Vlasov Equilibrium in an Electrostatically Stoppered Magnetic Spindle Cusp Machine

Abstract

Numerical equilibrium solutions have been obtained for electrons and deuterium ions in a magnetic spindle cusp geometry combined with a stoppering electrostatic field. We give each species of particles a distribution function in terms of the constants of motion; such functions are solutions of the Vlasov equation. The Poisson equation is solved with charge distributions calculated from the moment of these distribution functions. Magnetic fields are not treated self-consistently. The calculations are two-dimensional. The parameters characterizing the plasma such as temperature and size, and the magnetic and electric field strengths are varied to a limited extent. We present the equilibrium solutions as profiles of densities and potential at certain sections of the machine and as equi-density contours.