Momentum transport from nonlinear mode coupling of magnetic fluctuations

A cause of observed anomalous plasma momentum transport in a reversed-field pinch is determined experimentally. Magnetohydrodynamic theory predicts that nonlinear interactions involving triplets of tearing modes produce internal torques that redistribute momentum. Evidence for the nonlinear torque is acquired by detecting the correlation of momentum redistribution with the mode triplets, with the elimination of one of the modes in the triplet, and with the external driving of one of the modes.     

Nonambipolar magnetic-fluctuation-induced particle transport and plasma flow in the MST reversed-field pinch

First direct measurements of nonambipolar magnetic fluctuation-induced charge transport in the interior of a high-temperature plasma are reported. Global resistive tearing modes drive the charge transport which is measured in the vicinity of the resonant surface for the dominant core resonant mode. Finite charge transport has two important consequences. First, it generates a potential well along with locally strong electric field and electric field shear at the resonant surface. Second, this electric field induces a spontaneous E x B driven zonal flow.     

Controlling density fluctuations in wall-bounded dissipative particle dynamics systems

Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) simulations of wall-bounded flows exhibit density fluctuations that depend strongly on the no-slip boundary condition and increase with the level of coarse graining. We develop an adaptive model for wall-particle interactions that eliminates such oscillations and can target prescribed density profiles. Comparisons are made with ideal no-slip boundary conditions and molecular dynamics simulations. The new model is general and can be used in other coarse-grained particle methods.     

Core electrostatic fluctuations and particle transport in a reversed-field pinch

Potential and electron-density fluctuation profiles, phi(r) and ?(e)(r)/n(e), are measured for the first time in the core of a reversed-field pinch using a heavy ion beam probe. It is found that the fluctuations are broadband and correlated with the core resonant m/n=1/6 tearing mode. The electrostatic-fluctuation-induced particle transport in the core of standard RFP plasmas, estimated from measured , is small compared to the total particle flux. Measurements of fluctuations and estimates of fluctuation induced particle transport in improved confinement RFP discharges are also presented.     

Electron-magnon coupling and nonlinear tunneling transport in magnetic nanoparticles

We present a theory of single-electron tunneling transport through a ferromagnetic nanoparticle in which particle-hole excitations are coupled to spin collective modes. The model employed to describe the interaction between quasiparticles and collective excitations captures the salient features of a recent microscopic study. Our analysis of nonlinear quantum transport in the regime of weak coupling to the external electrodes is based on a rate-equation formalism for the nonequilibrium occupation probability of the nanoparticle many-body states. For strong electron-boson coupling, we find that the tunneling conductance as a function of bias voltage is characterized by a large and dense set of resonances. Their magnetic field dependence in the large-field regime is linear, with slopes of the same sign. Both features are in agreement with recent tunneling experiments.     

Control of density fluctuations and electron transport in the reversed-field pinch

Contrary to what has been observed thus far collision-induced light scattering (CILS) can be completely polarized. This exceptional behavior characterizes the very far wing of the binary CILS spectrum by gaseous helium. This conclusion is drawn from an experimental study of the depolarization ratio of He (2) in a much extended, previously unexplored, spectral domain. Our analysis shows that this property, unique thus far, is mainly due to an almost perfect cancellation between polarization and exchange pair polarizability contributions to the depolarized spectrum, taking place at internuclear distances shorter than the atomic diameter.     

Energy-based coupling of smooth particle hydrodynamics and molecular dynamics with thermal fluctuations

We propose a thermodynamically consistent and energy conserving coupling scheme between the atomistic and the continuum domain. The coupling scheme links the two domains using the DPDE (Dissipative Particle Dynamics at constant Energy) thermostat and is designed to handle strong temperature gradients across the atomistic/continuum domain interface. The fundamentally different definitions of temperature in the continuum and atomistic domain – internal energy and heat capacity versus particle velocity – are accounted for in a straightforward and conceptually intuitive way by the DPDE thermostat. We verify the here proposed scheme using a fluid, which is simultaneously represented as a continuum using Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics, and as an atomistically resolved liquid using Molecular Dynamics. In the case of equilibrium contact between both domains, we show that the correct microscopic equilibrium properties of the atomistic fluid are obtained. As an example of a strong non-equilibrium situation, we consider the propagation of a steady shock-wave from the continuum domain into the atomistic domain, and show that the coupling scheme conserves both energy and shock-wave dynamics.     

