A Hamiltonian electromagnetic gyrofluid model

POSTER

Abstract

An isothermal truncation of the electromagnetic gyrofluid model of Snyder and Hammett [Phys.\ Plasmas 8, 3199 (2001)] is shown to be Hamiltonian. The corresponding noncanonical Lie-Poisson bracket and its Casimir invariants are presented. The model describes the evolution of the density, the electrostatic potential, and the component of the vector potential along a strong background field. This makes it suitable for describing such phenomena as the propagation of kinetic-Alfv\'{e}n modons, the nonlinear saturation of drift-tearing modes, and the diamagnetic stabilization of the internal kink. The invariants are used to obtain a set of coupled Grad-Shafranov equations describing equilibria and propagating coherent structures. They also lead to a Lagrangian formulation of the equations of motion that is well suited to solution with the PIC method.

Authors

  • F.L. Waelbroeck

    Inst. Fusion Studies, Univ. Texas Austin

  • R.D. Hazeltine

    University of Texas - Austin, Inst. Fusion Studies, U. Texas at Austin

  • P.J. Morrison

    Institute for Fusion Studies, Inst. Fusion Studies, U. Texas at Austin, Institute for Fusion Studies and Dept. of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX