Institute for Fusion Theory and Simulation,

School of Physics, Zhejiang University

 

Physics of Alfvén waves and energetic particles in fusion plasmas

Mode structures and global dispersion of Alfvén waves in tokamaks - Spring 2024

Announcement

 

Lecture Plan and Teaching Material

 

Abstract: This introduction to Physics of Alfvén waves and energetic particles in fusion plasmas is devoted to Mode structures and global dispersion of Alfvén waves in tokamaks and will be lectured by Prof. Fulvio Zonca in Spring 2024. These Lectures will cover with pedagogical style the first part of Reviews of Modern Physics 88, 015008 (2016) and are based on the 2018 Intesive Course Lecture Notes, which was a continuation of the Intensive Course on Linear physics and stability in tokamaks taught in Spring 2017. Prerequisite of the course is a preliminary knowledge of general plasma physics and classical mechanics, and the Lecture Notes of the 2017 Intensive Course. General theoretical aspects are treated in Lectures (1 ÷ 7), which are complemented by corresponding Q&A Sessions.
 

Main areas that will be explored are:
(I) Variational methods in plasma physics
i) Constructing variational principles:            Euler equations and Lagrangian            A general methodology (Lecture 1)
ii) Examples and applications of variational principles:            Power dissipation in a passive resistive network            Energy eigenvalues in quantum mechanics (Lecture 2)
iii) Shear Alfvén waves in tokamaks.            Variational formulation and variational principle            Integral form of the dispersion relation (Lecture 3)
(II) Wave propagation in slowly varying, weakly non-uniform media
iv) Eikonal formulation of wave equations.            Wave-packet amplitude evolution equation. (Lecture 4)
v) The wave kinetic equation.           Bound states and Schrödinger equation. (Lecture 5)
(III) Description of Alfvén waves in tokamaks
vi) Global eigenvalue problem in toroidal plasmas.           The formation of meso-scales. (Lecture 6)
vii) Time asymptotic solution and WKB            dispersion relation. (Lecture 7)

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.
 
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 (10am-11:30am) will be held at IFTS on May 23-29-31 and June 3-5-7-11, with corresponding Q&A Sessions (4pm-5pm) of the same days.
 

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