Iulian Petrisor

Stochastic field-line wandering in magnetic turbulence with shear. I. Quasi-linear theory

We investigate the random walk of magnetic field lines in magnetic turbulence with shear. In the first part of the series, we develop a quasi-linear theory in order to compute the diffusion coefficient of magnetic field lines. We derive general formulas for the diffusion coefficients in the different directions of space. We like to emphasize that we expect that quasi-linear theory is only valid if the so-called Kubo number is small. We consider two turbulence models as examples, namely, a noisy slab model as well as a Gaussian decorrelation model. For both models we compute the field line diffusion coefficients and we show how they depend on the aforementioned Kubo number as well as a shear parameter. It is demonstrated that the shear effect reduces all field line diffusion coefficients.

Anisotropic electrostatic turbulence and zonal flow generation

In this paper we analyse the running and asymptotic diffusion coefficients of a plasma in the case of zonal flow generation by an anisotropic stochastic electrostatic potential. Both the weak and relatively strong turbulence regimes were analysed. The analysis of the diffusion coefficients in wave vector space provides an illustration of the fragmentation of drift wave structures in the radial direction and the generation of long-wavelength structures in the poloidal direction that are identified as zonal flows. We have shown that the fragmentation of drift wave structures is strongly influenced by the anisotropy parameter, the electrostatic Kubo number and by the initial values of the wave vector.

Characterization of zonal flow generation in weak electrostatic turbulence

The influence of the diamagnetic Kubo number, which is proportional to the diamagnetic drift velocity, on the zonal flow generation by an anisotropic stochastic electrostatic potential is considered from a semi-analytic point of view. The analysis is performed in the weak turbulence limit and as an analytical tool the decorrelation trajectory method is used. It is shown that the fragmentation of the drift wave structures (a signature of the zonal flow generation) is influenced not only by the anisotropy parameter and the electrostatic Kubo number as expected, but also by the diamagnetic Kubo number. Global Lagrangian averages of characteristic quantities are calculated and interpreted.

Teaching physics in Romania: new requirements call for new methods

The place and size of physics within academic teaching in Romania have obviously changed, and reform of the academic training system is underway. This paper reports on a didactical experiment conducted at the University of Craiova, one of the most representative higher education institutions in Romania, testing the efficiency of some evaluation methods applied to the teaching process of physics. This process functions under the actual conditions in which the academic teaching takes place.

Stochastic field-line wandering in magnetic turbulence with shear. II. Decorrelation trajectory method

We study the diffusion of magnetic field lines in turbulence with magnetic shear. In the first part of the series, we developed a quasi-linear theory for this type of scenario. In this article, we employ the so-called DeCorrelation Trajectory method in order to compute the diffusion coefficients of stochastic magnetic field lines. The magnetic field configuration used here contains fluctuating terms which are described by the dimensionless functions bi(X, Y, Z), i = (x, y) and they are assumed to be Gaussian processes and are perpendicular with respect to the main magnetic field B0. Furthermore, there is also a z-component of the magnetic field depending on radial coordinate x (representing the gradient of the magnetic field) and a poloidal average component. We calculate the diffusion coefficients for magnetic field lines for different values of the magnetic Kubo number K, the dimensionless inhomogeneous magnetic parallel and perpendicular Kubo numbers KB∥, KB⊥, as well as Kav=byavKB∥/KB⊥.

Particle diffusion in prescribed electrostatic turbulence and sheared space dependent magnetic field

This study is devoted to the calculation of diffusion coefficients for a particle moving in fluctuating electrostatic field superposed to a space dependent and sheared magnetic field, using the numerical simulation.

Ion and impurity transport in turbulent, anisotropic magnetic fields

We investigate ion and impurity transport in turbulent, possibly anisotropic, magnetic fields. The turbulent magnetic field is modeled as a correlated stochastic field, with Gaussian distribution function and prescribed spatial auto-correlation function, superimposed onto a strong background field. The (running) diffusion coefficients of ions are determined in the three-dimensional environment, using two alternative methods, the semi-analytical decorrelation trajectory (DCT) method, and test-particle simulations. In a first step, the results of the test-particle simulations are compared with and used to validate the results obtained from the DCT method. For this purpose, a drift approximation was made in slab geometry, and relatively good qualitative agreement between the DCT method and the test-particle simulations was found. In a second step, the ion species He, Be, Ne and W, all assumed to be fully ionized, are considered under ITER-like conditions, and the scaling of their diffusivities is determined with respect to varying levels of turbulence (varying Kubo number), varying degrees of anisotropy of the turbulent structures and atomic number. In a third step, the test-particle simulations are repeated without drift approximation, directly using the Lorentz force, first in slab geometry, in order to assess the finite Larmor radius effects, and second in toroidal geometry, to account for the geometric effects. It is found that both effects are important, most prominently the effects due to toroidal geometry and the diffusivities are overestimated in slab geometry by an order of magnitude.

Particle transport in incompressible MHD Kolmogorov flow

In previous work [1], an investigation of Kolmogorov flow for incompressible magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) was performed. It consists of a three-dimensional periodic flow driven by a unidirectional forcing varying on a transverse direction. In practice, the forcing is chosen to be fx = A sin(kfy), and fy = fz = 0. It was found that vorticity structures with long lifetimes can be formed in the turbulent regime. The presence of such structures may affect the transport of particles interacting with the flow as shown in this preliminary study.