450 research outputs found
Comparison of particle trajectories and collision operators for collisional transport in nonaxisymmetric plasmas
In this work, we examine the validity of several common simplifying
assumptions used in numerical neoclassical calculations for nonaxisymmetric
plasmas, both by using a new continuum drift-kinetic code and by considering
analytic properties of the kinetic equation. First, neoclassical phenomena are
computed for the LHD and W7-X stellarators using several versions of the
drift-kinetic equation, including the commonly used incompressible-ExB-drift
approximation and two other variants, corresponding to different effective
particle trajectories. It is found that for electric fields below roughly one
third of the resonant value, the different formulations give nearly identical
results, demonstrating the incompressible ExB-drift approximation is quite
accurate in this regime. However, near the electric field resonance, the models
yield substantially different results. We also compare results for various
collision operators, including the full linearized Fokker-Planck operator. At
low collisionality, the radial transport driven by radial gradients is nearly
identical for the different operators, while in other cases it is found to be
important that collisions conserve momentum
Simulating Gyrokinetic Microinstabilities in Stellarator Geometry with GS2
The nonlinear gyrokinetic code GS2 has been extended to treat
non-axisymmetric stellarator geometry. Electromagnetic perturbations and
multiple trapped particle regions are allowed. Here, linear, collisionless,
electrostatic simulations of the quasi-axisymmetric, three-field period
National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) design QAS3-C82 have been
successfully benchmarked against the eigenvalue code FULL. Quantitatively, the
linear stability calculations of GS2 and FULL agree to within ~10%.Comment: Submitted to Physics of Plasmas. 9 pages, 14 figure
Removal of a below knee plaster cast worn for 28 months: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>An unusual situation in which a below knee cast was removed after 28 months is reported. To the best of our knowledge no similar cases have been reported in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>The cast was removed from the leg of a 45-year-old Caucasian woman. Significant muscle atrophy and dense skin scales were present but the underlying skin surface was relatively healthy with only small pitted 1-2 mm ulcers. No pathogenic organisms were cultured from this environment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It seems likely that skin can tolerate cast immobilization for prolonged duration.</p
Substrate quality drives fungal necromass decay and decomposer community structure under contrasting vegetation types
1.Fungal mycelium is increasingly recognized as a central component of soil biogeochemical cycling, yet our current understanding of the ecological controls on fungal necromass decomposition is limited to single sites and vegetation types.
2.By deploying common fungal necromass substrates in a temperate oak savanna and hardwood forest in the midwestern USA, we assessed the generality of the rate at which high‐ and low‐quality fungal necromass decomposes; further, we investigated how the decomposer ‘necrobiome’ varies both across and within sites under vegetation types dominated by either arbuscular or ectomycorrhizal plants.
3.The effects of necromass quality on decay rate were robust to site and vegetation type differences, with high‐quality fungal necromass decomposing, on average, 2.5 times faster during the initial stages of decay. Across vegetation types, bacterial and fungal communities present on decaying necromass differed from bulk soil microbial communities and were influenced by necromass quality. Moulds, yeasts and copiotrophic bacteria consistently dominated the necrobiome of high‐quality fungal substrates.
4.Synthesis. We show that regardless of differences in decay environments, high‐quality fungal substrates decompose faster and support different types of decomposer micro‐organisms when compared with low‐quality fungal tissues. These findings help to refine our theoretical understanding of the dominant factors affecting fast cycling components of soil organic matter and the microbial communities associated with rapid decay
First Observation of a Stable Highly Dissipative Divertor Plasma Regime on the Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator
Comparative gustatory responses in four species of gerbilline rodents
Integrated taste responses to chemical stimulation of the tongue were recorded from the intact chorda tympani nerve in four species of gerbils ( Meriones libycus, M. shawi, M. unguiculatus and Psammomys obesus ).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47116/1/359_2004_Article_BF00618177.pd
Validation of theory-based models for the control of plasma currents in W7-X divertor plasmas
A theory-based model for the control of plasma currents for steady-state operation in W7-X is proposed and intended for model-based plasma control. The conceptual outline implies the strength of physics-based models: it offer approaches applicable to future conditions of fusion devices or next-step machines. The application at extrapolated settings is related to the validity range of the theory model. Therefore, the predictive power of theory-based control models could be larger than for data-driven approaches and limitations can be predicted from the validity range for the prediction of bootstrap currents in W7-X. The model predicts the L/R response when density or heating power is changed. The model is based on neoclassical bootstrap current calculations and validated for different discharge conditions. While the model was found to be broadly applicable for conducted electron-cyclotron-heated discharges in W7-X, limits were found for cases when the polarization of the electron cyclotron heating was changed from X2 to O2-heating. The validity assessment attempts to quantify the potential of the derived model for model-based control in the operational space (density, heating power) of W7-X
Calculation of the bootstrap current profile for the TJ-II stellarator
Calculations of the bootstrap current for the TJ-II stellarator are
presented. DKES and NEO-MC codes are employed; the latter has allowed, for the
first time, the precise computation of the bootstrap transport coefficient in
the long mean free path regime of this device. The low error bars allow a
precise convolution of the monoenergetic coefficients, which is confirmed by
error analysis. The radial profile of the bootstrap current is presented for
the first time for the 100_44_64 configuration of TJ-II for three different
collisionality regimes. The bootstrap coefficient is then compared to that of
other configurations of TJ-II regularly operated. The results show qualitative
agreement with toroidal current measurements; precise comparison with real
discharges is ongoing
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