Toroidal rotation and radial electric field driven by the lower-hybrid-wave in a tokamak fusion reactor

A theoretical model is proposed to interpret the counter-current rotation driven by the lower-hybrid-wave observed in the tokamak lower-hybrid-wave parallel current drive experiments. It is found that ions absorb the toroidal momentum indirectly from the wave through collisional friction with the resonant electrons that directly take the momentum from the wave through Landau resonance. This momentum coupling pumps out the ions to produce a negative radial electric field and makes the plasma rotate in the counter-current direction. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3644479]