Increased nonlinear coupling between turbulence and low-frequency fluctuations at the L-H transition

The nonlinear coupling between small scale high-frequency turbulence and larger scale lower-frequency fluctuations increases transiently in transitions to improved confinement in the DIII-D tokamak. This increase starts before the rapid turbulence suppression and E x B shear-flow development in the region that becomes the H-mode transport barrier/shear flow region. After the transition, the coupling returns to L-mode levels. These results are consistent with expectations for spontaneous transitions to improved confinement triggered by a turbulence-driven sheared flow.     

Linear and nonlinear mesoscopic thermoelectric transport with coupling with heat baths

Decades of research on thermoelectrics stimulated by the fact that nano- and meso-scale thermoelectric transport could yield higher energy conversion efficiency and output power has recently uncovered a new direction on inelastic thermoelectric effects. We introduce the history, motivation, and perspectives on mesoscopic inelastic thermoelectric effects.     

Observation of nonlinear coupling between small-poloidal wave-number potential fluctuations and turbulent potential fluctuations in Ohmically heated plasmas in the JFT-2M tokamak

Two types of electrostatic modes with small-poloidal wave numbers (approximately 1 and 10-15 kHz) are observed in the edge region of Ohmically heated plasmas in the JFT-2M tokamak. The envelope of the higher frequency coherent mode is modulated at the frequency of the lower frequency mode. A bispectral analysis revealed that a significant nonlinear coupling among the two types of fluctuations and the broadband background turbulent potential fluctuations occurs inside the last closed magnetic flux surface, suggesting that a nonlinear process such as the parametric-modulational instability is involved.     

Role of fluctuations in nonlinear dynamics of a driven polariton system in semiconductor microcavities

The escape time from the lower energy state of the bistable nonlinear driven microcavity oscillator has been obtained analytically by means of the quasi-classical kinetic equation in the basis of quasi-energy states. The dependence of the escape time on the intensity of the external field is in rather good agreement with the results of numerical experiments. Moreover, the numerical dependencies of the escape time on the damping parameter reveal a smooth crossover from exponential to diffusive-like behavior. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Quantum fluctuations in nonlinear optics

We consider nonlinear optical devices which are excited by coherent light from a laser and in which several other waves are generated by nonlinear processes. We develop a general theory to treat the noise properties of the generated waves. In particular a probability distribution function is found which in principle can be measured experimentally. This formulation allows a thermodynamic study of phase transitions.     

Role of rational surfaces on fluctuations and transport in the plasma edge of the TJ-II stellarator

It has been shown that transport barriers in toroidal magnetically confined plasmas tend to be linked to regions of unique magnetic topology such as the location of a minimum in the safety factor, rational surfaces or the boundary between closed and open flux surfaces. In the absence ofE×B sheared flows, fluctuations are expected to show maximum amplitude near rational surfaces, and plasma confinement might tend to deteriorate. On the other hand, if the generation ofE×B sheared flows were linked to low order rational surfaces, these would be beneficial for confinement. Experimental evidence ofE×B sheared flows linked to rational surfaces has been obtained in the plasma edge region of the TJ-II stellarator. Presented at the Workshop on the Role of Electric Fields in Plasma Confinement and Exhaust, Budapest, 18–19 June, 2000.     

Nonlinear transport and dynamics of fluctuations

The time evolution of the macroscopic variables of a system initially in a state far from thermal equilibrium is studied from a statistical mechanical point of view. Exact nonlinear transport equations for the mean values and linear nonstationary Langevin equations for the fluctuations around the mean path are derived. Connections between the dynamics of fluctuations and the transport equations are discussed. The Langevin random forces depend on the macroscopic state and they are related to the transport kernels by a fluctuation-dissipation formula.