinetic simulations of linear instabilities at the q = 1 surface

Accurate modeling of core instabilities in tokamak plasmas is essential to understand the underlying physical mechanisms and their impact on plasma confinement. The ideal stability of the internal kink mode and the m = 1 collisionless tearing mode are analyzed numerically both with gyrokinetic and MHD codes. We compare the different models implemented in the codes and show that the gyrokinetic equations without collisions inherently contain the ideal MHD limit. The simulation results show that the stability of the internal kink mode strongly depends on the choice of several setup parameters like the inclusion of parallel magnetic field fluctuations, the tokamak aspect ratio, the drift- or gyrokinetic treatment of the ions and the electron mass. Furthermore, we demonstrate the stabilization of the instabilities by diamagnetic effects. Our results indicate that gyrokinetic and MHD models can be reconciled in the description of the internal kink mode by careful consideration of the simulation setup and model assumptions, but instabilities like the collisionless tearing mode require a more advanced treatment beyond MHD.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2024

Assessing the Impact of Alpha Particles on Thermal Confinement in JET D-T Plasmas through Global GENE-Tango Simulations

The capability of the global, electromagnetic gyrokinetic GENE code interfaced with the transport Tango solver is exploited to address the impact of fusion alpha particles (in their dual role of fast particles and heating source) on plasma profiles and performance at JET in the discharges with the highest quasi-stationary peak fusion power during the DTE2 experimental campaigns. Employing radially global nonlinear electromagnetic GENE-Tango simulations, we compare results with/without alpha particles and alpha heating. Our findings reveal that alpha particles have a negligible impact on turbulent transport, with GENE-Tango converging to similar plasma profiles regardless of their inclusion as a kinetic species in GENE. On the other hand, alpha heating is found to contribute to the peaking of the electron temperature profiles, leading to a 1keV drop on the on-axis electron temperature when alpha heating is neglected in Tango. The minimal impact of alpha particles on turbulent transport in this JET discharge - despite this being the shot with the highest fusion output - is attributed to the low content of fusion alpha in this discharge. To assess the potential impact of alpha particles on turbulent transport in regimes with higher alpha particle density, as expected in ITER and fusion reactors, we artificially increased the alpha particle concentration to levels expected for ITER. By performing global nonlinear GENE standalone simulations, we found that increasing the alpha particle density beyond five times the nominal value lead to significant overall turbulence destabilization.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2023

Global Linear and Nonlinear Gyrokinetic Simulations of Tearing Modes

To better understand the interaction of global tearing modes and microturbulence in the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) reversed-field pinch (RFP), the global gyrokinetic code \textsc{Gene} is modified to describe global tearing mode instability via a shifted Maxwellian distribution consistent with experimental equilibria. The implementation of the shifted Maxwellian is tested and benchmarked by comparisons with different codes and models. Good agreement is obtained in code-code and code-theory comparisons. Linear stability of tearing modes of a non-reversed MST discharge is studied. A collisionality scan is performed to the lowest order unstable modes ($n=5$, $n=6$) and shown to behave consistently with theoretical scaling. The nonlinear evolution is simulated, and saturation is found to arise from mode coupling and transfer of energy from the most unstable tearing mode to small-scale stable modes mediated by the $m=2$ tearing mode. The work described herein lays the foundation for nonlinear simulation and analysis of the interaction of tearing modes and gyroradius-scale instabilities in RFP plasmas.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2023

How accurate are flux-tube (local) gyrokinetic codes in modeling energetic particle effects on core turbulence?

