Turbulent particle pinch in gyrokinetic flux-driven ITG/TEM turbulence

Abstract

Aiming at a fuel supply through particle pinch effects, turbulent particle transport is studied by gyrokinetic flux-driven Ion-Temperature-Gradient/Trapped-Electron-Mode (ITG/TEM) simulations. It is found that ITG/TEM turbulence can drive ion particle pinch by E × B drift (n ≠ 0) when the ion temperature gradient is steep enough. Electron particle pinch is also driven by E × B drift (n ≠ 0) in the case with the steep electron temperature gradient. Such an electron particle pinch can trigger an ambipolar electric field, leading to additional ion particle pinch by not only magnetic drift but also E × B drift (n = 0). These results suggest that a density peaking of bulk ions due to turbulent fluctuations can be achieved by sufficiently strong both ion and electron heating.