Non-axisymmetric simulation of the vertical displacement event in tokamaks

Abstract

Tokamak plasmas with highly elongated cross sections are subject to a vertical displacement event (VDE). The nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) evolutions of tokamak plasmas during the VDE are simulated by a three-dimensional MHD code as a combination of N = 0 and N = 1 components. The nonlinear evolution during the VDE is strongly affected by the relative amplitude of the N = 1 to the N = 0 modes.