Flux-tube gyrokinetic codes are widely used to simulate drift-wave turbulence in magnetic confinement devices. While a large number of studies show that flux-tube codes provide an excellent approximation for turbulent transport in medium-large devices, it still needs to be determined whether they are sufficient for modeling supra-thermal particle effects on core turbulence. This is called into question given the large temperature of energetic particles (EPs), which makes them hardly confined on a single flux-surface, but also due to the radially broad mode structure of energetic-particle-driven modes. The primary focus of this manuscript is to assess the range of validity of flux-tube codes in modeling fast ion effects by comparing radially global turbulence simulations with flux-tube results at different radial locations for realistic JET parameters using the gyrokinetic code GENE. To extend our study to a broad range of different plasma scenarios, this comparison is made for four different plasma regimes, which differ only by the profile of the ratio between the plasma kinetic and magnetic pressure. The latter is artificially rescaled to address the electrostatic limit and regimes with marginally stable, weakly unstable and strongly unstable fast ion modes. These energetic-particle-driven modes is identified as an AITG/KBAE via linear ORB5 and LIGKA simulations. It is found that the local flux-tube simulations can recover well the global results only in the electrostatic and marginally stable cases. When the AITG/KBAE becomes linearly unstable, the local approximation fails to correctly model the radially broad fast ion mode structure and the consequent global zonal patterns. According to this study, global turbulence simulations are likely required in regimes with linearly unstable AITG/KBAEs. In conditions with different fast ion-driven modes, these results might change.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2022

Gyrokinetic particle-in-cell simulations of electromagnetic turbulence in the presence of fast particles and global modes

Global simulations of electromagnetic turbulence, collisionless tearing modes, and Alfven Eigenmodes in the presence of fast particles are carried out using the gyrokinetic particle-in-cell codes ORB5 (E. Lanti et al, Comp. Phys. Comm., ${\bf 251}$, 107072 (2020)) and EUTERPE (V. Kornilov et al, Phys. Plasmas, ${\bf 11}$, 3196 (2004)) in tokamak and stellarator geometries. Computational feasibility of simulating such complex coupled systems is demonstrated.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2021

Core transport barriers induced by fast ions in global gyrokinetic GENE simulations

A novel type of internal transport barrier (ITB) called F-ATB (fast ion-induced anomalous transport barrier) has been recently observed in state-of-the-art global gyrokinetic simulations on a properly optimized ASDEX Upgrade experiment [A. Di Siena et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 127} 025002 (2021)]. Unlike the transport barriers previously reported in literature, the trigger mechanism for the F-ATB is a basically electrostatic wave-particle resonant interaction between supra-thermal particles - generated via ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) - and ion scale plasma turbulence. This resonant effect strongly depends on the particular shape of the fast ion temperature and density profiles. Therefore, to further improve our theoretical understanding of this transport barrier, we present results exploring the parameter space and physical conditions for the F-ATB generation by performing a systematic study with global GENE simulations. Particular emphasis is given to the transport barrier width and its localization by scanning over different energetic particle temperature profiles. The latter are varied in amplitude, half-width, and radial localization of an ad-hoc Gaussian-like energetic particle logarithmic temperature gradient profile. For the reference parameters at hand, a threshold in the amplitude of the fast ion logarithmic temperature gradient is identified to trigger the transport barrier effectively.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2021

New high-confinement regime with fast ions in the core of fusion plasmas

The key result of the present work is the theoretical prediction and observation of the formation of a new type of transport barrier in fusion plasmas, called F-ATB (fast ion-induced anomalous transport barrier). As demonstrated through state-of-the-art global electrostatic and electromagnetic simulations, the F-ATB is characterized by a full suppression of the turbulent transport - caused by strongly sheared, axisymmetric $E \times B$ flows - and an increase of the neoclassical counterpart, albeit keeping the overall fluxes at significantly reduced levels. The trigger mechanism is shown to be a mainly electrostatic resonant interaction between supra-thermal particles, generated via ion-cyclotron-resonance heating, and plasma micro-turbulence. These findings are obtained by realistic simulations of the ASDEX Upgrade discharge $\#36637$ - properly designed to maximized the beneficial role of the wave-particle resonance interaction - which exhibits the expected properties of improved confinement produced by energetic particles.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2021

Gyrokinetic investigation of the nonlinear interaction of Alfv\'en instabilities and energetic-particle driven geodesic acoustic modes

