arXiv subjects

F. Zonca

Publications and source records attributed to F. Zonca.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Frequency Chirping of Energetic-Particle-Driven Geodesic Acoustic Modes in Tokamaks

A suprathermal population of ions is present in tokamak plasmas due to external heating mechanisms and fusion reactions. These energetic particles (EPs) can drive waves unstable, via inverse Landau damping. An example is the energetic-particle-induced geodesic acoustic mode (EGAMs). In this work, investigate the nonlinear dynamics of EGAMs by means of global gyrokinetic simulations with the particle-in-cell code ORB5. In particular, we study the nonlinear evolution of the frequency, known as "frequency chirping". To investigate the underlying phase-space dynamics, Phase Space Zonal Structure (PSZS) diagnostics are employed. By identifying the resonance energy from the phase-space distribution and reconstructing the corresponding mode frequency, an independent estimate of the frequency evolution is obtained. The reconstructed frequencies show good agreement with those extracted directly from continuous wavelet transform analysis of the electric-field signal, establishing a direct correspondence between observable frequency chirping and the nonlinear evolution of resonant energetic particles in phase space.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2024

Saturation of fishbone instability through zonal flows driven by energetic particle transport in tokamak plasmas

Gyrokinetic and kinetic-MHD simulations are performed for the fishbone instability in the DIII-D discharge #178631, chosen for validation of first-principles simulations to predict the energetic particle (EP) transport in an ITER prefusion baseline scenario. Fishbone modes are found to generate zonal flows, which dominate the fishbone saturation. The underlying mechanisms of the two-way fishbone-zonal flows nonlinear interplay are discussed in details. Numerical and analytical analyses identify the fishbone-induced EP redistribution as the dominant generation mechanism for zonal flows. The zonal flows modify the nonlinear dynamics of phase space zonal structures, which reduces the amount of EPs able to resonate with the mode, leading to an early fishbone saturation. Simulation results including zonal flows agree quantitatively with DIII-D experimental measurements of the fishbone saturation amplitude and EP transport, supporting this novel saturation mechanism by self-generated zonal flows. Moreover, the wave-particle mode-locking mechanism is shown to determine quantitatively the fishbone frequency down-chirping, as evident in GTC simulation results in agreement with predictions from analytical theory. Finally, the fishbone-induced zonal flows are possibly responsible for the formation of an ion-ITB in the DIII-D discharge. Based on the low EP transport and the large zonal flow shearing rates associated with the fishbone instability in gyrokinetic simulations of the ITER scenario, it is conjectured that high performance scenarios could be designed in ITER burning plasmas through fishbone-induced ITBs.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2023

Nonlinear interaction of Alfv\'enic instabilities and turbulence via the modification of the equilibrium profiles

Nonlinear simulations of Alfv\'en modes (AM) driven by energetic particles (EP) in the presence of turbulence are performed with the gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code ORB5. The AMs carry a heat flux, and consequently they nonlinearly modify the plasma temperature profiles. The isolated effect of this modification on the dynamics of turbulence is studied, by means of electrostatic simulations. We find that turbulence is reduced when the profiles relaxed by the AM are used, with respect to the simulation where the unperturbed profiles are used. This is an example of indirect interaction of EPs and turbulence. First, an analytic magnetic equilibrium with circular concentric flux surfaces is considered as a simplified example for this study. Then, an application to an experimentally relevant case of ASDEX Upgrade is discussed.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2022

Optimizing beam-ion confinement in ITER by adjusting the toroidal phase of the 3-D magnetic fields applied for ELM control

