Investigation of electron temperature gradient driven micro-reconnecting modes in toroidal high-energy plasmas

Abstract

Experiments carried out with magnetically confined, high temperature plasmas have revealed important effects that have yet to be justified by existing theory. In particular, there arises an anomalous particle inflow in the central region of the plasma column. Experimental evidence suggests that this particle transport results from the excitation of unstable, short wavelength modes driven by the electron temperature gradient, but the validity of the existing theory is limited to the edge of the plasma column. This thesis investigates the question of how microscopic, electron temperature gradient driven, micro-reconnecting modes may collectively give rise to particle inflow in the central region of the plasma column by examining solutions to the mode dispersion relation. Derivations of micro-reconnecting modes in both fluid and kinetic theory are presented, and the resulting dispersion relation is analyzed.