Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 December 2006
Direct numerical simulation of fully three-dimensional, compressible and nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic equations in the Large Helical Device is carried out in combination with the passive particle simulation. In the simulation, strong vortical motions are excited by the pressure-driven instability and form the mushroom-like structures of pressure. It is shown by the passive particles analysis that the fluid volumes around the resonant magnetic surfaces experience finite compressibility and toroidal deformation, which are both excited by the strong vortical motions. The passive particles simulation helps us to investigate local structures even for low Fourier wavenumber modes.