The toroidal momentum pinch velocity

Abstract

In this letter a pinch velocity of toroidal momentum is shown to exist for the first time. Using the gyro-kinetic equations in the frame moving with the equilibrium toroidal velocity, it is shown that the physics effect can be elegantly formulated through the ``Coriolis'' drift. A fluid model is used to highlight the main coupling mechanisms between the density and temperature perturbations on the one hand and the perturbed parallel flow on the other. Gyro-kinetic calculations are used to accurately asses the magnitude of the pinch. The pinch velocity leads to a radial gradient of the toroidal velocity profile even in the absence of a torque on the plasma. It is shown to be sizeable in the plasmas of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) leading to a moderately peaked rotation profile. Finally, the pinch also affects the interpretation of current experiments.