The Transition to Collisionless Ion-temperature-gradient-driven Plasma Turbulence: A Dynamical Systems Approach
Authors: R.A. Kolesnikov and J.A. Krommes
Date of PPPL Report: October 2004
Published in: Physical Review Letters 94, 235002 (2005) (4 pages)
The transition to collisionless ion-temperature-gradient-driven plasma turbulence is considered by applying dynamical systems theory to a model with ten degrees of freedom. Study of a four-dimensional center manifold predicts a "Dimits shift" of the threshold for turbulence due to the excitation of zonal flows and establishes the exact value of that shift in terms of physical parameters. For insight into fundamental physical mechanisms, the method provides a viable alternative to large simulations.