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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik
P 16: Poster Session Plasma Physics
P 16.69: Poster
Thursday, March 19, 2026, 13:45–15:45, Redoutensaal
On the Nonlinear Excitation of Zero Frequency Zonal Flows by Alfvén Eigenmodes — •Riccardo Stucchi1,2, Ph. Lauber1, X. Wang1, F. Zonca3,4, M. V. Falessi3, N. Chen1,4, F. Stefanelli1, and D. Korger1 — 1Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics — 2Technical University of Munich — 3Center for Nonlinear Plasma Science and C.R. ENEA Frascati — 4Institute of Fusion Theory and Simulation, Zhejiang University
As magnetic fusion plasmas move closer to ignition, increasing interest is raised by energetic particles (EPs) and Alfvén eigenmodes (AEs). As hinted by simulations and experiments, the interplay of EPs, AEs and background plasma can potentially lead to regulation of turbulence, and the aim of the present work is to build a reduced model to assess the impact on confinement of one particular mechanism of such interplay: the nonlinear generation of zero frequency zonal flows (ZFZFs) by AEs. The work is currently focused on modelling and un*derstanding the beat-driven generation by AEs of ZFZFs in the context of nonlinear gyrokinetic (GK) theory: on the one hand, we refine previous analytical expressions in the simplified case of well-circulating particles in circular cross section geometry; on the other hand we formulate a semi-analytical approach, presently being implemented in a linear GK eigenvalue code, valid in axis-symmetric toroidal geometry for both trapped and circulating particles. Future work including the comparison with nonlinear GK PIC simulations, the investigation of the nonlinear saturation regime for both AEs and ZFZFs, and the assessment of the impact of ZFZFs on the plasma confinement is foreseen.
Keywords: Burning Plasmas; Zonal Flows; Alfvén eigenmodes; Nonlinear Gyrokinetics; Plasma Confinement