Bifurcation-driven vertical plasma displacement

Abstract

This paper considers vertical plasma motion resulting from plasma current decay during the disruption event. The presented filament-based model describes the motion in the ideal wall limit as an adiabatically slow evolution of the plasma equilibrium. The equilibrium exhibits a pitchfork bifurcation when the decaying plasma current passes a critical value determined by the external magnetic field. This bifurcation affects the disruption-induced mechanical loads on the first wall.