Full-wave simulation of ion cyclotron range of frequency heating in a mirror device

We are adapting the all-orders spectral algorithm (AORSA) [1] from tokamak geometry to axisymmetric magnetic mirror geometry. We will use the modified AORSA to study ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) heating in the Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror (WHAM) magnetic mirror device [2]. The ICRF power will be used in WHAM to accelerate high-energy neutral beam injection ions by ion cyclotron absorption at the second to fourth harmonics of deuterium. At these harmonics, full wave simulations most accurately capture wave propagation, including transmission, reflection, and absorption at the cyclotron layer. The antenna is modeled as a single-strap with m = 0 excitation, where m is the azimuthal mode number. We present some preliminary results for wave coupling and heating.

[1] E. F. Jaeger et al., Phys. Plasmas, 8, 1573 (2001).

[2] D. Endrizzi et al., Journal of Plasma Physics, 89, 975890501 (2023).