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Observation of a new type of self-generated current in magnetized plasmas

Cited 5 time in Web of Science Cited 7 time in Scopus
Authors

Na, Yong Su; Seo, Jaemin; Lee, Yoonji; Choi, Gyungjin; Park, Minseo; Park, Sangjin; Yi, Sumin; Wang, Weixing; Yoo, Min-Gu; Cha, Minsoo; Kim, Beomsu; Lee, Young-Ho; Han, Hyunsun; Kim, Boseong; Lee, Chanyoung; Kim, SangKyeun; Yang, SeongMoo; Byun, Cheol-Sik; Kim, Hyun-Seok; Ko, Jinseok; Lee, Woochang; Taik Soo Hahm

Issue Date
2022-12
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Citation
Nature Communications, Vol.13 No.1, p. 6477
Abstract
Fusion devices like tokamaks require plasma current to generate magnetic field for plasma confinement. Here the authors report an observation of a self-generated anomalous current that contributes up to 30% of the total current in the fusion plasma at KSTAR. A tokamak, a torus-shaped nuclear fusion device, needs an electric current in the plasma to produce magnetic field in the poloidal direction for confining fusion plasmas. Plasma current is conventionally generated by electromagnetic induction. However, for a steady-state fusion reactor, minimizing the inductive current is essential to extend the tokamak operating duration. Several non-inductive current drive schemes have been developed for steady-state operations such as radio-frequency waves and neutral beams. However, commercial reactors require minimal use of these external sources to maximize the fusion gain, Q, the ratio of the fusion power to the external power. Apart from these external current drives, a self-generated current, so-called bootstrap current, was predicted theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. Here, we reveal another self-generated current that can exist in a tokamak and this has not yet been discussed by present theories. We report conclusive experimental evidence of this self-generated current observed in the KSTAR tokamak.
ISSN
2041-1723
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10371/190027
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34092-0
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