Edge plasma relaxations due to diamagnetic stabilization

A new mechanism for pressure profile relaxations in an edge tokamak plasma is derived from simulations within the two-fluid three-dimensional turbulence code EMEDGE3D. The relaxation is due to diamagnetic coupling in the resistive ballooning/drift wave dynamics: unstable modes experience explosive growth at high pressure gradients after a phase in which they are stabilized by the diamagnetic coupling leading to the onset of a transport barrier. The sheared $E\times B$ flow does not play any significant role. After relaxation the transport barrier forms again and it sets the conditions for a novel relaxation, resulting in an oscillatory behavior. We find that energy flux into the scrape of layer decreases with increasing oscillation frequency and that the oscillations are tamed by increasing plasma temperature. This behavior is reminiscent of so-called type III Edge Localized Modes. A one-dimensional model reproducing the relaxations is also derived.

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