2011/06/14 by Alexander M. Balk, Balk, Alexander M., Peter B. Weichman +1
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Fluid Dynamics (physics.flu-dyn) #Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics #Magnetic confinement fusion research #Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph) #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1106.2746
openalex publication_date 2011/06/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We propose a new mechanism for the generation of zonal flows in magnetically confined plasmas, complementing previous theories based on a modulational instability. We derive a new conservation law that operates in the regime of weakly nonlinear dynamics, and show that it serves to focus the inverse cascade of turbulent drift wave energy into zonal flows. This mechanism continues to operate in the absence of the separation of dynamical scales typically assumed in instability calculations.