Linear oscillations in general magnetically confined plasmas

Abstract

A systematic formalism for investigating linear electromagnetic perturbations in general magnetic field configurations is developed. The formalism employs the small adiabaticity parameter rho /L₀ and is valid for arbitrary frequencies. Here, rho and L₀ are, respectively, the Larmor radius and equilibrium scale length. Effects associated with plasma and magnetic field inhomogeneities as well as finite Larmor radii are contained. The specific case of axisymmetric Tokamaks is then considered to illustrate the potential application.