A perspective on transport dynamics in the reversed field pinch

Summary form only given. The energetic electron transport process and, hence, the associated plasma heat transport in the reversed field pinch (RFP) are not adequately represented by simple thermal conduction where Q_e=-χ_eΔT_e. A related effect is that the deposition of electron momentum in the plasma edge region can be directly correlated with an enhanced (nonclassical) plasma resistivity. Preliminary modeling of the energetic electron transport entails solving the long-mean-free-path limit limit of the Boltzmann equation to obtain a quantifiable relationship between the electron distribution function in the plasma edge, magnetic shear, magnetic field line stochasticity, and the ratio of applied to critical electric field on axis (E_φ/E_c). In the limit of high magnetic shear, moderate field line stochasticity, and moderate E_φ/E_c (the RFP limit), the predicted energetic electron transport can qualitatively explain many of the edge plasma observations on present RFP experiments such as ZT-40M