This paper presents a study of the interaction between Alfv\'en modes and zonal structures, considering a realistic ASDEX Upgrade equilibrium. The results of gyrokinetic simulations with the global, electromagnetic, particle-in-cell code ORB5 are presented, where the modes are driven unstable by energetic particles with a bump-on-tail equilibrium distribution function, with radial density gradient. Two regimes have been observed: at low energetic particles concentration, the Alfv\'en mode saturates at much higher level in presence of zonal structures; on the other hand at high energetic particles concentration the difference is less pronounced. The former regime is characterized by the zonal structure (identified as an energetic particle driven geodesic acoustic mode), being more unstable than the Alfv\'en mode. In the latter regime the Alfv\'en mode is more unstable than the zonal structure. The theoretical explanation is given in terms of a 3-wave coupling of the energetic particle driven geodesic acoustic mode and Alfv\'en mode, mediated by the curvature-pressure coupling term of the energetic particles.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2020

Nonlinear dynamics of energetic-particle driven geodesic acoustic modes in ASDEX Upgrade

Turbulence in tokamaks generates radially sheared zonal flows. Their oscillatory counterparts, geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs), appear due to the action of the magnetic field curvature. The GAMs can be driven unstable by an anisotropic energetic particle (EP) population leading to the formation of global radial structures, called EGAMs. The EGAMs can redistribute EP energy to the bulk plasma through collisionless wave-particle interaction. In such a way, the EGAMs might contribute to the plasma heating. Thus, investigation of EGAM properties, especially in the velocity space, is necessary for precise understanding of the transport phenomena in tokamak plasmas. In this work, the nonlinear dynamics of EGAMs without considering the mode interaction with the turbulence is investigated with the help of a Mode-Particle-Resonance (MPR) diagnostic implemented in the global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code ORB5. An ASDEX Upgrade discharge is chosen as a reference case for this investigation due to its rich EP nonlinear dynamics. An experimentally relevant magnetic field configuration, thermal species profiles and an EP density profile are taken for EGAM chirping modelling and its comparison with available empirical data. The same magnetic configuration is used to explore energy transfer by the mode from the energetic particles to the thermal plasma including kinetic electron effects. For a given EGAM level the plasma heating by the mode can be significantly enhanced by varying the EP parameters. Electron dynamics decreases the EGAM saturation amplitude and consequently reduces the plasma heating, even though the mode transfers its energy to thermal ions much more than to electrons.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2019

Enhanced spin-orbit coupling in a heavy metal via molecular coupling

Heavy metals are key to spintronics because of their high spin-orbit coupling (SOC) leading to efficient spin conversion and strong magnetic interactions. When C60 is deposited on Pt, the molecular interface is metallised and the spin Hall angle in YIG/Pt increased, leading to an enhancement of up to 600% in the spin Hall magnetoresistance and 700% for the anisotropic magnetoresistance. This correlates with Density Functional Theory simulations showing changes of 0.46 eV/C60 in the SOC of Pt. This effect opens the possibility of gating the molecular hybridisation and SOC of metals.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Gyrokinetic investigation of the damping channels of Alfvén modes in ASDEX Upgrade

The linear destabilization and nonlinear saturation of energetic-particle driven Alfvénic instabilities in tokamaks strongly depend on the damping channels. In this work, the collisionless damping mechanisms of Alfvénic modes are investigated within a gyrokinetic framework, by means of global simulations with the particle-in-cell code ORB5, and compared with the eigenvalue code LIGKA and reduced models. In particular, the continuum damping and the Landau damping (of ions and electrons) are considered. The electron Landau damping is found to be dominant on the ion Landau damping for experimentally relevant cases. As an application, the linear and nonlinear dynamics of toroidicity induced Alfvén eigenmodes and energetic-particle driven modes in ASDEX Upgrade is investigated theoretically and compared with experimental measurements.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2018