The confinement of Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) particles in the presence of n=3 Resonant Magnetic Perturbations (RMPs) in 15 MA ITER DT plasmas has been studied using full orbit ASCOT simulations. Realistic NBI distribution functions, and 3D wall and equilibria, including the plasma response to the externally applied 3D fields calculated with MARS-F, have been employed. The observed total fast-ion losses depend on the poloidal spectra of the applied n=3 RMP as well as on the absolute toroidal phase of the applied perturbation with respect to the NBI birth distribution. The absolute toroidal phase of the RMP perturbation does not affect the ELM control capabilities, which makes it a key parameter in the confinement optimization. The physics mechanisms underlying the observed fast-ion losses induced by the applied 3D fields have been studied in terms of the variation of the particle canonical angular momentum ($\delta P_{\phi}$) induced by the applied 3D fields. The presented simulations indicate that the transport is located in an Edge Resonant Transport Layer (ERTL) as observed previously in ASDEX Upgrade studies. Similarly, our results indicate that an overlapping of several linear and nonlinear resonances at the edge of the plasma might be responsible for the observed fast-ion losses. The results presented here may help to optimize the RMP configuration with respect to the NBI confinement in future ITER discharges.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2021

Experimental Evidence of Nonlinear Avalanche Dynamics of Energetic Particle Modes

Recent observations in HL-2A tokamak give new experimental evidences of energetic particle mode (EPM) avalanche. In a strong EPM burst, the mode structure propagates radially outward within two hundred Alfv\'en time, while the frequency of the dominant mode changes self-consistently to maximize wave-particle power exchange and mode growth. This suggests that significant energetic particle transport occurs in this avalanche phase, in agreement with theoretical framework of EPM convective amplification. A simplified relay runner model yields satisfactory interpretations of the measurements. The results can help understanding the nonlinear dynamics of energetic particle driven modes in future burning plasmas, such as ITER.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2021

A theoretical framework of chorus wave excitation

We propose a self-consistent theoretical framework of chorus wave excitation, which describes the evolution of the whistler fluctuation spectrum as well as the supra-thermal electron distribution function. The renormalized hot electron response is cast in the form of a Dyson-like equation, which then leads to evolution equations for nonlinear fluctuation growth and frequency shift. This approach allows us to analytically derive for the first time exactly the same expression for the chorus chirping rate originally proposed by Vomvoridis et al.,1982. Chorus chirping is shown to correspond to maximization of wave particle power exchange, where each individual wave belonging to the whistler wave packet is characterized by small nonlinear frequency shift. We also show that different interpretations of chorus chirping proposed in published literature have a consistent reconciliation within the present theoretical framework, which further illuminates the analogy with similar phenomena in fusion plasmas and free electron laser physics.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2020

On the polarization of shear Alfv\'en and acoustic continuous spectra in toroidal plasmas

In this work, the FALCON code is adopted for illustrating the features of shear Alfv\'en and continuous spectra in toroidal fusion plasmas. The FALCON codes employs the local Floquet analysis discussed in [Phys. of Plasmas \textbf{26} (8), 082502 (2019)] for computing global structures of continuous spectra in general toroidal geometry. As particular applications, reference equilibria for the Divertor Tokamak Test and ASDEX Upgrade plasmas are considered. In particular, we illustrate the importance of mode polarization for recognizing the physical relevance of the various branches of the continuous spectra in the ideal MHD limit. We also analyze the effect of plasma compression and the validity of the slow sound approximation.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2016

Nonlinear interplay of Alfven instabilities and energetic particles in tokamaks

The confinement of energetic particles (EP) is crucial for an efficient heating of tokamak plasmas. Plasma instabilities such as Alfven Eigenmodes (AE) can redistribute the EP population making the plasma heating less effective, and leading to additional loads on the walls. The nonlinear dynamics of toroidicity induced AE (TAE) is investigated by means of the global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code ORB5, within the NEMORB project. The nonperturbative nonlinear interplay of TAEs and EP due to the wave-particle nonlinearity is studied. In particular, we focus on the nonlinear modification of the frequency, growth rate and radial structure of the TAE, depending on the evolution of the EP distribution in phase space. For the ITPA benchmark case, we find that the frequency increases when the growth rate decreases, and the mode shrinks radially. This nonlinear evolution is found to be correctly reproduced by means of a quasilinear model, namely a model where the linear effects of the nonlinearly modified EP distribution function are retained.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2016

