Global gyrokinetic simulations of electromagnetic turbulence in stellarator plasmas

Abstract

Global electromagnetic turbulence is simulated in stellarator geometry using the gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code EUTERPE. The evolution of the turbulent electromagnetic field and the plasma profiles is considered at different values of the plasma beta and for different magnetic configurations. It is found that turbulence is linearly driven at relatively high toroidal mode numbers. In the nonlinear regime, lower toroidal mode numbers, including zonal flows, are excited resulting in a quench of the linear instability drive. The turbulent heat flux is outward and leads to the nonlinear relaxation of the plasma temperature profile. The particle flux is inward for the parameters considered. The effect of the parallel perturbation of the magnetic field on the stellarator turbulence is addressed.