Symmetries of the Electromagnetic Turbulence in a Tokamak Edge

Abstract

We construct the low-frequency formulation of the turbulence characterizing the plasma in a Tokamak edge. Under rather natural assumptions, we demonstrate that, even in the presence of poloidal magnetic fluctuations, it is possible to deal with a reduced model for turbulence dynamics. This model relies on a single equation for the electric potential from which all the physical turbulent properties can be calculated. The main result of the present analysis concerns the existence of a specific Fourier branch for the dynamics which demonstrate the attractive character of the two-dimensional turbulence with respect to non-axisymmetric fluctuations. The peculiar nature of this instability, affecting the non-axially symmetric modes, is discussed in some detail by recovering two different physical regimes.

Keywords

• non-linear fluid dynamics
• axisymmetric modes
• plasma turbulence
• Tokamak edge physics