Decay of geodesic acoustic modes due to the combined action of phase mixing and Landau damping

Geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) are oscillations of the electric field whose importance in tokamak plasmas is due to their role in the regulation of turbulence. The linear collisionless damping of GAMs is investigated here by means of analytical theory and numerical simulations with the global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code ORB5. The combined effect of the phase mixing and Landau damping is found to quickly redistribute the GAM energy in phase-space, due to the synergy of the finite orbit width of the passing ions and the cascade in wave number given by the phase mixing. When plasma parameters characteristic of realistic tokamak profiles are considered, the GAM decay time is found to be an order of magnitude lower than the decay due to the Landau damping alone, and in some cases of the same order of magnitude of the characteristic GAM drive time due to the nonlinear interaction with an ITG mode. In particular, the radial mode structure evolution in time is investigated here and reproduced quantitatively by means of a dedicated initial value code and diagnostics.

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↗

arXiv2012

Nonlinear dynamics of beta induced Alfv\'en eigenmode driven by energetic particles

Nonlinear saturation of beta induced Alfv\'en eigenmode, driven by slowing down energetic particles via transit resonance, is investigated by the nonlinear hybrid magnetohyrodynamic gyro-kinetic code (XHMGC). Saturation is characterized by frequency chirping and symmetry breaking between co- and counter-passing particles, which can be understood as the the evidence of resonance-detuning. The scaling of the saturation amplitude with the growth rate is also demonstrated to be consistent with radial resonance detuning due to the radial non-uniformity and mode structure.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2011

Theoretical and numerical studies of wave-packet propagation in tokamak plasmas

Theoretical and numerical studies of wave-packet propagation are presented to analyze the time varying 2D mode structures of electrostatic fluctuations in tokamak plasmas, using general flux coordinates. Instead of solving the 2D wave equations directly, the solution of the initial value problem is used to obtain the 2D mode structure, following the propagation of wave-packets generated by a source and reconstructing the time varying field. As application, the 2D WKB method is applied to investigate the shaping effects (elongation and triangularity) of tokamak geometry on the lower hybrid wave propagation and absorbtion. Meanwhile, the Mode Structure Decomposition (MSD) method is used to handle the boundary conditions and simplify the 2D problem to two nested 1D problems. The MSD method is related to that discussed earlier by Zonca and Chen [Phys. Fluids B 5, 3668 (1993)], and reduces to the well-known "ballooning formalism" [J. W. Connor, R. J. Hastie, and J. B. Taylor, Phys. Rev. Lett. 40, 396 (1978)], when spatial scale separation applies. This method is used to investigate the time varying 2D electrostatic ITG mode structure with a mixed WKB-full-wave technique. The time varying field pattern is reconstructed and the time asymptotic structure of the wave-packet propagation gives the 2D eigenmode and the corresponding eigenvalue. As a general approach to investigate 2D mode structures in tokamak plasmas, our method also applies for electromagnetic waves with general source/sink terms, either by an internal/external antenna or nonlinear wave interaction with zonal structures.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2007

Electron fishbones: Theory and experimental evidence

We discuss the processes underlying the excitation of fishbone-like internal kink instabilities driven by supra-thermal electrons generated experimentally by different means: Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) and by Lower Hybrid (LH) power injection. The peculiarity and interest of exciting these electron fishbones by ECRH only or by LH only is also analyzed. Not only the mode stability is explained, but also the transition between steady state nonlinear oscillations to bursting (almost regular) pulsations, as observed in FTU, is interpreted in terms of the LH power input. These results are directly relevant to the investigation of trapped alpha particle interactions with low-frequency MHD modes in burning plasmas: in fact, alpha particles in reactor relevant conditions are characterized by small dimensionless orbits, similarly to electrons; the trapped particle bounce averaged dynamics, meanwhile, depends on energy and not mass.

physics.plasm-ph↗