Institute for Fusion Theory and Simulation, Zhejiang University

Physics of Alfvén waves and energetic particles in fusion plasmas Linear physics and stability in tokamaks - Spring 2017 Announcement

Lecture Plan and Teaching Material

Abstract: This introduction to Physics of Alfvén waves and energetic particles in fusion plasmas is devoted to Linear physics and stability in tokamaks and will be lectured by Prof. Fulvio Zonca in Spring 2017. These Lectures will cover with pedagogical style the first part of Reviews of Modern Physics 88, 015008 (2016). Prerequisite of the course is a preliminary knowledge of general plasma physics and classical mechanics. General theoretical aspects are treated in Lectures (1 ÷ 6), which are complemented by corresponding Q&A Sessions.
 

Main areas that will be explored are:
(I) Fluid description of Alfvén waves: one dimensional plasmas
i) Shear Alfvén waves: continuous spectrum.           Initial-value approach and time asymptotic response. (Lecture 1)
(II) Fluid description of Alfvén waves: two dimensional plasmas
ii) Shear Alfvén waves in tokamaks. Mode structure            decomposition and ballooning-mode representation.            Shear Alfvén continuous spectrum and frequency gaps. (Lecture 2)
iii) Low-frequency Alfvén and acoustic fluctuations.            Toroidal Alfvén Eigenmodes. (Lecture 3)
(III) Kinetic description of Alfvén waves in tokamaks
iv) The linear gyrokinetic equation and the wave particle            resonance condition in toroidal geometry. (Lecture 4)
v) Kinetic energy principle and variational approach.           Kinetic Alfvén waves. (Lecture 5)
vi) Energetic particle excitations of shear Alfvén            instabilities in tokamaks. (Lecture 6)

Lecture Notes: Available in electronic form. At the end of each lecture and during the Q&A time, a list of specific reading material is given explicitly. Should you have difficulty in finding literatures and papers, please contact me at fulvio.zonca@enea.it.
 
Exercises and Research Projects: In the lecture notes, Exercises (E) of various difficulty levels are suggested. These are meant to be important part of the lectures themselves. Possible topics for Research Projects (RP) are also indicated, which require significant more in depth analysis and work.
 
Q&A Sessions: Devoted to detailed discussions and analysis of technical aspects. They are meant to be complementary to general lectures and are a necessary addendum for full appreciation of the material presented in the course.
 
Time and Location: Lectures (9am-11am) will be held at IFTS on April 27 and May 4-6-8-10-12, with corresponding Q&A Sessions on April 27-28 (4pm-5pm) and May 5-8-9-11-12 (3pm-5pm).
 

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