arXiv · 1008.3338
The life-cycle of drift-wave turbulence driven by small scale instability
Abstract
We demonstrate theoretically and numerically the zonal-flow/drift-wave feedback mechanism for the LH transition in an idealised model of plasma turbulence driven by a small scale instability. Zonal flows are generated by a secondary modulational instability of the modes which are directly driven by the primary instability. The zonal flows then suppress the small scales thereby arresting the energy injection into the system, a process which can be described using nonlocal wave turbulence theory. Finally, the arrest of the energy input results in saturation of the zonal flows at a level which can be estimated from the theory and the system reaches stationarity without damping of the large scales.
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Colm Connaughton, Sergey Nazarenko, Brenda Quinn. 2010-12-16. The life-cycle of drift-wave turbulence driven by small scale instability. https://arxiv.org/abs/1008.3338
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