Synchronization of Geodesic Acoustic Modes and Magnetic Fluctuations in Toroidal Plasmas

K. J. Zhao, Y. Nagashima, P. H. Diamond, J. Q. Dong, K. Itoh, S. I. Itoh, L. W. Yan, J. Cheng, A. Fujisawa, S. Inagaki, Y. Kosuga, M. Sasaki, Z. X. Wang, L. Wei, Z. H. Huang, D. L. Yu, W. Y. Hong, Q. Li, X. Q. Ji, X. M. SongY. Huang, Yi Liu, Q. W. Yang, X. T. Ding, X. R. Duan

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19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The synchronization of geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) and magnetic fluctuations is identified in the edge plasmas of the HL-2A tokamak. Mesoscale electric fluctuations (MSEFs) having components of a dominant GAM, and m/n=6/2 potential fluctuations are found at the same frequency as that of the magnetic fluctuations of m/n=6/2 (m and n are poloidal and toroidal mode numbers, respectively). The temporal evolutions of the MSEFs and the magnetic fluctuations clearly show the frequency entrainment and the phase lock between the GAM and the m/n=6/2 magnetic fluctuations. The results indicate that GAMs and magnetic fluctuations can transfer energy through nonlinear synchronization. Such nonlinear synchronization may also contribute to low-frequency zonal flow formation, reduction of turbulence level, and thus confinement regime transitions.

Original languageEnglish
Article number145002
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume117
Issue number14
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 28 2016

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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