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Electromagnetic energy transport by tearing fluctuations in a self-organized reversed-field pinch plasma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2022

Derek J. Thuecks*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620, USA
Karsten J. McCollam
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1150 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
*
Email address for correspondence: dthuecks2@washcoll.edu

Abstract

Fluctuation measurements reveal the outward electromagnetic energy flux needed to drive the dynamo electromotive force supporting magnetic self-organization in a reversed-field pinch plasma. The radial Poynting flux due to tearing mode fluctuations is measured with an insertable probe during magnetic relaxation. This flux corresponds to transient power levels much larger than the input power and comparable to the global equilibrium magnetic energy transient loss rate. The probe measurements of this flux are roughly as predicted by a simple Poynting's theorem model upon substitution of equilibrium measurement data.

Type
Letter
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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