New Diffusion Mechanisms in a Toroidal Plasma

Abstract

A two-fluid model of a toroidal axisymmetric plasma is employed to examine the resistive diffusion in a Tokamak configuration. The self-consistent magnetic field resulting from all plasma currents is included, and the time-dependent rotation computed. Several new terms, additional to the Pfirsch-Schluter diffusion, arise. Of these, one depends on the shear in the magnetic lines of force, and another on the outward displacement of the plasma constant-density surfaces relative to the magnetic surfaces.