Electromagnetic turbulence suppression by energetic particle driven modes

In recent years, a strong reduction of plasma turbulence in the presence of energetic particles has been reported in a number of magnetic confinement experiments and corresponding gyrokinetic simulations. While highly relevant to performance predictions for burning plasmas, an explanation for this primarily nonlinear effect has remained elusive so far. A thorough analysis finds that linearly marginally stable energetic particle driven modes are excited nonlinearly, depleting the energy content of the turbulence and acting as an additional catalyst for energy transfer to zonal modes (the dominant turbulence saturation channel). Respective signatures are found in a number of simulations for different JET and ASDEX Upgrade discharges with reduced transport levels attributed to energetic ion effects.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2018

Non-Maxwellian fast particle effects in gyrokinetic GENE simulations

Fast ions have recently been found to significantly impact and partially suppress plasma turbulence both in experimental and numerical studies in a number of scenarios. Understanding the underlying physics and identifying the range of their beneficial effect is an essential task for future fusion reactors, where highly energetic ions are generated through fusion reactions and external heating schemes. However, in many of the gyrokinetic codes fast ions are, for simplicity, treated as equivalent-Maxwellian-distributed particle species, although it is well known that to rigorously model highly non-thermalised particles, a non-Maxwellian background distribution function is needed. To study the impact of this assumption, the gyrokinetic code GENE has recently been extended to support arbitrary background distribution functions which might be either analytic, e.g. slowing down and bi-Maxwellian, or obtained from numerical fast ion models. A particular JET plasma with strong fast-ion related turbulence suppression is revised with these new code capabilities both with linear and nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations. It appears that the fast ion stabilization tends to be less strong but still substantial with more realistic distributions, and this improves the quantitative power balance agreement with experiments.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2017

Linear gyrokinetic investigation of the geodesic acoustic modes in realistic tokamak configurations

Geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) are studied by means of the gyrokinetic global particle-in-cell code ORB5. Linear electromagnetic simulations in the low electron beta limit have been performed, in order to separate acoustic and Alfvénic time scales and obtain more accurate measurements. The dependence of the frequency and damping rate on several parameters such as the safety factor, the GAM radial wavenumber and the plasma elongation is studied. All simulations have been performed with kinetic electrons with realistic electron/ion mass ratio. Interpolating formulae for the GAM frequency and damping rate, based on the results of the gyrokinetic simulations, have been derived. Using these expressions, the influence of the temperature gradient on the damping rate is also investigated. Finally, the results are applied to the study of a real discharge of the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2015

Linear gyrokinetic particle-in-cell simulations of Alfven instabilities in tokamaks

The linear dynamics of Alfven modes in tokamaks is investigated here by means of the global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code NEMORB. The model equations are shown and the local shear Alfven wave dispersion relation is derived, recovering the continuous spectrum in the incompressible ideal MHD limit. A verification and benchmark analysis is performed for continuum modes in a cylinder and for toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes. Modes in a reversed-shear equilibrium are also investigated, and the dependence of the spatial structure in the poloidal plane on the equilibrium parameters is described. In particular, a phase-shift in the poloidal angle is found to be present for modes whose frequency touches the continuum, whereas a radial symmetry is found to be characteristic of modes in the continuum gap.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Effect of turbulence on electron cyclotron current drive and heating in ITER

Non-linear local electromagnetic gyrokinetic turbulence simulations of the ITER standard scenario H-mode are presented for the q=3/2 and q=2 surfaces. The turbulent transport is examined in regions of velocity space characteristic of electrons heated by electron cyclotron waves. Electromagnetic fluctuations and sub-dominant micro-tearing modes are found to contribute significantly to the transport of the accelerated electrons, even though they have only a small impact on the transport of the bulk species. The particle diffusivity for resonant passing electrons is found to be less than 0.15 m^2/s, and their heat conductivity is found to be less than 2 m^2/s. Implications for the broadening of the current drive and energy deposition in ITER are discussed.

physics.plasm-ph↗